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Australian Psychologist, November 2005; 40(3): 215 – 222

Normative data for the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire


in Australia

DAVID MELLOR

School of Psychology, Deakin University, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia

Abstract
The purpose of this study was to establish Australian norms for the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ), a
recently developed screening instrument for child and adolescent mental health problems. A random sample consisting of
910 children aged 7 – 17 years recruited through government schools across Victoria, their parents and their teachers
completed the appropriate version of the SDQ. The sample contained the expected spread of normal and abnormal scores
according to the UK norms for the SDQ. As previous analyses have suggested that scores on the five subscales and the total
difficulties scale of the SDQ may very with age and gender, separate norms for each of the three informant versions, by age
and gender are presented in tabular form for children aged 7 – 17 years.

Goodman (1997) has recently developed a new 1999). These studies have also demonstrated
screening instrument to assist in the detection of good internal reliability for the subscales and total
child and adolescent behavioural and emotional difficulties scale across the three informant versions,
problems that should be referred for further assess- and sound inter-informant reliability. Other studies
ment and/or intervention. The Strengths and (Goodman, 2001; Mellor, 2004; Muris et al., 2003)
Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ) consists of 25 have found the SDQ to have good test – retest reli-
items that cover five domains: emotional symptoms, ability across the parent, teacher and child versions.
conduct problems, hyperactivity, peer problems and The SDQ has numerous advantages over other
prosocial behaviours. For children aged 4 – 11 years, measures of child and adolescent adjustment, in-
the SDQ relies on the report of parents and teachers. cluding its brevity and free availability, the use of
For those between 11 and 16 years, there is also a multiple informant versions to provide different
self-report version. Scoring is simple and as well as perspectives on the child’s/adolescent’s adjustment,
providing a score in each of the above domains, the its focus on strengths as well as difficulties, its cover-
instrument provides a total difficulties score. Cut-off age of subjective distress and impairment in home,
scores based on UK data differentiating normal, school, peer and leisure activities, the inclusion of an
borderline and abnormal scores for each of the three assessment of the impact of the target child’s be-
versions are provided online at www.sdqinfo.com haviours in the extended version, and its suitability
The SDQ has been found to be comparable with, for use as a screening instrument by workers at the
or better than, the longer and relatively expensive community level who may have limited training in
Achenbach Child Behaviour Checklist (Achenbach, mental health.
1991a,b,c) in detecting disorders when compared With these properties, the SDQ shows great
with a standardised semi-structured interview (Good- promise as a tool for routine screening of children
man & Scott, 1999), and several other studies on and adolescents for behavioural and mental health
community and clinical populations in various problems and for evaluating treatment outcomes.
European countries and other locations have demon- Indeed, in 2003 the Australian National Outcomes
strated its validity (e.g. Goodman et al., 2003; and Casemix Collection project agreed that the SDQ
Goodman, Renfrew & Mullick, 2000; Klasen et al., will be one of the key measures to be used by all child
2000; Koskelainen, Sourander & Kaljonen, 2000; and adolescent mental health services in Australia.
Muris, Meesters & van den Berg, 2003; Smedje et al., The instrument has thus been embraced and

Correspondence: David Mellor, School of Psychology, Deakin University, Burwood 3125, Victoria, Australia. E-mail: mellor@deakin.edu.au
ISSN 0005-0067 print/ISSN 1742-9544 online Ó 2005 Australian Psychological Society Ltd
Published by Taylor & Francis
DOI: 10.1080/00050060500243475
216 D. Mellor

