Social, emotional, and behavioral strengths and difficulties among sixth grade students: comparing student and teacher ratings in Finland and Estonia

ABSTRACT

This study explores the level of congruency between students’ ratings of their own emotional and behavioral strengths and difficulties, and their teachers’ ratings of these factors, when compared amongst two neighboring countries, Estonia and Finland. Secondly, it investigates the level of agreement between sixth grade students’ ratings and their teachers’ ratings of their emotional and behavioral strengths and difficulties, within each country. Both the students’ version (aimed at 11–17-year-olds) and teachers’ versions of the Estonian and Finnish Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ) were used in the study to measure these issues. No gender differences were found between the students’ overall SDQ scores. However, girls experienced a greater number of emotional problems than boys did. In general, Estonian teachers reported more externalized problems among their students compared to Finnish teachers. Finnish teachers, however, reported more emotional problems among their students. The findings suggest that, in both countries, estimations by teachers and students regarding existing emotional and behavioral difficulties are mismatched. These findings extend the findings of earlier research and provide indications for future teacher training.

KEYWORDS:

• Primary school
• Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire
• SDQ
• social
• emotional
• and behavioural difficulties
• well-being

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Minna Kyttälä

Minna Kyttälä, PhD, is an Adjunct Professor of special education. She works as a university lecturer at the University of Turku. Her special fields of interest are learning, learning difficulties, and multicultural education.

Hanna-Maija Sinkkonen, PhD, is an Adjunct Professor of special education. Her special fields of interest are socio-emotional strengths and difficulties, and higher education.

Kristi Köiv, PhD, is a Programme Director in the Institute of Education at the University of Tartu. Her special interest fields are socio-emotional strengths and difficulties.