Analysing Dynamic Change in Children’s Socio-Emotional Development using the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire in a large UK Longitudinal Study

Background: Most mental health difficulties have their onset during childhood and adolescence. Many children who suffer from one mental health issue also suffer from at least one comorbid disorder. Autoregressive latent trajectory models with structured residuals (ALT-SR) and multilevel graphical vector autoregression (GVAR) are recent complementary approaches that can help provide new insights into the reciprocal relationships between multiple mental health domains and advance the understanding of the development of comorbidities.Methods: This study uses ALT-SR and multilevel GVAR models to analyse the temporal, contemporaneous and between-person relationships between emotional problems, peer problems, conduct problems, hyperactivity/inattention and prosociality as measured by the parent-reported Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ) in 17,478 children taking part in the UK Millennium Cohort Study at ages 3, 5, 7, 11, 14 and 17 years. Results: Results from both the ALT-SR model and the multilevel GVAR model highlight that children’s strengths and difficulties in different domains of psychosocial functioning dynamically influence each other over- and within-time. The ALT-SR model highlighted that hyperactivity/inattention plays a central role in affecting other domains over developmental time while the GVAR model highlighted comparably strong bidirectional relationships between conduct problems and prosociality as well as between emotional problems and peer problems. Both models suggest that most domains are also related to each other over shorter timescales.Conclusion: This study highlights that mental health difficulties influence one another dynamically over time. As illustrated in the domains of the SDQ, these dynamic changes can be modelled using the complementary techniques of ALT-SR or GVAR models, each offering different insights into the nature of comorbidity.

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Dynamic Change in Socio-Emotional Development during Childhood and Adolescence

10.31234/osf.io/wn6pb ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Lydia Gabriela Speyer ◽

Hildigunnur Anna Hall ◽

Anastasia Ushakova ◽

Michelle Luciano ◽

Aja Louise Murray ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Mental Health ◽

Early Childhood ◽

Conduct Problems ◽

Mental Health Problems ◽

Dynamic Change ◽

Mental Health Disorder ◽

Reciprocal Relation ◽

Emotional Difficulties ◽

Childhood And Adolescence ◽

Peer Problems

Objective: Adolescence is a crucial period in the development of psychopathology with nearly 1 in 5 adolescents suffering from a mental health disorder. In addition, more than 40 percent of adolescents with a lifetime psychiatric disorder are estimated to suffer from a co-occurring mental health disorder. Mechanisms underlying the development of comorbidities are still not well understood. Method: Graphical Vector Autoregression models were used to analyse the temporal, contemporaneous and between-person relations of socio-emotional strengths difficulties in early childhood compared to adolescence. Mental health and related socio-emotional traits were measured longitudinally at ages 4, 7, 8, 9, 11, 13, and 16 in the Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children (N = 11279) using the subscales of the Strength and Difficulties Questionnaires (conduct problems, hyperactivity/inattention, emotional symptoms, peer problems and prosociality). Results: Results suggest that the period of adolescence is characterised by many more dynamic relations between socio-emotional difficulties than the early childhood period. In particular, the adolescence model highlights bidirectional connections between conduct problems and peer problems as well as between peer problems and emotional problems. The childhood model indicates that conduct problems and prosociality share a reciprocal relation. It further suggests peer problems as a potential mediating factor between conduct problems and emotional difficulties. Conclusion: This study emphasises that the different domains of psychosocial functioning dynamically influence each other over- and within-time. Adolescence is characterised by an increase in temporal connections reflecting the increased vulnerability to the onset of mental health problems during that period.

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A Longitudinal and Gender Invariance Analysis of the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire Across Ages 3, 5, 7, 11, 14, and 17 in a Large U.K.-Representative Sample

Assessment ◽

10.1177/10731911211009312 ◽

2021 ◽

pp. 107319112110093

Author(s):

Aja Louise Murray ◽

Lydia Gabriela Speyer ◽

Hildigunnur Anna Hall ◽

Sara Valdebenito ◽

Claire Hughes

Keyword(s):

