The Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ) is one of the most widely used tools in child and adolescent mental health research and practice. It’s a brief parent-completed questionnaire that screens for emotional, behavioural and social difficulties in young people.
Our new paper has examined whether the parent-report SDQ remains a valid and comparable measure when used during challenging times like a public health crisis – a context that could influence how parents understand and respond to questions about their child’s difficulties.
Using data from thousands of Co-SPACE parents in the UK (n≈9,000) as well as a sample from our colleagues in Japan (n≈365), we found that the SDQ’s expected structure held up well across children’s ages, genders, different reporting periods, pandemic restrictions, and between English and Japanese versions. This suggests that parents interpreted the questions consistently even during disruption.
However, this research also showed that the questionnaire had relatively low reliability, particularly the conduct problems and peer relationship subscales. This is important as it tells us that the scale and these scores, in particular, should be used with caution when screening or diagnosing difficulties. This highlights the importance of ongoing evaluation and possible refinement of measures when used in high-stress or crisis contexts.
For policymakers, practitioners and researchers, these findings highlight the importance of careful interpretation when using parent-report SDQ data. While the overall structure of the questionnaire appeared stable, variability in the reliability of some subscales suggests that SDQ scores should not be taken at face value and should be considered alongside other sources of information. This is particularly relevant when using the SDQ for making decisions on available supports.
You can read the full paper in Assessment.