Parent Strengths And Difficulties Questionnaire Research Articles

Mental Health in Pre-Adolescents with Cerebral Palsy: Exploring the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire as a Screening Tool in a Follow-Up Study including Multi-Informants.

There is a high prevalence of mental health problems in children with Cerebral Palsy (CP). Still, knowledge regarding the trajectory of mental health problems throughout childhood and differences according to informants is lacking. There is also a need for more knowledge regarding the validity of mental health screening tools. In the present study, we assessed changes in parent-rated mental health problems in a cohort of 36 children with CP from school-starting age to pre-adolescence and differences in mental health problems according to informants. Further, we assessed the validity of the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ) for psychiatric disorders. The study cohort was assessed using the SDQ and a child psychiatric diagnostic instrument at school-starting age and at pre-adolescence. Mean parental SDQ scores increased significantly for emotional, hyperactivity and total problems. Self-reported impact of mental health problems was significantly lower than parent-reported impact, and parents and pre-adolescents reported significantly higher mean scores than teachers for emotional problems, conduct problems and total problem scores. Validated against psychiatric disorders, the SDQ was satisfactory for screening children with CP for risk of psychiatric disorders at pre-adolescence. We recommend that mental health screening be integrated into the regular follow-up for children with CP.

The Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire Is of Clinical Significance Regarding Emotional and Behavioral Problems in 7-Year-Old Children With Familial Risk of Schizophrenia or Bipolar Disorder and Population-Based Controls the Danish High Risk and Resilience Study-VIA 7; A Population-Based Cohort Study.

BackgroundChildren born to parents with severe mental illness are at increased risk of mental and behavioral difficulties during childhood. We aimed to investigate the occurrence of clinically significant behavioral difficulties in 7-year-old children of parents diagnosed with schizophrenia or bipolar disorder as well as in control children by using the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ). Further, we aimed to determine if the SDQ could function as a screening instrument for clinically relevant behavioral problems of children at high risk of these severe mental illnesses.MethodsBy means of the Danish National Registers, we established a cohort of 522 7-year old children stratified by familial high risk for schizophrenia spectrum disorder (N = 202), bipolar disorder (N =120), and controls (N = 200). The child's primary caregiver completed the SDQ parent version and the Child Behavior Checklist (CBCL) while the schoolteacher completed the SDQ teacher version and the CBCL teacher equivalent; the Teachers Report Form (TRF). Finally, global functioning was assessed with the Children's Global Assessment Scale (CGAS).ResultsChildren with familial high risk of schizophrenia spectrum disorder or bipolar disorder have a significantly increased risk (OR = 3.8 and 2.3) of suffering clinically significant behavioral difficulties at age 7-years according to SDQ parent ratings. The SDQ discriminates with moderate to high sensitivity and high specificity between familial high-risk children with and without a psychiatric diagnosis and has overall compelling discriminatory abilities in line with the more time consuming CBCL/TRF.Conclusions Familial high-risk children have more behavioral difficulties and more frequently at a level indicative of mental illness compared to control children as measured by the SDQ. The SDQ works well as a screening instrument for clinically relevant behavioral problems in high-risk children.

A clinical follow-up study of dialectical behavior therapy skills groups among female adolescents diagnosed with depressive disorder.

Our aim was to evaluate longitudinal data for adolescents who were treated with Dialectical Behavior therapy (DBT) skills groups having been previously diagnosed with depressive disorder. Intervention with an observational cross-sectional design was implemented to evaluate the treatment outcome of a 10-week DBT skills groups with female adolescents with depression. After the patients were identified for enrollment, parents and adolescents were evaluated with psychometric measurements pre-, post-intervention, and at one-year follow-up. Repeated measures analysis was undertaken with the Child Depression Inventory (CDI), Pediatric Quality of Life Inventory (PedsQL) and Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ) for participants. Statistical significance was detected for self-report CDI scores and both self-report and parent SDQ and PedsQL scores. This study is the first DBT intervention in Turkish children, shows that a group DBT skills groups training can be adapted and put into practice successfully with depressed Turkish adolescents.

The Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire Parent Form: Dutch norms and validity

ObjectiveThis study provides Dutch national norms for the parent-reported Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ) for children aged 3-14 years, and assesses the test performance of the SDQ Total Difficulties Scale (TDS) and impairment Scale. We further compared Dutch SDQ norms with those of the United Kingdom (UK), to determine potential variation in country-specific norms.Study designWe analyzed data of 3384 children aged 3 to 14 years. The data were obtained in schools, and in the context of Preventive Child Healthcare. Parents completed the SDQ parent form and the Child Behavior Checklist (CBCL). We determined clinical (10% elevated scores) and borderline (20% elevated scores) SDQ TDS norms. We assessed the test performance (validity) of the SDQ TDS and Impairment Score using the CBCL as criterion.ResultsThe clinical SDQ TDS norms varied between > 10 and > 14 depending on the age group. The SDQ TDS discriminated between children with and without problems, as measured by the CBCL, for all age groups (AUCs varied from 0.92 to 0.96). The SDQ Impairment Score had added value (beyond the SDQ TDS) only for the age group 12-14 years. For the Netherlands we found lower clinical SDQ TDS norms than those previously reported for the UK (i.e. > 16).ConclusionThe clinical SDQ TDS norms varied between > 10 and > 14 depending on the age groups. We found good test performance at these proposed norms. Dutch norms differed somewhat from UK norms. In the Netherlands, the SDQ performed better with Dutch-specific norms than with UK-specific norms.

Teacher Versus Parent Informant Measurement Invariance of the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire.

Background and ObjectivesObtaining a multi-informant perspective is important when assessing mental health issues in childhood and adolescence. Obtaining ratings from both parents and teachers also facilitates the evaluation of similarities and contrasts in the nature and severity of symptoms across home and school contexts. However, these informants may differ in their interpretations of observed behaviors, raising questions about the validity of comparing parents’ and teachers’ ratings.MethodsWe evaluated the cross-informant measurement invariance of one of the most widely used measures of child and adolescent mental health: The Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ). Using data from the UK-population representative Millennium Cohort Study, we evaluated configural, metric, and scalar measurement invariance across parents and teachers when children were aged 7 (N = 10,221) and 11 (N = 10,543).ResultsScalar measurement invariance held at both ages. Parents reported higher levels of symptoms in all domains measured at both ages as well as higher prosociality.ConclusionsFor a UK sample, valid comparisons of parent and teacher SDQ ratings at ages 7 and 11 appear to be possible, facilitating the evaluation of contextual differences in child mental health problems. Further, parents report more problem and prosocial behavior in their children than teachers attribute to them.

Longer-term effects of school-based counselling in UK primary schools.

Children’s mental health is deteriorating while access to child and adolescent mental health services is decreasing. Recent UK policy has focused on schools as a setting for the provision of mental health services, and counselling is the most common type of school-based mental health provision. This study examined the longer-term effectiveness of one-to-one school-based counselling delivered to children in UK primary schools. Data were drawn from a sample of children who received school-based counselling in the UK in the 2015/16 academic year, delivered by a national charitable organisation. Mental health was assessed at baseline, immediately post-intervention, and approximately 1 year post-intervention, using the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ) completed by teachers and parents. Paired t tests compared post-intervention and follow-up SDQ total difficulties scores with baseline values. Propensity score matching was then used to identify a comparator group of children from a national population survey, and linear mixed effects models compared trajectories of SDQ scores in the two groups. In the intervention group, teacher and parent SDQ total difficulties scores were lower at post-intervention and longer-term follow-up compared to baseline (teacher: baseline 14.42 (SD 7.18); post-intervention 11.09 (6.93), t(739) = 13.78, p < 0.001; follow-up 11.27 (7.27), t(739) = 11.92, p < 0.001; parent: baseline 15.64 (6.49); post-intervention 11.90 (6.78), t(361 = 11.29, p < 0.001); follow-up 11.32 (7.19), t(361) = 11.29, p < 0.001). The reduction in SDQ scores was greater in the intervention compared to the comparator group (likelihood ratio test comparing models with time only versus time plus group-by-time interaction: χ2 (3) = 24.09, p < 0.001), and model-predicted SDQ scores were lower in the intervention than comparator group for 2 years post-baseline. A one-to-one counselling intervention delivered to children in UK primary schools predicted improvements in mental health that were maintained over a 2 year follow-up period.Supplementary InformationThe online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s00787-021-01802-w.

