TY - JOUR
T1 - Structural validity and reliability of the Danish self-report Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire among male and female students in vocational education and training
AU - Baviskar, Siddhartha
AU - Diop-Christensen, Anna
AU - Ebsen, Frank Cloyd
AU - From, Karoline Juhler
AU - Mackrill, Thomas
N1 - Publisher Copyright:
© 2020 NISC Pty Ltd.
PY - 2020
Y1 - 2020
N2 - Objective: The Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ) is a widely used mental health screening instrument among children and adolescents and increasingly used by welfare professionals in Denmark. However, the psychometric properties of the SDQ-self report (SDQ-S) among vocational education and training (VET) students are unknown. We assess the structural validity, internal consistency reliability, and test-retest reliability of the Danish SDQ-S among these students. Method: The SDQ-S was tested twice in a sample of VET students (sample N = 486; mean age = 17 years) with 10 to 14 days in-between. Using separate analyses for men (n = 371) and women (n = 115), structural validity was assessed using confirmatory factor analysis; internal consistency was assessed using composite reliability (CR); and test-retest reliability using Pearson’s correlation. Results: Overall, the results provide inconsistent support for the five-factor first-order model, especially among males. CR was acceptable for all five scales except for Peer problems (among females and males) and Conduct (among males only). Test-retest reliability was satisfactory for all scales among females but for only two of the five scales (Conduct, Hyperactivity) among men. Conclusion: Overall, the SDQ-S is a more valid and reliable instrument among females. Results suggest caution in using the SDQ-S among VET students, in particular males.
AB - Objective: The Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ) is a widely used mental health screening instrument among children and adolescents and increasingly used by welfare professionals in Denmark. However, the psychometric properties of the SDQ-self report (SDQ-S) among vocational education and training (VET) students are unknown. We assess the structural validity, internal consistency reliability, and test-retest reliability of the Danish SDQ-S among these students. Method: The SDQ-S was tested twice in a sample of VET students (sample N = 486; mean age = 17 years) with 10 to 14 days in-between. Using separate analyses for men (n = 371) and women (n = 115), structural validity was assessed using confirmatory factor analysis; internal consistency was assessed using composite reliability (CR); and test-retest reliability using Pearson’s correlation. Results: Overall, the results provide inconsistent support for the five-factor first-order model, especially among males. CR was acceptable for all five scales except for Peer problems (among females and males) and Conduct (among males only). Test-retest reliability was satisfactory for all scales among females but for only two of the five scales (Conduct, Hyperactivity) among men. Conclusion: Overall, the SDQ-S is a more valid and reliable instrument among females. Results suggest caution in using the SDQ-S among VET students, in particular males.
KW - children and youth
KW - Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire
KW - reliability
KW - validity
KW - self-report
KW - adolescent
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85096328007&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.2989/17280583.2020.1830780
DO - 10.2989/17280583.2020.1830780
M3 - Journal article
SN - 1728-0583
VL - 32
SP - 87
EP - 98
JO - Journal of Child and Adolescent Mental Health
JF - Journal of Child and Adolescent Mental Health
IS - 2-3
ER -