Background: The Self-Reporting Questionnaire (SRQ) has long been used among refugee populations to detect common mental health disorders.
Purpose: Our purpose was to compare findings from psychometric validation of the 20-item SRQ with a modified version, the SRQ-SIB (suicidal ideation and behavior).
Methods: Factor analysis of both scales was performed in a sample of Congolese refugee women as well as predictive validity, contrast validity, and internal consistency.
Results: Both scales exhibited a reliability of .911. The SRQ-SIB exhibited a three-factor solution; somatic, psychological, and SIB. The SIB was highly predictive for having experienced sexual violence. Analyses validate the use of both, but the SIB is useful for differentiating more severe cases of common mental disorder (CMD).
Conclusions: The SRQ-SIB may be an important tool for the nursing assessment of suicide among refugee women.