Quality of Life in Children and Young People With Congenital Adrenal Hyperplasia in the United Kingdom - Nationwide Multicentre Assessment

Introduction: Impaired Quality of Life (QoL) in Congenital Adrenal Hyperplasia (CAH) has been demonstrated in adults, but research in children has yielded variable results. We investigated the impact of CAH on QoL of children and adolescents alongside clinical health outcomes (biometric and biochemical profiles). Method: We collected data from 14 tertiary UK centres to explore current health status of 8-18 year olds with CAH. QoL was assessed by using three different questionnaires; strengths and difficulties questionnaire (SDQ), Paediatric Quality of life (PedsQL) and Self-image profile (SIP), the former two completed by both patients and their parents. Height, weight and blood pressure were converted to age and sex adjusted z-scores. Serum markers included 17OH-progesterone (17OHP), androstenedione (D4), testosterone (T) and 11-ketotestosterone (11KT). Statistical Analysis: Statistical analysis comprised of principal component analysis (PCA) followed by multivariate analysis of variance (MANOVA), and post hoc regression. Results: Of the 107 CAH patients included in the study, median age 12.4 years (IQR 10.0-15.1), 55% were female and 104 completed at least 1 questionnaire. Adequate data for PCA was available from 73/107. Three Principal Components (PCs) with observed eigenvalues > 1 explained 71% of the total variance in the observed variables. PC1 reflected ‘disease control’ comprising 17OHP, D4, T and 11KT. PC2 reflected ‘biometrics’ comprising age, and height and weight z-score. PC3 reflected ‘blood pressure’, comprising systolic and diastolic z-score. PC1 correlated with outcomes in the parent and patient SDQ as well as parent PedsQL. PC2 and PC3 did not correlate with QoL. Regression analysis revealed higher scores (indicating lower QoL) in the SDQ domain of emotional problems and PedsQL domain of emotional health in patients where biomarkers suggested good control or overtreatment. Post hoc regression analysis revealed a rise in Androstenedione of 10nmol/L equated to an improved SDQ emotional problems score of 0.5 points and an improved PedsQL emotional health score of 3 points. Conclusion: The study found an interrelation between QoL and biomarkers of disease control in CAH. There were more emotional problems with higher levels of androgen suppression. Biochemical control within normal ranges did not predict emotional problems. However, unexpectedly, patients with very high levels of androgens were highlighted as reporting fewer problems with their emotional QoL. Further research into QoL in CAH and optimal levels of biochemical control will further understanding.

Parent and adolescent reports on emotional and peer problems in psychiatric outpatient setting using SDQ

IntroductionThe Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ) is one of the most widely used screening instruments in child and adolescent psychiatry. Studies have shown that the parent is a better informant than the adolescent, both for externalising and internalising disorders (Goodman et al, 1997, 2000).ObjectivesAim of this study was to examine the prevalence of parent and adolescent reported internalising problems in outpatient child and adolescent psychiatry setting using SDQ and examine the differences between parent and adolescent reports.MethodsThe study group was 101 adolescents (11-17 y.o.) and their parents, in 2 outpatient psychiatric care centres in Latvia. Internalising problems were assessed using SDQ parent and self-report version. When analyzing the score, 3rd and 4th band were defined as “high”.Results The mean age of adolescent population was 14,04 years (SD 1,96) and N=54 were female. 60,4% of parents and 52,5% of adolescents reported high level of peer problems, 63,4% of parents and 51,5% of adolescents reported high level of emotional problems. Parent and adolescent report results were concordant in two thirds of cases. Adolescents reported high emotional and peer problems in 9% and 14% of cases respectively, when their parents did not. And on the contrary - 22% of parents reported high level of internalising problems when the adolescent did not.ConclusionsMore than half of reports showed high levels of internalising problems. Every fifth parent reported a higher level of internalising problems than their adolescent. This agrees with previous findings that single informant (parent) reports might be more informative than multi-informant reports.

