Teacher Ratings of Children’s Behavior Problems and Functional Impairment Across Gender and Ethnicity: Construct Equivalence of the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire

Abstract

The present study examined construct equivalence of the teacher Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire and compared mean scores in an ethnically diverse sample of children living in the Netherlands. Elementary schoolteachers completed the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire for 2,185 children aged 6 to 10 years of the four largest ethnic groups in the Netherlands, namely native Dutch ( n = 684) and Moroccan ( n = 702), Turkish ( n = 434), and Surinamese ( n = 365) immigrant children. Multigroup confirmatory factor analysis suggested the factor structure of the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire to be invariant across children’s ethnicity and gender. Additionally, the factor structure appeared to be similar for Dutch and Surinamese teachers. However, mean scores on emotional problems, hyperactivity, conduct problems, prosocial behavior, and impairment varied significantly according to ethnicity and gender. Mean scores on peer problems differed significantly for boys and girls, but not across ethnicity. Whether mean differences reflect a method bias or actual differences in classroom behaviors is discussed and needs further research.

Review of the strengths and difficulties questionnaire translated into languages spoken by children and adolescents of refugee background

“…Note: Included translation studies: Arabic P‐SDQ, Thabet et al, ; Chinese P‐, T‐, S‐SDQ Du et al, ; Chinese P‐, T‐, S‐SDQ, Liu et al, ; French, DR Congo T‐SDQ Kashala et al, ; Netherlands Moroccan/Arabic, Turkish P‐, T‐SDQ, Mieloo et al, ; Netherlands Moroccan/Arabic, Turkish T‐SDQ Zwirs et al, ; Norway, Pakistani minority, Other minority S‐SDQ, Richter et al, ; Russian S‐, T‐SDQ Ruchkin et al, , ; Serbia, Turkey S‐SDQ Stevanovic et al, . k = 10 (three studies did not report loadings).…”

Instruments Measuring Externalizing Mental Health Problems in Immigrant Ethnic Minority Youths: A Systematic Review of Measurement Properties

“…The two studies on teacher report were both conducted by Zwirs et al [91], [92] but different samples and methods were used in each study. However, both samples focus on Moroccan, Turkish and Surinamese children.…”

Nighttime Sleep Duration and Externalizing Behaviors of Preschool Children

“…40,41 During the interview, parents were asked to rate their children using 1 (never), 2 (rarely), 3 (sometimes), 4 (often), or 5 (very often) for symptoms of overactivity, anger, aggression, temper tantrums, impulsivity, and annoying behaviors. [44][45][46] Parents identified the gender and race/ethnicity of their child. Responses were also examined linearly (1)(2)(3)(4)(5) and summed to create a total externalizing behavior score ranging from 6 to 30 in a fashion consistent with previous studies.…”