adopted in Australia, although Australian norms are Table 1. Age and gender distribution of the sample
yet to be established. Notably, Goodman (1997) and Boys Girls Total
Koskelainen et al. (2000) have suggested that cut-off Age N N N
scores derived in England may need to be adjusted
according to location or cultural context. 7 5 7 12
Following this suggestion, Hawes & Dadds (2004) 8 44 48 92
9 53 64 117
administered the parent version of the instrument to 10 58 78 136
a large sample of parents of 4 – 9-year-olds. The 11 60 52 112
sample was not selected randomly from the popula- 12 47 53 100
tion, although it was argued that it may be repre- 13 41 39 80
sentative. Norms for this version of the SDQ were 14 33 40 73
15 27 39 66
derived for the age groups sampled, and the data 16 28 43 71
suggested that the instrument has moderate to strong 17 27 24 51
internal reliability across the subscales. Support was Total 423 487 910
also found for the five-factor structure and external
validity. The authors conclude that further Austra-
lian studies of the psychometric properties of the version IV: DSM-IV (American Psychiatric Associa-
teacher and self-report versions of the SDQ would tion, 1994) diagnostic category criteria] and factor
make an important contribution to knowledge of the analysis. A three-point response format is used.
instrument. Scores are allocated on the basis of 0 for items
Goodman (1997) has also suggested that it might checked as being ‘‘not true’’, 1 for items checked as
be necessary to adjust cut-off scores according to age being ‘‘somewhat true’’ and 2 for items checked as
and gender. This view is consistent with epidemio- certainly true. A small number of items are reverse-
logical studies of child and adolescent psychopathol- scored. A total difficulties score is obtained by
ogy (e.g. Anderson et al., 1987; Fergusson, Horwood adding the scores for all but the prosocial behaviour
& Lynskey, 1993; Sawyer et al, 2001) that frequently scale. The possible range of scores for each of the
report that the prevalence rates of various disorders subscales is 0 – 10, and for the total difficulties score
vary with gender and age. Although normative data it is 0 – 40. Cut-off scores, based on the 80th and
for boys and girls are provided separately at the SDQ 90th percentiles, distinguishing normal, borderline
website, the same cut-off scores are applicable to and abnormal adjustment vary between informant
children and adolescents of both genders and all versions, and across subscales and the total difficul-
ages. ties score. For example, the upper limit of the normal
In light of the above, the aim of this study was to range for the total difficulty score is 13 for the parent
provide specific age, gender and informant version version, 11 for the teacher versions and 15 for the
normative data for the SDQ in Australia for the ages child version. With the borderline range falling in
7 – 17 years. between, the lower limits for the abnormal range are
17, 16 and 20, respectively.

Method
Procedure
Participants
Recruitment of schools. In order to establish norms, it
A sample of 910 children, their parents and their is necessary to obtain a representative sample from
teachers participated in this study. The gender the target population. In this study the sample was
and age of the child participants are summarised in drawn across the Australian state of Victoria (popu-
Table 1. The sample was drawn from schools across lation 4.9 million, Australian Bureau of Statistics,
Victoria, Australia. 2002). Victoria has a large capital city (Melbourne),
several large regional centres and many isolated rural
areas. Our aim was to recruit randomly 1000 chil-
Materials
dren across the state from 100 schools at each level of
The three informant versions (parent, teacher and schooling (primary and secondary). We thus selected
child) of SDQ were used. Each version consists of 25 100 schools randomly at each level, and a back-up
items that make up five 6 five-item subscales assess- school for each. Analysis of census data and distance
ing conduct problems, hyperactivity-inattention, of schools from Melbourne indicated that both
emotional symptoms, peer problems and prosocial samples of primary and secondary schools were
behaviour. According to Goodman (2001), the items geographically representative of the state.
and subscales are based on current nosological The principals of the selected schools in each list
concepts [e.g. the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual were sent a letter outlining the project and inviting
Australian norms for the SDQ 217