A Systematic Review of Some Reliability and Validity Issues regarding the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire Focusing on Its Use in Out-of-Home Care

ABSTRACT Purpose A systematic review was conducted to analyze the inter-rater reliability, cross-informant consistency, test-retest reliability, and temporal stability of the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ), and its ability to discriminate. Method We searched three databases for articles about the SDQ (parent, teacher, and self-report version), used samples of children up to age 18 and reported inter-rater reliability, cross-informant reliability, test-retest reliability, temporal stability, specificity, sensitivity, positive predictive value (PPV), and negative predictive value (NPV). Results Focusing on the TDS, inter-rater, and cross-informant reliability showed acceptable values, but respondent types (e.g., mothers and fathers) are not interchangeable. Test-retest reliability and temporal stability were also acceptable, and not excessively high. Specificity and NPV were acceptable but not sensitivity and PPV. Discussion and Conclusion Greater transparency is needed about who the respondent is when the term “parents” is used. The SDQ is an important supplement to service-as-usual assessments by social care professionals.

Measuring children\u2019s emotional and behavioural problems: are SDQ parent reports from native and immigrant parents comparable?

BackgroundThe number of immigrants worldwide is growing and migration might be a risk factor for the mental health of children. A reliable instrument is needed to measure immigrants' childrens mental health. The aim of the study was to test the measurement invariance of the parent version of the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ) between German native, Turkish origin and Russian origin immigrant parents in Germany. The SDQ is one of the most frequently used screening instruments for mental health disorders in children.MethodsDifferential Item Functioning (DIF) was tested in samples matched by socio-economic status, age and gender of the child. A logistic regression/item response theory hybrid method and a multiple indicators- multiple causes model (MIMIC) was used to test for DIF. Multi Group Confirmatory Factor analysis (MGCFA) was used to test for configural invariance. Parent reports of 10610 German native, 534 Russian origin and 668 Turkish origin parents of children aged 3–17 years were analysed.ResultsDIF items were found in both groups and with both methods. We did not find an adequate fit of the original five factor model of the SDQ for the Turkish origin group, but for the Russian origin group. An analysis of functional equivalence indicated that the SDQ is equally useful for the screening of mental health disorders in all three groups.ConclusionUsing the SDQ in order to compare the parent reports of native and immigrant parents should be done cautiously. Thus, the use of the SDQ in epidemiological studies and for prevention planning is questionable. However, the SDQ turns out to be a valid instrument for screening purposes in parents of native and immigrant children.

Age-specific norms and validation of the German SDQ parent version based on a nationally representative sample (KiGGS).

The Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ) is the most widely used mental health screening instrument for children and adolescents. It is a short questionnaire including 25 items that can be answered by parents, teachers or children. There are two studies which report norms for the German SDQ parent version. They do not include children younger than 6years. Moreover, whether the German SDQ parent version is measurement invariant across age has not yet been investigated. The absence of measurement invariance across age would support the use of age-specific norms that are not yet available for the German SDQ parent version. We used data of the German Health Interview and Examination Survey for Children and Adolescents (KiGGS), a nationally representative survey including 14,835 children aged 3-17years, to assess measurement invariance of the German SDQ parent version across the full age range. Multi-group confirmatory factor analysis revealed that the hyperactivity and emotional symptoms subscales are not comparable between children of different ages. This supports the use of age-specific norms for these two subscales and for the total SDQ. We used methods of centile estimation to smoothly model the centiles of the SDQ totalscore and the subscale scores in dependence on age. These age-specific centiles reflect the developmental course of SDQ problems in children (including preschoolers) and adolescents living in Germany. They can be used to identify children and adolescents with abnormal behaviour, while accounting for the developmental course of emotional and behaviour problems.

