Analysis

The Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ) is a brief and practical tool used to assess the psychosocial functioning of children and adolescents. It includes questions that cover five core areas: emotional problems, conduct problems, hyperactivity and inattention, peer relationships, and positive personality traits (strengths). The questionnaire is completed by parents, providing valuable information for evaluating their child’s mental health and well-being.

Purpose

The main goal of the SDQ is to identify both the problems and strengths in the psychosocial functioning of children and adolescents, with the aim of guiding targeted interventions and support. The tool helps in detecting and assessing difficulties that may affect a child’s daily life, as well as in recognizing their positive attributes.

Scoring

Scoring of the SDQ is based on a Likert-type scale, usually ranging from 0 (not true) to 2 (certainly true). Each domain (e.g., emotional problems, conduct problems) receives a separate score, and these domain scores are summed to provide overall indicators for each category. The total scores are used to determine whether the child exhibits significant issues that may require attention.

References

The literature on the SDQ includes numerous references validating the tool’s usefulness and reliability. A key reference is the original article by Goodman (1997), which outlines the development and evaluation of the SDQ. Additionally, many studies have investigated the validity, reliability, and diagnostic utility of the SDQ across different populations and cultural contexts:
Goodman, R. (1997). The Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire: A Research Note. Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry, 38(5), 581–586.