The psychometric properties of the strengths and difficulties questionnaire for children from refugee backgrounds in Australia

Abstract

Background

The psychometric properties of the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ) were explored amongst newly arrived children and adolescents from refugee backgrounds in Australia.

Methods

The third wave Beginning New Life in Australia (BNLA) data was utilised. This was an Australia‐wide cohort study examining humanitarian migrants settling in Australia. The SDQ was administered as part of this study. Amongst the sample of 679 children and adolescents, primary caregivers were invited to answer questions (including the SDQ) for up to two of their children (aged 5 to 17-years). Of these participants, 401, 11–17-year olds also completed the self‐report version of the SDQ.

Results

Mean scores for this sample were comparable or slightly lower to other Australian samples. However the prosocial behaviour scale was significantly higher than all others, with all scores in the 80th and 90th percentile suggesting a ceiling effect. The Cronbach alpha coefficient for each of the five subscales and the total difficulties scale varied markedly from 0.16 (peer problems) to 0.67 (total difficulties score). Principal components analysis revealed no meaningful factor structure amongst primary caregiver and self‐report versions of the SDQ. Cross‐scale correlation between each version of the SDQ revealed insignificant to medium correlations.

Conclusions

This study adds to an expanding literature that suggests caution when using the SDQ with refugee and non‐English speaking populations. While some elements of the SDQ may be used to guide assessment, such as the total difficulties score, its psychometric properties suggest that results should be interpreted with caution.

Key words:

• asylum seekers
• psychometric properties
• refugees
• SDQ
• strengths and difficulties questionnaire

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

This paper was written while I was employed by the New South Wales Department of Education. I would like to thank them for their support. I would also like to thank the Refugee Student Counselling Support Team for their knowledge and support. This article would not have been published without the hard work of Marilyn Hadfield, thank you for helping me along the way.

Notes

1. The term humanitarian migrant is used here to refer to the entire BNLA dataset, which included adults and children from refugee and asylum seeker backgrounds.