ADHD Comorbid With Major Depression on Parents and Teachers Perceptions

Objective: Examine the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ) responses of parents and teachers for children with ADHD comorbid with major depressive disorder (MDD), with an emphasis on determining how well the respondent groups’ responses correlate, and how well the results obtained perform as predictors of clinical diagnosis. Method: The SDQ was completed by parents and teachers of (n = 215 participants, 7-12 years old) in ADHD, MDD, ADHD + MDD, and healthy control groups. Agreement between parent and teacher SDQs and their concordance with Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (4th ed.; DSM-IV) diagnoses were assessed. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) and Kappa concordance analyses were used to compare the groups with the health control group. Results: The comorbid group presented greater impairments than the ADHD, MDD, and control groups (p < .001). Conclusion: The presence of psychiatric comorbidity causes greater impairment for school children with ADHD. The SDQ has good sensitivity for detecting these children and correlates well with DSM diagnosis.

The predictive validity of the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire for child attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder.

We need accurate screening measures for attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) to ensure that children with the disorder are referred for assessment without raising concern for children with normal behaviour. The Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ) provides hyperactivity-inattention (HI), conduct, emotional and peer problem subscales and impact scores that may be used for screening. The aim of the study was to investigate the predictive validity of the Danish version of the parent SDQ HI subscale at the child age of 7years for subsequent clinically diagnosed ADHD (age 8-15years). Participants were part of the Danish National Birth Cohort (N = 51,096), and children with ADHD were identified through the Danish National Health registries (n = 943). Receiver operating characteristic analysis showed that the screening accuracy for the HI scores was good (area under the curve = .84). With Cox multivariate regression analysis, we found that SDQ HI subscale scores ≥ 7 with impact gave a nearly 14-fold [hazard ratio (HR) = 13.59] increased risk for ADHD, while conduct and emotional problems indicated low risk (HRs of 1.62 and 1.67, respectively). For the HI subscale to be a sensitive measure for ADHD, a low cutoff (4) was needed, but gave many false screening positives (PPV = .02). Although the diagnostic accuracy of the parent version of the SDQ HI subscale for predicting ADHD was good, our results question the feasibility of screening the general child population for ADHD with only the parent SDQ HI subscale.

Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaires strengths and limitations as an evaluation and practice tool in Social Work

INTRODUCTION: The Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ) is an internationally recognised psychometric and behavioural screening tool. The Ministry of Social Development (MSD) have endorsed the SDQ as the primary behavioural screening and client outcome evaluation tool for the Social Workers in Schools (SWiS) service in 2018. The usefulness of the SDQ in social work practice and in evaluating client outcomes, however, remains unclear. This study explored two years of aggregated Youth Workers in Secondary Schools (YWiSS) SDQ scores to understand what client outcomes could be evidenced. This study further reflects on SDQs as a contractually mandated practice tool and their appropriateness in social work practice.METHOD: Data were collected from the Family Works Northern (FWN) YWiSS database.Data modelling and analysis tested what aggregated client, parent and teacher SDQ scorescommunicated for changes in clients’ behavioural difficulties at service entry, mid-point and exit. FINDINGS: Analysis of two years of YWiSS client, parent and teacher SDQ scores aggregated at a service level provided inconsistent evidence of client need and outcomes by SDQ thematic categories. A number of factors, including the SDQ being voluntary, clients exiting service early and the challenge of asking the same teachers and parents to complete an SDQ, meant that there were very few SDQ scores completed by all parties at the service exit point, following a two-year intervention.CONCLUSION: The findings in this research suggest that the SDQ as a standalone behavioural screening and outcome evaluation tool within social work is limited. Aggregated YWiSS SDQ results provided limited insights about the complexity of client needs or any intervention outcomes to practitioners, social service providers and funders. The use of SDQ in social work requires further scrutiny to test its ability to communicate a client’s level of need and any intervention outcomes to these stakeholders.

