Overview
The CAMHS Satisfaction Scale (CAMHS SS) measures the following seven dimensions of satisfaction with mental health services:
(1) Overall satisfaction,
(2) Professionals’ skills and behaviour,
(3) Information,
(4) Accessibility of services,
(5) Effectiveness of treatment,
(6) Relatives’ involvement, and
(7) Types of intervention offered.
There are two versions (a longer and shorter one) measuring service satisfaction among outpatients (CAMHSSS-39 and 20) and one for inpatients and day-patients (CAMHSSS-Unit). All have good psychometric properties and can be recommended for future studies.
The Verona Service Satisfaction Scale (VSSS) was chosen as a template to develop the CAMHS SS for young people and their families.
Administration
The 20-item version takes about 10 min to complete, which can be easily arranged in the waiting room before or after appointments. The 39-item questionnaire takes about 30 min to complete. The CAMHSSS-39 may be more appropriate if a more detailed analysis is required for research or service developments.
Psychometric Properties
| Property | Definition | CAMHS SS |
| Internal Consistency | The degree to which similar items within a scale correlate with each other | The questionnaires and the main dimensions have a high level of internal consistency, with the exception of access, and the type of intervention dimension. |
| Test re-test reliability | Degree to which the same respondents have the same score after period of time when trait shouldn’t have changed | Test-retest reliability was between substantial to moderate for individual items, and high for the seven dimension and the final versions of the scale. |
| Sensitivity | All three versions of the questionnaire performed well in distinguishing between satisfied and dissatisfied service users. | |
| Concurrent Validity | Correlation of the measure with others measuring the same concept | At the time that the project was designed and data were collected, there was no other validated service satisfaction questionnaire for CAMHS in the UK. Consequently, concurrent validity was not tested. |
Suitability
On developing the questionnaire, in addition to parents, the developers asked children above 11 years of age to complete the questionnaire (56 in total). If the child was younger, only the parent/carer was asked to complete the questionnaire
Scoring and Interpretation
Child/young person or parent/carer are asked for their satisfaction in the seven dimensions scoring 1-5 (overall feelings were very unhappy, unhappy, mixed, happy or very happy).
References
Ayton, A. K., Mooney, M. P., Sillifant, K., Powls, J., & Rasool, H. (2007). The development of the child and adolescent versions of the Verona Service Satisfaction Scale (CAMHSSS). Social psychiatry and psychiatric epidemiology, 42(11), 892-901.