participation in the study. Attached to the letter were (910 data sets from 2000 potential participant sets)
copies of the SDQ, the Deakin University Ethics would be 45.5%.
Committee-approved Plain Language Statement,
and the letter from the Victorian Education Depart-
Results
ment approving the conduct of the research in
government schools. Shortly after the letter was sent, Upon receipt of the materials from schools, the
the principals were contacted by telephone and asked parent, child and teacher questionnaires were col-
if they were agreeable for their school to participate lated for each child, and the data entered for analysis
in the project. In 51 cases the principal declined the with SPSS/PC (Version 11). Table 2 summarises the
invitation to participate, and the identified back-up distribution of subscale and total difficulties scores
school was approached in the same way. None of the for the sample, and Chronbach’s a for each scale,
back-up schools refused to participate in the study. according to informant. The mean scores are within
the ranges considered by Goodman (see www.sdqin-
Recruitment of participants and data collection. Once fo.com) to be normal according to UK data, and the
the principal agreed that the school would participate range of scores for each scale and each informant
in the project, a package was sent which included version extends across the normal, borderline and
instructions for the identification of one girl and one abnormal ranges defined in the scoring instructions.
boy from each of years 2 – 6 in primary schools or Indeed, according to the UK norms, these data
years 7 – 11 in secondary schools. Each school suggest that the sample contained the expected range
participating in the study was assigned a randomly of mental health problems. On the total difficulties
generated date of the year. The school was asked to scale, 12% of parents reported that their child was in
choose the children in each year level who had birth the abnormal range, and 6% in the borderline range;
dates on or closest to the allocated date. 8.5% of teacher-reported total difficulties were in
Each questionnaire, one for the parent, one for the the abnormal range, and 14.6% in the borderline
child and one for the child’s teacher, together with the range; and 5.8 and 8.2% of children’s self-reported
relevant Plain Language Statements and the informed scores were in the abnormal and borderline ranges,
consent forms, were placed in specially printed respectively.
envelopes that were identified by a code (e.g. year 7
girl – teacher) and addressed to the person who was to
Gender, age and informant
complete that version of the SDQ. In the case of the
parent, the consent form was printed on the outside of To assess whether or not subscale and total
the envelope so that the completed questionnaire difficulties scores vary according to age and gender,
could be sealed inside and the signature of the parent a series of three-way multiple analyses of variance
still be visible to the school, so it would be known that (MANOVAs) were conducted. Table 3 summarises the
consent had been granted for the child to participate findings of these MANOVAs, showing a trend for
in the project. When this parental consent was scores on both the self-report and informant versions
received by the school, the child and the teacher of the SDQ to vary as a function of age and/or
who was closest to the child were asked to complete gender. There is no evidence of an interaction
their versions of the SDQ. The child also completed between these two variables and the influence of
the child’s consent form. In each case the question- each depends on the particular scale in question.
naire and the consent form were sealed in the Examination of the data revealed that males score
envelope that had been supplied, and replaced in higher on all the scales apart from emotional
the box in which the material had arrived at the symptoms and the prosocial scale, where females
school. On this box was the return address and a score higher. Because the major purpose of these
freepost number so return would be facilitated. analyses was only to establish that scores may vary
One hundred and twenty-seven (63.5%) of the according to age, where there are significant main
200 schools supplied with questionnaire packages effects for age, no post-hoc analyses locating specific
returned data. In total 910 complete data sets (i.e. age differences are reported.
parent, teacher and child versions) were returned
from these schools, representing a response rate of
Norms
71.6% of the 1270 potential participants in these 127
schools. It is not clear whether the project was fully In view of the above findings, it was considered
facilitated in the schools that failed to return data, important to present norms by age and gender. In
but based on the worst-case scenario that it was all order to make the data manageable in an applied
parents and children from those schools who refused setting, it was decided to break the sample into three
to participate in the study, rather than the school age groups: 7 – 10 years, 11 – 13 years and 14 – 17
failing to facilitate the study, the overall response rate years. Tables 4 (boys) and 5 (girls) show the descriptive
218 D. Mellor

Table 2. Distribution of scores on SDQ domains

Total
Emotional Conduct Hyper- Peer difficulties
Informant N symptoms problems activity problems Prosocial1 score

Possible range 0 – 10 0 – 10 0 – 10 0 – 10 0 – 10 0 – 40
Parent 910 M 2.1 1.5 3.1 1.6 8.3 8.18
SD 2.0 1.6 2.4 1.9 1.7 6.06
Range 0–8 0–6 0 – 10 0–8 0 – 10 0 – 26
a 0.71 0.67 0.80 0.75 0.70 0.73
UK cut-offs
Borderline 4 3 6 3 5 14
Abnormal 5 4 7 4 4 17
Teacher 910 M 1.4 1.0 2.5 1.6 7.8 6.51
SD 1.7 1.5 2.6 1.8 2.1 6.03
Range 0–7 0–6 0 – 10 0–7 1 – 10 0 – 25
a 0.77 0.75 0.87 0.71 0.83 0.76
UK cut-offs
Borderline 5 3 6 4 5 12
Abnormal 6 4 7 5 4 16
Older child (11 + ) 553 M 2.4 1.8 3.2 1.5 8.0 8.96
SD 2.0 1.7 2.3 1.6 1.7 5.62
Range 0–9 0–7 0 – 10 0–7 2 – 10 0 – 27
a 0.65 0.64 0.75 0.59 0.66 0.70
UK cut-offs
Borderline 6 4 6 4–5 5 16
Abnormal 7 5 7 6 4 20
Younger child(5 11) 357 M 3.1 1.7 3.0 1.9 8.4 9.72
SD 2.3 1.7 2.4 1.7 1.6 5.95
Range 0–9 0–7 0 – 10 0–7 0 – 10 0 – 27
a 0.68 0.66 0.73 0.55 0.62 0.72
1
Lower scores indicate difficulties on the prosocial subscale.

