Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire

How to use this SDQ

The Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire is simple to use. To get you started, here's a step-by-step guide:

Step 1

Download the free printable Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ) at Carepatron website. You can also find numerous websites where you can download and print physical versions of the questionnaire.

Step 2

Now that you have the questionnaire, explain the resource to the parent. The questionnaire contains 25 questions divided into 5 subscales. Each question has three response options that range from "Not true,” “Somewhat True” to "Certainly true".

Ask the parent to answer each question based on the child's behavior over the last six months, and check the box that corresponds to the behavior.

Step 3

After they have finished the questionnaire, it's time to compute the results. To get a total score for each subscale, add the scores for each subscale together.

Then, interpret the results using the scoring guidelines provided with the questionnaire.

Remember that the SDQ questionnaire is a valuable tool for identifying strengths and weaknesses in children, adolescents, and young adults. So, don't be afraid to use it to gain insights into behavior patterns and help those in need of support.

When would you typically use this SDQ?

The Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire is a screening tool that can be used by various individuals and organizations to assess emotional and behavioral problems in children and adolescents. Some of the situations in which you can use the SDQ include:

• Teachers can use the SDQ in the classroom to identify students who may be experiencing emotional or behavioral difficulties. This enables them to provide targeted support and interventions to assist the student's academic and social success.
• School psychologists and counselors can also use the SDQ to assess students' mental health needs and provide appropriate interventions.

• During routine check-ups, healthcare professionals like pediatricians can use the SDQ to assess emotional and behavioral problems in children and adolescents. This can help in the early detection of any issues and, if necessary, the provision of appropriate referrals and treatment.
• Researchers may use the SDQ to study emotional and behavioral problems in children and adolescents, such as identifying risk factors or evaluating the effectiveness of interventions.
• This can help advance the field of mental health and improve the quality of care for young people.
• The SDQ can be used in clinical settings as part of a comprehensive diagnostic assessment for mental health disorders in children and adolescents. This can assist clinicians in making an accurate diagnosis as well as providing appropriate treatment and support.

Overall, the SDQ is a versatile and widely used screening tool that can be used in a variety of settings and by different professionals to assess emotional and behavioral problems in children and adolescents.

Who can use these printable SDQs?

Various individuals and organizations can use the printable SDQs, including:

• Parents and caregivers can use our printable SDQ to monitor their child's emotional and behavioral development and identify any potential problems early on. The SDQ can assist parents and caregivers in understanding their child's strengths and weaknesses and, if necessary, providing appropriate support and intervention.
• Teachers can use printable SDQs to identify students who may need extra assistance or intervention at school. The SDQ can help teachers better understand their students' emotional and behavioral needs and adjust their teaching strategies accordingly.
• Healthcare professionals can use the printable SDQ to assess emotional and behavioral problems in children and adolescents. The SDQ can assist healthcare professionals in identifying and diagnosing mental health problems, as well as providing appropriate treatment and support.
• Researchers can use the printable SDQ to investigate emotional and behavioral issues in children and adolescents. The SDQ is a widely used research tool validated in numerous studies, making it a reliable and valid instrument for studying mental health in children and adolescents.

In summary, the printable Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire can be used to assess emotional and behavioral problems in children and adolescents by a wide range of individuals and organizations, including parents, teachers, healthcare professionals, and researchers.

The SDQ can help in identifying issues early on, providing appropriate support and intervention, and contributing to a better understanding of young people's mental health.

Why is this assessment popular with therapists?

Therapists find the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire to be a valuable tool in identifying children and adolescents who may be struggling with mental health issues.

The questionnaire provides therapists with a comprehensive overview of a young person's emotional and behavioral functioning, allowing them to create personalized treatment plans. The SDQ's simple format and adaptable versions make it a popular choice for therapists working in a wide range of settings, including clinical settings, schools, and community organizations.

Therapists can more accurately diagnose mental health disorders and develop more effective treatment plans by using the SDQ as part of a larger assessment process.

Therapists like this questionnaire because of its simplicity, adaptability to different populations and settings, and comprehensive coverage of emotional and behavioral functioning.

Scoring and interpretation

The Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire is scored by summing responses across its five subscales and interpreting the results using standardized cut-off points. Each of the 25 core items is rated on a 3-point scale: 0 for “Not true,” 1 for “Somewhat true,” and 2 for “Certainly true.” Ten items require reverse scoring. Clinicians must take note of these when calculating totals to ensure accuracy.

Subscale scores are derived by grouping items into five categories: Emotional Symptoms, Conduct Problems, Hyperactivity/Inattention, Peer Problems, and Prosocial Behavior. Each subscale yields a score between 0 and 10. The Total Difficulties Score is calculated by summing the scores of the first four subscales, resulting in a total between 0 and 40. Prosocial Behavior is not included in this total.

For broader interpretation, the SDQ also generates Internalizing (Emotional + Peer Problems) and Externalizing (Conduct + Hyperactivity) scores, both ranging from 0 to 20. These help clinicians distinguish between inward and outward presenting behaviors.

The Impact Supplement includes additional items to assess how the identified difficulties interfere with daily functioning. Scores range from 0 to 10 in parent/self-report versions and 0 to 6 in teacher versions. These supplement the subscale results by providing context on the child’s level of impairment.

References

Giannakopoulos, G., Tzavara, C., Dimitrakaki, C., Kolaitis, G., Rotsika, V., & Tountas, Y. (2009). The factor structure of the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ) in Greek adolescents. Annals of General Psychiatry, 8(1), 20. https://doi.org/10.1186/1744-859X-8-20

Youth In Mind. (2022, August 16). What is the SDQ? SDQinfo. https://www.sdqinfo.org/a0.html