TY  - JOUR
PY  - 2015//
TI  - Validity of the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire in preschool-aged children
JO  - Pediatrics
A1  - Croft, Simone
A1  - Stride, Christopher
A1  - Maughan, Barbara
A1  - Rowe, Richard
SP  - e1210
EP  - 9
VL  - 135
IS  - 5
N2  - BACKGROUND: The Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ) is widely used to screen for child mental health problems and measure common forms of psychopathology in 4- to 16-year-olds. Using longitudinal data, we examined the validity of a version adapted for 3- to 4-year-olds. <br><br>METHODS: We used SDQ data from 16 659 families collected by the Millennium Cohort Study, which charts the development of children born throughout the United Kingdom during 2000-2001. Parents completed the preschool SDQ when children were aged 3 and the standard SDQ at ages 5 and 7. The SDQ's internal factor structure was assessed by using confirmatory factor analysis, with a series of competing models and extensions used to determine construct, convergent, and discriminant validity and measurement invariance over time. Predictive validity was evaluated by examining the relationships of age 3 SDQ scores with age 5 diagnostic measures of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder, autism spectrum disorder/Asperger syndrome, and teacher-reported measures of personal, social, and emotional development. <br><br>RESULTS: Confirmatory factor analysis supported a 5-factor measurement model. Internal reliability of subscales ranged from ω = 0.66 (peer problems) to ω = 0.83 (hyperactivity). Item-factor structures revealed measurement invariance over time. Strong positive correlations between ages 3 and 5 SDQ scores were not significantly different from correlations between age 5 and 7 scores. Conduct problems and hyperactivity subscales independently predicted developmental and clinical outcomes 2 years later. <br><br>CONCLUSIONS: Satisfactory psychometric properties of the adapted preschool version affirm its utility as a screening tool to identify 3- to 4-year-olds with emotional and behavioral difficulties.<p />  <p>Language: en</p>
LA  - en
SN  - 0031-4005
UR  - http://dx.doi.org/10.1542/peds.2014-2920
ID  - ref1
ER  -