Table 3. Summary of MANOVA analyses for age and gender effects

Self-report Parent report Teacher report

Emotional symptoms Age F11,889 = 3.44 P 5 0.05 F11,889 = 1.84 No effect*


Gender F1,889 = 7.61 P 5 0.05 F1,889 = 4.70 No effect*
Interaction No effect No effect No effect*

Conduct problems Age No effect* No effect No effect*


Gender F1,889 = 27.37 P 5 0.01* No effect F1,889 = 10.24 P 5 0.01*
Interaction No effect* No effect No effect*

Hyperactivity Age F11,889 = 2.07 P 5 0.05 F11,889 = 2.68* P 5 0.01* F11,889 = 2.21 P 5 0.01*
Gender F1,889 = 13.38 P 5 04.05 F1,889 = 27.24 P 5 0.01* F1,889 = 2.21 P 5 0.01*
Interaction No effect No effect* No effect*

Peer problems Age F11,889 = 2.09 P 5 0.01* No effect No effect


Gender No effect No effect No effect
Interaction No effect No effect No effect

Prosocial behaviour Age F11,889 = 2.67 P 5 0.01* No effect F11,889 = 2.79 P 5 0.01*
Gender F1,889 = 40.83 P 5 0.01* F1,889 = 21.28 F1,889 = 37.14 P 5 0.01*
Interaction No effect No effect No effect

Total difficulties Age F11,889 = 2.06 P 5 0.01* F11,889 = 2.09 No effect


Gender F1,889 = 6.28 P 5 0.01* No effect F1, 889 = 15.45 P 5 0.01*
Interaction No effect No effect No effect

*Assumption of homogeneity violated, alpha changed to 0.01.


Table 4. Mean scores and banding for SDQ subscales and total difficulties for boys

7 – 10 years (n = 160) 11 – 13 years (n = 148) 14 – 17 years (n = 115)

Self- Parent Teacher Self- Parent Teacher Self- Parent Teacher


Subscale report report report report report report report report report

Emotional symptoms Mean (SD) 2.99 (2.21) 2.29 (2.11) 1.49 (1.85) 1.99 (1.92) 1.79 (1.77) 1.06 (1.46) 2.07 (2.00) 1.52 (1.86) 1.30 (1.75)
Top 20% Borderline/query 5 4 3 4 3 2 4 3 2
Top 10% Abnormal/of concern 6 5 4 5 5 3 5 5 3
Conduct problems Mean (SD) 2.01 (1.85) 1.81 (1.73) 1.33 (1.70) 1.96 (1.82) 1.24 (1.66) 1.05 (1.59) 2.38 (1.93) 1.65 (1.63) 1.35 (1.55)
Top 20% Borderline/query 4 3 3 4 3 2 4 3 2
Top 10% Abnormal/of concern 5 4 4 5 4 3 5 4 3
Hyperactivity Mean (SD) 3.56 (2.47) 4.07 (2.66) 3.45 (3.03) 3.15 (2.25) 3.16 (2.51) 3.17 (2.78) 4.01 (2.37) 3.53 (2.45) 3.08 (2.41)
Top 20% Borderline/query 6 6 6 5 5 5 6 5 4
Top 10% Abnormal/of concern 7 8 9 6 7 7 7 7 6
Peer problems Mean (SD) 2.10 (1.84) 1.75 (2.00) 1.50 (1.91) 1.70 (1.59) 1.56 (1.90) 1.45 (1.62) 1.62 (1.60) 1.76 (2.02) 2.05 (1.86)
Top 20% Borderline/query 4 3 3 3 3 3 2 3 3
Top 10% Abnormal/of concern 5 5 4 4 4 4 3 6 4
Prosocial Mean (SD) 8.06 (1.80) 8.00 (1.76) 7.27 (2.28) 7.75 (1.88) 8.15 (1.68) 7.33 (2.28) 7.25 (1.76) 7.77 (1.77) 6.84 (2.15)
Bottom 20% Borderline/query 6 7 5 6 6 5 6 6 5
Bottom 10% Abnormal/of concern 5 6 4 5 5 4 5 5 4