Conduct Problems ◽

Developmental Trajectories ◽

Emotional Problems ◽

Strengths And Difficulties Questionnaire ◽

Peer Problems ◽

Gender Invariance ◽

Residual Level ◽

Strengths And Difficulties ◽

And Gender ◽

Age Range

Developmental invariance is important for making valid inferences about child development from longitudinal data; however, it is rarely tested. We evaluated developmental and gender invariance for one of the most widely used measures of child mental health: the parent-reported Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ). Using data from the large U.K. population-representative Millennium Cohort Study ( N = 10,207; with data at ages 3, 5, 7, 11, 14, and 17 years), we tested configural, metric, scalar, and residual invariance in emotional problems, conduct problems, hyperactivity/inattention, prosociality, and peer problems. We found that the SDQ showed poor fit at age 3 in both males and females and at age 17 in males; however, it fit reasonably well and its scores were measurement invariant up to the residual level across gender at ages 5, 7, 11, and 14 years. Scores were also longitudinally measurement invariant across this age range up to the partial residual level. Results suggest that the parent-reported SDQ can be used to estimate developmental trajectories of emotional problems, conduct problems, hyperactivity/inattention, prosociality, and peer problems and their gender differences across the age range 5 to 14 years using a latent model. Developmental differences outside of this range may; however, partly reflect measurement differences.

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Longer-Term Outcomes of the Incredible Years Parenting Intervention

Prevention Science ◽

10.1007/s11121-020-01176-6 ◽

2020 ◽

Author(s):

Geertjan Overbeek ◽

Jolien van Aar ◽

Bram Orobio de Castro ◽

Walter Matthys ◽

Joyce Weeland ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Mental Health ◽

Conduct Problems ◽

Service Use ◽

Mental Health Problems ◽

Emotional Problems ◽

Parenting Intervention ◽

Adhd Symptoms ◽

Incredible Years ◽

Peer Problems ◽

The Incredible Years

Abstract Conduct problems can develop into behavior disorders and put children at risk for other mental health problems. Parenting interventions have been shown to successfully reduce conduct problems and are often expected to prevent the development of broader mental health problems. Few studies have evaluated the longer-term and broader effects of these interventions. To what extent are parenting intervention effects sustained in the years after the intervention? And do effects pertain to conduct problems specifically, or do they also affect broader aspects of children’s mental health? We used a randomized controlled trial to assess the longer-term (2.5 years) effects of the Incredible Years parenting intervention on children’s conduct problems in an indicated prevention setting (N = 387; 79% retention rate). Using a multi-method (survey and computerized tasks) and multi-informant (parents, teachers, and children) approach, we tested whether initial effects on conduct problems were sustained, and whether Incredible Years had broader effects on children’s peer problems, emotional problems, attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) symptoms, attention and inhibition deficits, and service use. Incredible Years, relative to control (no intervention), led to sustained reductions in parent-reported conduct problems (Cohen’s d = 0.31), but not teacher- and child-reported conduct problems. There were no broader benefits: Incredible Years did not reduce children’s peer problems, emotional problems, ADHD-symptoms, attention and inhibition deficits, or their service use. Improvements in parents’ perceptions of child conduct problems sustained until 2.5 years later. Our findings do not show benefits of Incredible Years as a preventive intervention for children’s broader mental health.

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The Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire Predicts Concurrent Mental Health Difficulties in a Transdiagnostic Sample of Struggling Learners

Frontiers in Psychology ◽

10.3389/fpsyg.2020.587821 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 11 ◽

Author(s):

Annie Bryant ◽

Jacalyn Guy ◽

Joni Holmes ◽

Keyword(s):

Mental Health ◽

Mental Health Problems ◽

Depression Scale ◽

Health Problems ◽

Strengths And Difficulties Questionnaire ◽

Anxiety And Depression ◽

Developmental Problems ◽

Increased Risk ◽

Mental Health Difficulties ◽

Strengths And Difficulties

Children and adolescents with developmental problems are at increased risk of experiencing mental health problems. The Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ) is widely used as a screener for detecting mental health difficulties in these populations, but its use thus far has been restricted to groups of children with diagnosed disorders (e.g., ADHD). Transdiagnostic approaches, which focus on symptoms and soften or remove the boundaries between traditional categorical disorders, are increasingly adopted in research and practice. The aim of this study was to assess the potential of the SDQ to detect concurrent mental health problems in a transdiagnostic sample of children. The sample were referred by health and educational professionals for difficulties related to learning (N = 389). Some had one diagnosis, others had multiple, but many had no diagnoses. Parent-rated SDQ scores were significantly positively correlated with parent ratings of mental health difficulties on the Revised Child Anxiety and Depression Scale (RCADS). Ratings on the SDQ Emotion subscale significantly predicted the likelihood of having concurrent clinical anxiety and depression scores. Ratings on the Hyperactivity subscale predicted concurrent anxiety levels. These findings suggest the SDQ could be a valuable screening tool for identifying existing mental health difficulties in children recognized as struggling, as it can be in typically developing children and those with specific diagnoses.

