Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ) – parents

Goodman R‚ Meltzer H‚ Bailey V (1998)
 
1.    Considerate of other people’s feelings
2.    Restless‚ overactive‚ cannot stay still for long
3.    Often complains of headaches‚ stomach-aches or sickness
4.    Shares readily with other children‚ for example toys‚ treats‚ pencils
5.    Often loses temper
6.    Rather solitary‚ prefers to play alone
7.    Generally well behaved‚ usually does what adults request
8.    Many worries or often seems worried
9.    Helpful if someone is hurt‚ upset or feeling ill
10.Constantly fidgeting or squirming
11.Has at least one good friend
12.Often fights with other children or bullies them
13.Often unhappy‚ depressed or tearful
14.Generally liked by other children
15.Easily distracted‚ concentration wanders
16.Nervous or clingy in new situations‚ easily loses confidence
17.Kind to younger children
18.Often argumentative with adults
19.Picked on or bullied by other children
20.Often offers to help others (parents‚ teachers‚ other children)
21.Can stop and think things out before acting
22.Can be spiteful to others
23.Gets along better with adults than with other children
24.Many fears‚ easily scared
25.Good attention span‚ sees work through to the end
Do you have any other comments or concerns?
Overall‚ do you think that your child has difficulties in one or more of the following areas:emotions‚ concentration‚ behavior or being able to get on with other people?
No‚ Yes minor difficulties‚ Yes definite difficulties‚ Yes severe difficulties
If you have answered “Yes”‚ please answer the following questions about these difficulties:
• How long have these difficulties been present? Less than a month‚ 1-5 months‚ 6-12
Months‚ Over a year
• Do the difficulties upset or distress your child? Not at all‚ Only a little‚ A medium amount‚ A great deal
• Do the difficulties interfere with your child’s everyday life in the following areas?
HOME LIFE: Not at all‚ Only a little‚ A medium amount‚ A great deal
FRIENDSHIPS: Not at all‚ Only a little‚ A medium amount‚ A great deal
LEARNING: Not at all‚ Only a little‚ A medium amount‚ A great deal
LEISURE ACTIVITIES: Not at all‚ Only a little‚ A medium amount‚ A great deal
• Do the difficulties put a burden on you or the family as a whole? Not at all‚ Only a little‚ A medium amount‚ A great deal
 
18. Often lies or cheats
21. Thinks things out before acting
22. Steals from home‚ school or elsewhere
 
6. Would rather be alone than with other youth
14. Generally liked by other youth
18. Often lies or cheats
19. Picked on or bullied by other youth
20. Often offers to help others (parents‚ teachers‚ children)
21. Thinks things out before acting
22. Steals from home‚ school or elsewhere
23. Gets along better with adults than with other youth
 
1.    Readily approaches children he/she does not know
2.    Hits‚ bites‚ or pinches other children
3.    Has no energy‚ feels tired
4.    Does not want to sleep alone
5.    When mad at someone‚ says bad things behind the other’s back
6.    Is shy with children he/she does not know
7.    Is nervous‚ high-strung‚ or tense
8.    Reacts in an aggressive manner when contradicted or teased
9.    Is not as happy as other children
10.Clings to adults or is too dependent
11.Scares other children to get what he/she wants
12.Has trouble enjoying him/herself
13.Gets very upset when separated from parents
14.Does not seem to feel badly after misbeha‎ving
15.Takes a long time getting used to being with children he/she does not know
16.Has your child been seen by a psychologist or psychiatrist in the last 12 months? Yes‚ No
 
1) emotional symptoms‚ 2) conduct problems‚ 3) hyperactivity/inattention‚ 4) peer relationship problems and 5) prosocial behaviour
 
 
This instrument can be found at: http://www.sdqinfo.com/
 
Not True‚ Somewhat True‚ Certainly True
 

Goodman R (1997) The Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire: A Research Note. Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry‚ 38‚ 581-586.

Goodman R‚ Meltzer H‚ Bailey V (1998) The Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire: A pilot study on the validity of the self-report version. European Child and Adolescent Psychiatry‚ 7‚ 125-130.

Goodman R (1999) The extended version of the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire as a guide to child psychiatric caseness and consequent burden. Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry‚ 40‚ 791-801.

Goodman A‚ Lamping DL‚ Ploubidis GB (2010) When to use broader internalising and externalising subscales instead of the hypothesised five subscales on the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ): data from British parents‚ teachers and children. Journal of Abnormal Child Psychology‚ 38‚ 1179-1191. 

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