Total difficulties Mean (SD) 10.65 (6.06) 9.91 (6.42) 7.82 (6.87) 8.80 (5.46) 7.78 (5.75) 6.78 (5.54) 10.12 (5.98) 8.45 (5.84) 7.82 (5.95)
Top 20% Borderline/query 16 16 14 14 13 12 15 13 13
Top 10% Abnormal/of concern 20 19 17 16 17 15 19 18 15
Australian norms for the SDQ
219
220
D. Mellor

Table 5. Mean scores and banding for SDQ subscales and total difficulties for girls

7 – 10 years (n = 197) 11 – 13 years (n = 144) 14 – 17 years (n = 146)

Subscale Self- Parent Teacher Self- Parent Teacher Self- Parent Teacher
report report report report report report report report report

Emotional Symptoms Mean (SD) 3.13 (2.29) 2.26 (1.96) 1.53 (1.82) 2.60 (2.10) 2.04 (2.07) 1.39 (1.70) 2.85 (1.94) 2.23 (2.14) 1.36 (1.64)
Top 20% Borderline/query 5 4 3 5 4 2 5 4 2
Top 10% Abnormal/of concern 6 5 4 6 5 4 6 5 3
Conduct problems Mean (SD) 1.37 (1.50) 1.26 (1.50) 0.89 (1.46) 1.31 (1.50) 1.31 (1.59) 0.69 (1.34) 1.71 (1.50) 1.52 (1.60) 0.824 (1.44)
Top 20% Borderline/query 3 2 2 3 3 1 3 3 2
Top 10% Abnormal/of concern 4 3 3 4 4 3 4 4 3
Hyperactivity Mean (SD) 2.60 (2.22) 2.59 (2.23) 1.78 (2.28) 2.63 (2.23) 2.50 (2.23) 1.69 (2.13) 3.13 (2.17) 2.53 (2.05) 2.03 (2.00)
Top 20% Borderline/query 5 4 4 5 4 4 5 4 4
Top 10% Abnormal/of concern 6 6 5 6 6 5 6 6 5
Peer problems Mean (SD) 1.87 (1.67) 1.53 (1.86) 1.50 (1.97) 1.40 (1.62) 1.57 (1.92) 1.58 (1.81) 1.38 (1.40) 1.46 (1.91) 1.61 (1.78)
Top 20% Borderline/query 3 3 3 3 3 3 2 3 3
Top 10% Abnormal/of concern 4 5 4 4 4 4 3 4 4

Prosocial Mean (SD) 8.66 (1.45) 8.68 (1.56) 8.43 (1.81) 8.56 (1.38) 8.68 (1.54) 8.42 (1.76) 8.36 (1.58) 8.53 (1.70) 7.88 (1.93)
Bottom 20% Borderline/query 8 7 6 7 7 7 7 7 5
Bottom 10% Abnormal/of concern 6 6 5 6 6 6 6 6 6
Total difficulties Mean (SD) 8.95 (5.78) 7.65 (5.74) 5.73 (6.00) 7.96 (6.09) 7.46 (6.10) 5.38 (5.71) 9.08 (4.80) 7.78 (5.94) 5.98 (5.54)
Top 20% Borderline/query 14 12 12 12 12 10 13 12 12
Top 10% Abnormal/of concern 17 17 15 17 17 14 15 17 14
Australian norms for the SDQ 221