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Concordance between adolescents and parents on the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire: Analysis of an Australian nationally representative sample

Australian & New Zealand Journal of Psychiatry ◽

10.1177/00048674211009610 ◽

2021 ◽

pp. 000486742110096

Author(s):

Emma J Gray ◽

James G Scott ◽

David M Lawrence ◽

Hannah J Thomas

Keyword(s):

Mental Health ◽

Strengths And Difficulties Questionnaire ◽

Prosocial Skills ◽

Peer Problems ◽

Behavioural Difficulties ◽

Strengths And Difficulties ◽

Nationally Representative ◽

The Impact ◽

Total Impact ◽

Emotional And Behavioural Difficulties

Objective: Differences between adolescent self-reported and parent-reported emotional and behavioural difficulties may influence psychiatric epidemiological research. This study examined concordance between adolescents and their parents about mental health symptoms using the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire. Methods: The study comprised a randomly selected, nationally representative sample of adolescents aged 11–17 years who participated in the Second Australian Child and Adolescent Survey of Mental Health and Wellbeing ( N = 2967). Matched adolescent and parent responses across the five Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire subscales (emotional problems, hyperactivity, peer problems, conduct problems and prosocial behaviour), as well as total difficulties and total impact scores were examined to estimate concordance. Concordance patterns were analysed by sex, after stratifying the sample by age group (younger adolescents: 11–14 years; older adolescents: 15–17 years). Results: Concordance was 86.7% for total difficulties, 77.5% for total impact and ranged from 82.4% to 94.3% across the five Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire subscales. There were no differences in concordance between sexes on the total difficulties score. Older females were more likely to disagree with their parents about emotional problems compared to males of the same age. Younger males were more likely to disagree with their parents compared to same-aged females about peer problems, hyperactivity, conduct problems and prosocial skills, as well as the impact of their problems. Older males were more likely to disagree with their parents about their prosocial skills compared to older females. Conclusion: Overall, concordance between adolescents and parents on the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire was largely driven by the high proportion of respondents who reported having no problems. Discordance on a subscale increased as the prevalence of problems in a sex and age demographic subgroup increased. These findings highlight the need for a multi-informant approach to detect emotional and behavioural difficulties in adolescents, particularly when assessing the impact of symptoms, as this subscale had the lowest concordance.

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My Friends Always Know When I’m Sad: How Children’s Emotion Understanding is Associated with Socio-Emotional Development

10.26686/wgtn.16985185 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

◽

Brylee Lamb

Keyword(s):

Conduct Problems ◽

Emotional Development ◽

Emotional Problems ◽

Emotion Understanding ◽

Psychological Development ◽

Strengths And Difficulties Questionnaire ◽

Prosocial Behaviour ◽

Children's Emotion ◽

Strengths And Difficulties

<p>The current study examined whether prosocial, social, and psychological development in children are more strongly associated with an overall understanding of emotions, or whether certain aspects of development are associated with specific components of emotion understanding. 38 children aged between 6 and 9 years old were administered the Test of Emotion Comprehension and the Kusche Affective Interview-Revised. Their parents completed the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire. Overall emotion understanding was found to be associated with conduct problems. Specific components of emotion understanding were associated with peer and emotional problems and inattention-hyperactivity. Prosocial behaviour was not significantly associated with emotion understanding. Results suggest that social and psychological development are primarily associated with specific components of emotion understanding rather than overall understanding.</p>

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Confirmatory Factor Analysis of the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire in a Community Sample of French-Speaking Adolescents

European Journal of Psychological Assessment ◽

10.1027/1015-5759.24.1.1 ◽

2008 ◽

Vol 24 (1) ◽

pp. 1-8 ◽

Cited By ~ 19

Author(s):

Mathieu d'Acremont ◽

Martial Van der Linden

Keyword(s):

Factor Analysis ◽

Confirmatory Factor Analysis ◽

Conduct Problems ◽

Community Sample ◽

Strengths And Difficulties Questionnaire ◽

Emotional Symptoms ◽

Internal Reliability ◽

Peer Problems ◽

Confirmatory Factor ◽

Strengths And Difficulties

Abstract. The Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ) assesses adaptive and problematic behavior in children and adolescents ( Goodman, 1997 ). The aim of this study was to test the construct validity of a French translation of the scale. Teachers completed the SDQ for their pupils (279 girls and 278 boys, 13-18 years). Confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) of the SDQ supported the original distinction between Conduct problems, Hyperactivity/Inattention, Peer problems, Emotional symptoms, and Prosocial behavior. Multigroup CFA revealed invariance of factor measurement across gender. In addition, boys had higher factor scores for Conduct problems, Hyperactivity/Inattention, and Peer problems whereas girls were more Prosocial. The internal reliability of the subscales ranges from acceptable to very good. These results indicate that the French version of the SDQ has a reliable factor organization among adolescent boys and girls.

