Abstract
Although frequently used with older adolescents, few studies of the factor structure, internal consistency and gender equivalence of the SDQ exists for this age group, with inconsistent findings. In the present study, confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) was used to evaluate the five-factor structure of the SDQ in a population sample of 10,254 16–18 year-olds from the youth@hordaland study. Measurement invariance across gender was assessed using multigroup CFA. A modestly modified five-factor solution fitted the data acceptably, accounting for one cross loading and some local dependencies. Importantly, partial measurement non-invariance was identified, with differential item functioning in eight items, and higher correlations between emotional and conduct problems for boys compared to girls. Implications for use clinically and in research are discussed.
Highlights
Epidemiological studies have demonstrated that 13–25% of adolescents will meet the criteria for a mental disorder during their lifetime [1, 2]
An acceptable fit was found for the modified five-factor model to the self-reported Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ) data, comparative fit index (CFI) = 0.929, TLI = 0.919, root mean square error of approximation (RMSEA) = 0.055, CI = [0.054, 0.056]
The results suggest that a modified five-factor solution provides an acceptable fit to the data
Summary
Epidemiological studies have demonstrated that 13–25% of adolescents will meet the criteria for a mental disorder during their lifetime [1, 2]. Adolescence is an important time point for assessment, and possible early intervention as many mental health problems commonly emerge during this age period [3]. The Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ) [5, 6] is a brief assessment questionnaire for mental health problems that was originally developed for children between 11–16, but has recently been used in older age groups. It covers a broad range of mental health symptoms including conduct problems, hyperactivity-inattention, emotional symptoms, and peer problems, as well as prosocial behaviours. Multiple informants can complete the SDQ, including parent, teacher and self-report, and information about both symptom and impact scores are included
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