Use of the Teacher Version of the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire with German and American Preschoolers

Abstract

Research Findings: The present study evaluated the utility of the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ) as a teacher-report measure of internalizing and externalizing problems in preschool-age children. Participants included preschoolers drawn from Germany and the United States, with the American sample composed of both English-speaking and Spanish-speaking children. In some respects the SDQ demonstrated adequate reliability and validity across these 3 culturally and linguistically divergent samples, but some problems were noted with the internal consistency of the subscales and the clinical cutoff scores. Practice or Policy: The findings generally support the potential usefulness of the SDQ as a psychopathology screening instrument within culturally and linguistically diverse preschool settings. However, normative studies need to be conducted with preschool samples so that the SDQ cutoff scores used to identify clinically significant emotional and behavioral problems can be appropriately adjusted for age, gender, and culture.

Notes

Note. RMSEA = root mean square error of approximation; CFI = comparative fit index; TLI = Tucker-Lewis index.

Note. ES = emotional symptoms; CP = conduct problems; HYP = hyperactivity; PP = peer problems; PS = prosocial behavior; Total = total difficulties.

Note. Partial correlations controlling for age are in parentheses.

^a Time 1, n = 127; Time 2, n = 116.

^b Time 1, n = 165; Time 2, n = 145.

*p < .01. **p < .001.

*p < .01.

*p < .01. **p < .001.

Note. n = 179. SDQ = Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire; C-TRF = Caregiver-Teacher Report Form of the Achenbach System of Empirically Based Assessment.

*p < .01. **p < .001.

Note. SDQ Total = Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire; C-TRF = Caregiver-Teacher Report Form of the Achenbach System of Empirically Based Assessment total score; ES = emotional symptoms; CP = conduct problems; HYP = hyperactivity; PP = peer problems; PS = prosocial behavior.