Citation

Tobia V, Marzocchi GM. Child Psychiatry Hum. Dev. 2018; 49(1): 1-8.

Affiliation

Centro per l'Età Evolutiva, Via Giuseppe Verdi, 24121, Bergamo, Italy.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2018, Holtzbrinck Springer Nature Publishing Group)

DOI

10.1007/s10578-017-0723-2

PMID

28391540

Abstract

The Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire [SDQ; (1)] is a multi-informant instrument for screening developmental psychopathology. This study contributes to the validation of the Italian SDQ-Parent version (SDQ-P), analyzing its factorial structure, providing norms and investigating cross-informant agreement (parents-teachers). The SDQ-P and the SDQ-Teacher version (SDQ-T) were completed for 1917 primary and middle school students. Confirmatory factor analyses were performed to compare two factorial structures: the original five-factor model and the structure obtained in a past Italian study (2). The original model showed the best fit. Significant differences by gender and school grade were found; norms were provided separately for males and females attending 1st-2nd, 3rd-5th and 6th-8th grades. Finally, the analysis of parent-teacher agreement showed correlations ranging from small (prosocial behavior) to large (hyperactivity-inattention). This study offers some reflections on the best way to use this instrument in a community sample.

Language: en

Keywords

Cross-informant agreement; Italian norms; Parents; Psychometric properties; Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire