The Advanced Psychometric Properties of Turkish Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (Sdq)

Objective:

The aim is of this study is to evaluate the advanced psychometric properties of Turkish Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ).

Method:

The sample consisted of565 cases aged between 4 and 17 who applied to Dokuz Eylül University Faculty of Medicine, Child and Adolescent Psychiatry Department between 01.01.2005 and 31.12.2005 for the first time and whose SDQs, (scored before clinical assessment) were evaluated to be included in this study. The diagnoses predicted by the SDQ were compared with the diagnoses predicted by clinical assessment and the psychometric properties of SDQ were evaluated.

Results:

The results indicated that the parent and self-report SDQ had high internal consistency except peer problems subscale. The correlation value between the SDQ forms scored by children and adolescents over age 11, and the same cases ' parent forms ' total difficulties score, impact score and subgroup scores was between 0.402 and 0.573. In the group that contained all cases; the correlation coefficients between psychiatric diagnoses predicted by SDQ and the diagnoses formed by clinical assessment varied between 0.15 and 0.34. SDQ parent and self report forms' total difficulties score, mean impact score and all the subgroups that belonged to both forms (except SDQ self report form hyperactivity inattention score) were able to distinguish between the group that received a clinical diagnosis that was predicted by SDQ and the group that did not.

Discussion:

Turkish SDQ is proved to be a valid and reliable scale and it can be used in screening and assessment of clinical psychopathology in Turkish children and adolescent population.