Mental Health of Australian Deaf Adolescents: An Investigation using an Auslan Version of the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire

Abstract

This study investigated mental health problems in 54 deaf adolescents between 11 and 18 years of age residing in the states of New South Wales and Tasmania in Australia. Mental health problems were assessed using the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ; ). The SDQ Self Report was translated into Australian Sign Language (Auslan; ) using a rigorous iterative process of translation and back-translation. Both the written and Auslan Self Report versions of the instrument were administered to establish test–retest reliability and internal consistency of the signed version. Parent and teacher reports were also obtained. Results showed acceptable levels of reliability and internal consistency for the Auslan version of the self-report commensurate with those obtained for the written version on a normative hearing sample. Modest correlations were found between some of the syndrome scales in the two versions. Modest to strong correlations emerged between parent and teacher reports, parent and child written versions, and for some of the syndrome scales between teacher and child self-reports and between the parent and Auslan Self Report version. The prevalence rates yielded by the different respondents differed with parents reporting higher prevalence than teachers or children. Differences also emerged between the rates identified using the different versions of the Child Self Report. The implications of these findings are discussed.