Screening tools for common mental disorders have been translated into multiple languages. (Please note that it has been specified for each tool whether it is open-access or whether there is a fee associated with the use of the assessment tool.) Screening for common mental disorders is usually only useful when there is an integrated treatment system that can respond to potential needs with careful clinical assessment and appropriate stepped care.
The PHQ-9, a nine-item depression scale of the Patient Health Questionnaire, is a useful tool in screening for depression in primary care. [Kroenke, K. (2012). Enhancing the clinical utility of depression screening. Canadian Medical Association Journal, 184(3), 281-282.] See PHQ-9 in multiple languages.
The 10-question Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS) is an efficient way of identifying patients at risk for perinatal depression. Validated translations are available in multiple languages with a scoring manual, Using the Edinburgh Depression Scale, produced by the Department of Health, Government of Western Australia.
The RUDAS is a is short cognitive screening instrument designed to minimise the effects of cultural learning and language diversity on the assessment of baseline cognitive performance. The instrument is also available in Chinese and Italian. The organization Fightdementia.org offers an online Training Video, as well as a Scoring Guide.
This section provides access to a number of assessment tools for children, including the The Achenbach System of Empirically Based Assessment (ASEBA), the Pediatric Symptom Checklist, and the Strength and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ).
The ASEBA assesses competencies, adaptive functioning, and behavioral, emotional, and social problems from age 1½ to over 90 years (specifics of the assessment tools vary depending on the age of the patient). This instrument has been translated into over 85 languages and has been culturally validated in many different studies. This is not an open-access document, but can be purchased from the website for varying prices, depending on the exact instrument and whether it will be used for training purposes. Information about the reliability and validity of the instrument can be found here.