Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire – SDQ
A brief behavioural screening questionnaire for children and adolescents measuring emotional symptoms, conduct problems, hyperactivity/inattention, peer relationship problems, and prosocial behaviour.
Scale Development & Technical Details
Scale Overview
The Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire – SDQ was developed by Robert Goodman (1997). It is designed to measure Child and adolescent mental health and behavioral screening. The scale is intended for use with Adolescents aged 11-17 (Self-report version).
Scale Structure
This instrument consists of 25 items organized into 5 factors/subscales: Emotional Symptoms, Conduct Problems, Hyperactivity/Inattention, Peer Relationship Problems, Prosocial Behaviour.
| Factor / Subscale | Items | N |
|---|---|---|
| Emotional Symptoms | 3,8,13,16,24 | 5 |
| Conduct Problems | 5,7,12,18,22 | 5 |
| Hyperactivity/Inattention | 2,10,15,21,25 | 5 |
| Peer Relationship Problems | 6,11,14,19,23 | 5 |
| Prosocial Behaviour | 1,4,9,17,20 | 5 |
Response Format
Respondents rate each item using a custom response format.
Response anchors: 0 = Not True, 1 = Somewhat True, 2 = Certainly True.
The scale includes 5 reverse-scored items to reduce acquiescence bias.
Scoring
Items are scored by subscale, with each subscale sum representing a distinct dimension.
Total scores range from 0 to 40. Interpretation guidelines:
- Close to average (Normal): 0 – 15
- Slightly raised (Borderline): 16 – 19
- High / Very high (Clinically Significant): 20 – 40
Psychometric Properties
Internal Consistency: The scale has demonstrated good to excellent internal consistency with reported Cronbach’s alpha values of Cronbach's alpha ranging from 0.57 to 0.88.
Administration
The scale is self-administered and typically takes approximately 5 minutes to complete. It can be administered individually or in group settings. No special training is required for administration.