The Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire and standardized academic tests: Reliability across respondent type and age

Abstract

Exploiting nation-wide data from the Danish National Birth Cohort, we show that children’s emotional and behavioral problems measured by the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ) are closely related to their performance in standardized academic tests for reading and mathematics in sixth grade. The relationship is remarkably linear across the entire distribution for both the total difficulties score and subscale scores of the SDQ; higher scores on the SDQ (more problems) are related to worse performance in academic tests. We assess the similarity across respondent type; parent (child age 7 and 11), teacher (child age 11) and self-reported scores (child age 11), and find that teacher and parent reported scores have very similar slopes in the SDQ–test score relationship, while the child reported SDQ in relation to the academic test performance has a flatter slope.

Evaluation of a screening algorithm using the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire to identify children with mental health problems: A five-year register-based follow-up on school performance and healthcare use

“…We find that the children with MHP independent of potential confounders perform statistically significantly worse at the 9 th grade exams, which are conducted about five years after the screening. This finding is in line with previous studies that have found an association between SDQ scores and school outcomes [21,22]. The results indicate that the screening algorithm succeed in identifying children that may benefit from an early intervention.…”

“…The children’s later school performance is investigated as a primary indicator of the long-term outcome of the screening for MHP in preadolescence. As previous studies find an association between children’s MHP and their school performance [20–22], and school performance and schooling are known to be comprehensive predictors for the rest of a child’s life with respect to both wealth, health, and happiness [23–25], this indicator is well-suited for the evaluation of the screening. The children’s health care service utilisation during the five-year follow-up period is analysed for two purposes.…”

Factor structure of the SDQ and longitudinal associations from pre-school to pre-teen in New Zealand

“…Using the SDQ longitudinally across the same group of children has provided the opportunity to assess the validity, internal consistency, and reliability of the SDQ at various points in time but with the added advantage of using the same population of children. In general, we found the factor structure to be consistent over time, supporting earlier studies [11]. Similarly, the reliability of the Total Difficulties Score and each of the sub-scales is good and again in line with previously published cross sectional data [8,9,26].…”

“…Similar reliability has also been shown in other populations [8,9] and ages [10,11]. A review with 48 studies confirmed that the SDQ is a psychometrically sound measure of child mental health and behavioural problems [12] and can be used to predict standardised academic performance [11] and psychopathology [13]. Data from a large sample of 3-5 year old German preschool children also confirmed the 5-factor solution as the best fit of the data, and confirmed the usefulness of the screening tool for young children [14].…”

“…Reliability scores for the sample were good with the total at 0.8 and the sub scores between 0.57 for peer problems and 0.77 for hyperactivity [ 7 ]. Similar reliability has also been shown in other populations [ 8 , 9 ] and ages [ 10 , 11 ]. A review with 48 studies confirmed that the SDQ is a psychometrically sound measure of child mental health and behavioural problems [ 12 ] and can be used to predict standardised academic performance [ 11 ] and psychopathology [ 13 ].…”