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The Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire predicts mental health difficulties in a transdiagnostic sample of struggling learners

10.31234/osf.io/wpj8y ◽

2019 ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

Annie Bryant ◽

Jacalyn Guy ◽

the CALM Team ◽

Joni Holmes

Keyword(s):

Mental Health ◽

Mental Health Problems ◽

Depression Scale ◽

Health Problems ◽

Strengths And Difficulties Questionnaire ◽

Anxiety And Depression ◽

Developmental Problems ◽

Increased Risk ◽

Mental Health Difficulties ◽

Strengths And Difficulties

Children and adolescents with developmental problems are at increased risk of experiencing mental health problems. The Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ) is widely used as a screener for detecting mental health difficulties in these populations, but its validity thus far has been restricted to groups of children with diagnosed disorders (e.g. ADHD). Transdiagnostic approaches, which focus on symptoms and soften or remove the boundaries between traditional categorical disorders, are increasingly adopted in research and practice. The aim of this study was to assess the potential of the SDQ to detect mental health problems in a transdiagnostic sample of children. The sample were referred by health and educational professionals for difficulties related to learning (N=389). Some had one diagnosis, others had multiple, but many had no diagnoses. Parent-rated SDQ scores were significantly positively correlated with parent ratings of mental health difficulties on the Revised Child Anxiety and Depression Scale (RCADS). Ratings on the SDQ Emotion subscale significantly predicted the likelihood of having clinical anxiety and depression scores. Ratings on the Hyperactivity subscale predicted anxiety levels. These findings suggest the SDQ could be a valuable screening tool for identifying mental health difficulties in children recognised as struggling, as it can be in typically developing children and those with specific diagnoses.

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Use of the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire to identify treatment needs in looked-after children referred to CAMHS

Developmental Child Welfare ◽

10.1177/2516103218817555 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 1 (2) ◽

pp. 159-176 ◽

Cited By ~ 6

Author(s):

Hannah Wright ◽

David Wellsted ◽

Jacqui Gratton ◽

Sarah Jane Besser ◽

Nick Midgley

Keyword(s):

Mental Health ◽

Clinical Judgment ◽

Mental Health Treatment ◽

Strengths And Difficulties Questionnaire ◽

High Risk Population ◽

Treatment Needs ◽

Looked After Children ◽

Mental Health Difficulties ◽

Strengths And Difficulties ◽

Cutoff Scores

Background: In England and Wales, the single-informant Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ) is used to assess and monitor looked-after children’s (LAC) mental health; and some targeted Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS) include a minimum SDQ score in their acceptance criteria. However, its ability to identify LAC who need mental health treatment is insufficiently understood. Methods: One hundred and forty four LAC referrals to a Targeted CAMHS Team were screened as part of a larger study. To establish how well the SDQ identified children who required treatment, Total Difficulties Scores from single-informant SDQs submitted at referral were compared to treatment recommendations following routine CAMHS assessment in a real-world setting. To explain the results, clinicians ( n = 9) from the team were interviewed and key themes identified using thematic analysis. Results: AUROC analysis found that the single-informant SDQ discriminated between children who were assessed as needing a mental health intervention and those who did not with low accuracy when SDQs were completed by carers or young people themselves, and moderate accuracy for teacher-completed SDQs. Optimal cutoff scores are calculated and are lower than advised in scoring guidance. Key themes from clinician interviews identified possible gaps and limitations: Developmental trauma and attachment difficulties, A different kind of patient?, Seeing the “bad” but neglecting the sad, and The importance of clinical judgment. Conclusions: Contrary to current UK Government policy, this study suggests that the single-report SDQ should not be relied upon as a sole means of identifying mental health difficulties in this vulnerable, high-risk population.

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My Friends Always Know When I’m Sad: How Children’s Emotion Understanding is Associated with Socio-Emotional Development

10.26686/wgtn.16985185.v1 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

◽

Brylee Lamb

Keyword(s):

Conduct Problems ◽

Emotional Development ◽

Emotional Problems ◽

Emotion Understanding ◽

Psychological Development ◽

Strengths And Difficulties Questionnaire ◽

Prosocial Behaviour ◽

Children's Emotion ◽

Strengths And Difficulties

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