Measurement Invariance of the Parent Version of the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ) Across Community and Clinical Populations

Abstract. The Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ) is a popular screening instrument for the detection of social-emotional and behavioral problems in children in community and clinical settings. To sensibly compare SDQ scores across these settings, the SDQ should measure psychosocial difficulties and strengths in the same way across community and clinical populations, that is, the SDQ should be measurement invariant across both populations. We examined whether measurement invariance of the parent version of the SDQ holds using data from a community sample (N = 707) and a clinical sample (N = 931). The results of our analysis suggest that measurement invariance of the SDQ parent version across community and clinical populations is tenable, implying that one can compare the SDQ scores of children across these populations. This is a favorable result since it is common clinical practice to interpret the scores of a clinical individual relative to norm scores that are based on community samples. The findings of this study support the continued use of the parent version of the SDQ in community and clinical settings.

Dutch norms for the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ) \u2013 parent form for children aged 2\u201318\xa0years

BackgroundIdentification of children at risk for psychosocial problems is important to be able to provide supportive and tailored care at an early stage. Due to its brevity and wide age range, the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ) Parent Form is an appropriate instrument for use in paediatric clinical practice as it facilitates assessment of psychosocial functioning from young childhood into adulthood. The aim of the present study was to provide Dutch normative data for the SDQ Parent Form.MethodsA sample of 1947 parents with children aged 2–18 years was drawn from a large panel of a Dutch research agency, stratified on Dutch key demographics of the parents.The SDQ Parent Form assesses the child’s Emotional symptoms, Conduct problems, Hyperactivity-Inattention, Peer problems and Prosocial behaviour. Summary scores can be calculated: Internalising, Externalising and Total difficulties.Internal consistency (Cronbach’s alpha coefficient) and normative scores (mean, median, clinical cut-off scores) of the SDQ- Parent Form were calculated in four age-groups 2–3, 4–5, 6–11 and 12–18 years. Gender differences were tested with independent t-tests.ResultsA total of 1174 parents (60.3%) completed the SDQ. In the age-groups 2–3 and 4–5, norm scores are not available for Conduct problems and Peer problems due to insufficient internal consistency. In addition, in age-group 2–3, norm scores for Emotional symptoms and Internalising are not available because of insufficient internal consistency. In the age-groups 6–11 and 12–18, norm scores are available for all scales, with Cronbach’s alpha coefficients 0.53–0.86. The comparison by gender revealed that boys had more behavioural problems than girls (0.000 < p < 0.048), most prevalent for Hyperactivity-Inattention, Peer Problems, Prosocial behaviour, Externalising and Total Difficulties.ConclusionsDutch normative data by age-group and gender are now available for parent-reported SDQ scores in children aged 2–18 years. Due to insufficient internal consistency, normative scores for 2–5 year-old children could not be presented for several SDQ scales. Yet, the SDQ Total score provides a reliable indication of the psychosocial functioning of younger children. In case of high Total scores in children younger than 6 years, alternatively to scale scores, the answers on the individual items could yield useful clinical information about the child’s problems.

Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder in Preschoolers: The Accuracy of a Short Screener

Although early and accurate screening is required for the remediation of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), possible gender differences have not been extensively studied. We examined the classification accuracy of the parent and preschool teacher version of the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ) hyperactivity-inattention (HI) subscale in girls and boys. The study was part of the Norwegian Mother and Child Cohort Study (MoBa). Parents and preschool teachers rated a total of 238 girls and 276 boys (mean age 3.5 years) with the SDQ HI subscale. Blinded to the parent and teacher ratings, interviewers classified the children by ADHD diagnoses with the Preschool Age Psychiatric Assessment Interview. Areas under the curves for the parent HI subscale scores were good for both girls and boys (0.87 and 0.80, respectively). Preschool teacher classifications were fair (0.76) for girls and poor (0.62) for boys, a significant difference (p= .017). The subscale accurately identified children without ADHD at low parent scores (≤4), and fairly accurately identified ADHD at high scores (≥9), with maximum probabilities of finding true cases of 0.75 in girls and 0.55 in boys. Intermediate scores gave the best balance between sensitivity and specificity with low probabilities of correctly identifying children with ADHD. The parental SDQ HI subscale was useful for screening for ADHD in preschool girls and boys. For preschool teachers, the subscale was useful for screening girls.

