The Columbia Impairment Scale: Factor Analysis Using a Community Mental Health Sample

Objective: The objective of this study was to test the factor structure of the parent version of the Columbia Impairment Scale (CIS) in a sample of mothers who brought their children for community mental health (CMH) services (n = 280). Method: Confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) was used to test the fit of the hypothesized four-factor structure and the empirically validated one-factor structure. Exploratory factor analysis (EFA) was used to identify what factor structure best fit our sample of distressed mothers. Results: Neither the one- nor the four-factor model fit our sample. The EFA suggested that the CIS was best understood as a 12-item, three-factor model that identified functional impairment: (a) at school/work; (b) in socializing; and (c) at home/family. Conclusion: These findings call into question the construct validity of the parent version of the CIS in a CMH sample of mothers and provide support for multidimensional measures of functional impairment.