The Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire Predicts Concurrent Mental Health Difficulties in a Transdiagnostic Sample of Struggling Learners.

Annie Bryant,Jacalyn Guy,Joni Holmes,Calm Team

doi:10.3389/fpsyg.2020.587821

Abstract

Children and adolescents with developmental problems are at increased risk of experiencing mental health problems. The Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ) is widely used as a screener for detecting mental health difficulties in these populations, but its use thus far has been restricted to groups of children with diagnosed disorders (e.g., ADHD). Transdiagnostic approaches, which focus on symptoms and soften or remove the boundaries between traditional categorical disorders, are increasingly adopted in research and practice. The aim of this study was to assess the potential of the SDQ to detect concurrent mental health problems in a transdiagnostic sample of children. The sample were referred by health and educational professionals for difficulties related to learning (N = 389). Some had one diagnosis, others had multiple, but many had no diagnoses. Parent-rated SDQ scores were significantly positively correlated with parent ratings of mental health difficulties on the Revised Child Anxiety and Depression Scale (RCADS). Ratings on the SDQ Emotion subscale significantly predicted the likelihood of having concurrent clinical anxiety and depression scores. Ratings on the Hyperactivity subscale predicted concurrent anxiety levels. These findings suggest the SDQ could be a valuable screening tool for identifying existing mental health difficulties in children recognized as struggling, as it can be in typically developing children and those with specific diagnoses.

Highlights

Mental health problems affect up to 15% of the school-age population and are more common in children with learning-related problems than typically developing children (Emerson and Hatton, 2007; Francis et al, 2019; Public Health England, 2019)
The aim of this study is to investigate whether parent ratings on the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ) can be used to predict concurrent mental health symptoms in children with learningrelated problems who are likely to be at increased risk of anxiety and depression
The aim of this study is to provide a critical test of the utility of the parent-rated SDQ for identifying concurrent mental health problems in a transdiagnostic sample of struggling learners who are common in the classroom

Summary

Introduction

Mental health problems affect up to 15% of the school-age population and are more common in children with learning-related problems than typically developing children (Emerson and Hatton, 2007; Francis et al, 2019; Public Health England, 2019). Less than a third of children with learning problems receive mental health support (Dekker and Koot, 2003; Strømme and Diseth, 2007) This leads to poor long-term outcomes for individuals and increased economic and societal costs due to elevated mental health care needs, greater risks of schoolexclusion and unemployment, and increased levels of antisocial behavior The sample are a large heterogeneous cohort of struggling learners recruited to the Centre for Attention, Learning and Memory (CALM) study It includes children with learning-related difficulties such as dyslexia and ADHD, and others with impairments in attention, learning or memory that did not meet diagnostic thresholds but were recognized by a health or educational professional as compromising the child’s school progress

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