The young adult Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ) in routine clinical practice

Expansion of the youth mental health sector has exposed a need for an outcome measure for young adults accessing services. The Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ) is a widely used consumer and carer outcome measure for children and adolescents. The aim of this study was to evaluate the psychometric properties of a young adult SDQ. The young adult SDQ was introduced for routine clinical practice at Eastern Health Child and Youth Mental Health Service (EH-CYMHS), complementing the well-established adolescent and child versions. Data for adolescents (aged 12–17) and young adults (aged 18–25) where both self-report and parent SDQs had been completed at entry point to the service were extracted from a two-year period. Overall, paired cases involved 532 adolescents and 125 young adults. Across both self-report and parent SDQs, a similar pattern of results was found between adolescents and young adults on mean scores, inter-scale correlations, internal consistency, and inter-rater agreement. The findings of the current study support the use of the young adult SDQ in public mental health as an instrument whose psychometric properties, to date, appear consistent with those of the adolescent version. Further investigation is warranted.

Mental health among children and adolescents: Construct validity, reliability, and parent-adolescent agreement on the 'Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire' in Chile.

The Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ) is a screening tool used to measure psychological functioning among children and adolescents. It has been extensively used worldwide, but its psychometric properties, such as internal structure and reliability, seem to vary across countries. This is the first study exploring the construct validity and reliability of the Spanish version of SDQ among early adolescents (self-reported) and their parents in Latin America. A total of 1,284 early adolescents (9–15 years) and their parents answered the SDQ. We also collected demographic variables. A confirmatory factor analysis was conducted to assess the latent structure of the SDQ. We also used the multitrait-multimethod analysis to separate the true variance on the constructs from variance resulting from measurement methods (self-report vs. parent report), and evaluated the agreement between adolescents and their parents. We found that the original five-factor model was a good solution and the resulting sub-scales had good internal consistency. We also found that the self-reported and parental versions of SDQ provide different information, which are complementary and provide a better picture of the emotional, social, and conduct problems of adolescents. We have added evidence for the construct validity and reliability of the Spanish self-reported and parental SDQ versions in a Chilean sample.

Emotional and behavioural problems in children with Developmental Coordination Disorder: Exploring parent and teacher reports

BackgroundAlthough characterised by motor impairments, children with Developmental Coordination Disorder (DCD) also show high rates of psychopathology (anxiety, depression, low self-esteem). Such findings have led to calls for the screening of mental health problems in this group. AimsTo investigate patterns and profiles of emotional and behavioural problems in children with and without DCD, using the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ). Methods and proceduresTeachers and parents completed SDQs for 30 children with DCD (7–10 years). Teacher ratings on the SDQ were also obtained from two typically-developing (TD) groups: 35 children matched for chronological age, and 29 younger children (4–7 years) matched by motor ability. Outcomes and resultsGroup and individual analyses compared parent and teacher SDQ scores for children with DCD. Teacher reports showed that children with DCD displayed higher rates of emotional and behavioural problems (overall, and on each subscale of the SDQ) relative to their TD peers. No differences were observed between the two TD groups. Inspection of individual data points highlighted variability in the SDQ scores of the DCD group (across both teacher and parent ratings), with suggestions of elevated hyperactivity but comparably lower levels of conduct problems across this sample. Modest agreement was found between teacher and parent ratings of children with DCD on the SDQ. Conclusions and implicationsThere is a need to monitor levels of emotional and behavioural problems in children with DCD, from multiple informants.