data and the suggested cut-off scores for each of the significant gender and/or age differences. This
age groups for borderline and abnormal behaviour finding strongly supported our decision to provide
based on the same criteria followed by Goodman norms separately by age and gender. In establishing
(1997) in the initial norming of the SDQ. On the these norms, we decided to follow the process used
basis that approximately 10% of the child and by Goodman (1997), whereby the borderline range
adolescent populations exhibit some kind of mental was established by taking scores in between the 80th
health problem, the borderline category included the and 89th percentile, and the abnormal range by
scores lying between the 80th and 90th percentiles, taking the scores beyond the 90th percentile (except
while the abnormal range included scores above the in the case of prosocial behaviour where the 10th and
90th percentile. Here, given that the SDQ is pri- 20th percentiles are used). This process is based on
marily a screening instrument rather than a diagnostic the supposition that approximately 10% of the child
instrument, it is suggested that these categories be and adolescent population have a significant mental
relabelled, or at least double-labelled to include health problem, and another 10% have a borderline
‘‘query’’ at the borderline level, and ‘‘of concern’’ at problem. The alternative would be to establish the
the abnormal level. scores that lie two and three standard deviations
above the mean, but this would be a more arbitrary
definition of problem identification.
Discussion
In further recognition that the SDQ is primarily a
The SDQ is a screening instrument that shows much screening instrument that may be utilised in diverse
promise for those working with children and settings by a variety of health professionals, the
adolescents in both clinical and community settings. normative data in Tables 4 (for boys) and 5 (for girls)
Its psychometric properties have been well demon- are presented according to three age groups. This
strated elsewhere, and the purpose of this study was allows all relevant information to be presented on one
to provide Australian normative data. The need for page, without too much loss of age trends. In labelling
such norms is linked to the adaptation of this the categories we propose the terms ‘‘query’’ and ‘‘of
instrument by Child and Adolescent Mental Health concern’’, on the basis that as a screening instrument
Services in Australia. In our study, we extended the the SDQ probably should not be used to label a
self-report version of the questionnaire down to 7 child’s behaviour as abnormal, especially if it is used
years, and have reported elsewhere (Mellor, 2004) in community rather than clinical settings.
that our child participants in the age group 7 – 10 While this study provides useful normative data for
years responded as reliably as older children in terms the SDQ in Australia, there are some limitations that
of inter-rater congruence and test – retest reliability. need to be considered. Although it is adequate in
Overall, the reliability (inter-rater, test-retest and size, the sample was drawn from government schools
internal) of all informant versions was found to be in the state of Victoria only, and although it was
sound. geographically representative it may not necessarily
We were able to collect complete data sets for 910 be representative of the whole community of children
children. These children were sampled randomly and adolescents. Even though an initial analysis of
from government schools across Victoria, and we the data suggested that the sample was approximately
believe them to be representative of Victorian representative with regard to expected behavioural
children in terms of their geographical distribution. and mental health concerns according to UK norms,
The sample sizes for each age group and gender of particular concern is the consideration that some
would appear to be adequate, apart from the 7-year of the more severely disturbed children in our
age group where the numbers are low. It is not clear community may not attend school at all. This may
why the numbers were low, but it may be that have reduced the percentile cut-off points established
children in this age group did not wish to be involved from the data.
in the study, or that they were discouraged from A further limitation of our study is that we did not
doing so by their teachers who thought that the collect other demographic data from parents, so we
task was too difficult for them. However, a more are unable to assess whether or not the sample
likely explanation is that at the time of data collection is representative of the population in terms of socio-
(later in the academic year), there were few economic status or other characteristics. This should
students at the year 2 level who had not yet turned be addressed in future studies, in which it may also
8 years old. Because we sampled by year level rather be useful to investigate the impact of the gender of
than age, we thus did not recruit many 7-year-olds the parent completing that version of the question-
into the study. naire.
Our analyses confirmed that on at least one of In summary, the normative data established in his
the informant versions of the SDQ, each of the five study should provide a useful baseline for commu-
subscales and the total difficulties scale showed nity screening, clinical evaluation and further studies
222 D. Mellor

with the SDQ. Future studies might extend the age Goodman, R., & Scott, S. (1999). Comparing the Strength and
range covered in this study down to the preschool Difficulties Questionnaire and the Child Behavior Checklist:
Is small beautiful? Journal of Abnormal Child Psychology, 27,
level, utilising parent and teacher report. 17 – 24.
Goodman, R., Ford, T., Simmons, H., Gatward, R., & Meltzer,
H. (2003). Using the strengths and difficulties questionnaire
Acknowledgements (SDQ) to screen for child psychiatric disorders in a community
sample. International Review of Psychiatry, 15, 166 – 172.
This study was supported by ARC SPIRT grant no.
Goodman, R., Renfrew, D., & Mullick, M. (2000). Predicting
C00107193. The author would like to acknowledge type of psychiatric disorder from Strengths and Difficulties
the contributions of Tony Loquet in the data Questionnaire (SDQ) scores in child mental health clinics in
collection phase of the study, Associate Professor London and Dhaka. European Child and Adolescent Psychiatry,
Damien Jolley in establishing the sampling proce- 9, 129 – 134.
dure and Natasha Muscat in the analyses of data and Hawes, D. J., & Dadds, M. R. (2004). Australian data and
psychometric properties of the Strengths and Difficulties
preparation. Questionnaire. Australian and New Zealand Journal of Psychiatry,
38, 644 – 651.
Klasen, H., Woerner, W., Wolke, D., Meyer, R., Overmeyer, S.,
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