Simple screening tool shows promise for spotting behavioral problems in young children
Researchers have validated a short questionnaire that helps parents and educators identify emotional and behavioral difficulties in preschoolers as young as one year old. The finding matters to early childhood programs and healthcare systems seeking cost-effective ways to catch developmental concerns early, when intervention is most effective and less expensive.
Originaltitel: Psychometric properties of the Norwegian version of the Strength and Difficulties Questionnaire in a preschool sample
<p>Purpose</p><p>The Strength and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ) is widely used internationally, however less so in preschool populations and validations studies are thus needed. This study examined the psychometric properties of the Norwegian version parent report of the SDQ – preschool version (SDQ 2–4).</p><p>Materials and methods</p><p>Parents of 289 Norwegian children in the age span 1–6 years old filled out the SDQ 2–4, the Child Behavior Checklist (CBCL), and background information. Internal consistency, factor structure, and convergent validity were assessed.</p><p>Results</p><p>The results showed satisfying internal consistency for the total difficulties score, but worse for some of the subscales. The five-factor structure showed a good fit. Good convergent and divergent validity was found in terms of correlations with CBCL. Sex differences were found on all scales, boys scoring higher on all problem scales.</p><p>Conclusions</p><p>The SDQ 2–4 can be a promising instrument to screen for emotional and behavioral difficulties among Norwegian preschoolers, particularly in high-risk populations.</p>