Accuracy of the strengths and difficulties questionnaire in identifying common mental health disorders in children and adolescents: a cross-sectional analytical study
Abstract Background and aim This cross-sectional analytic study, conducted in the Child and Adolescent Mental Health (CAMH) Clinic of Sultan Qaboos University Hospital (SQUH) for 12 months, aimed to evaluate the precision of the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ) in identifying hyperacti...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Springer
2025-01-01
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| Series: | Discover Mental Health |
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| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1007/s44192-025-00129-1 |
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| author | Maisaa Al-Dhahri Salim Al-Huseini Maisa AL-Jamoudi Sanjay Jaju Samir Al-Adawi Hassan Mirza |
| author_facet | Maisaa Al-Dhahri Salim Al-Huseini Maisa AL-Jamoudi Sanjay Jaju Samir Al-Adawi Hassan Mirza |
| author_sort | Maisaa Al-Dhahri |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract Background and aim This cross-sectional analytic study, conducted in the Child and Adolescent Mental Health (CAMH) Clinic of Sultan Qaboos University Hospital (SQUH) for 12 months, aimed to evaluate the precision of the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ) in identifying hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), conduct problems, and emotional difficulties in children and adolescents in an Arab-speaking population. Method The study involved 139 participants aged 4 to 17 years drawn from new referrals to CAMH services. SDQ scores were compared with the gold standard clinical diagnosis obtained through diagnostic interviews based on the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders criteria. The predictive accuracy of SDQ subscales for attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and emotional difficulties was evaluated using Kendall's tau-b. Result The results indicated moderate agreement for emotional problems (Kendall's tau b 0.265; p < 0.001) and between moderate and strong agreement for hyperactivity problems (Kendall's tau b 0.351; p < 0.001). Screening efficiency indices, including sensitivity and positive predictive values, varied between the two disorders (sensitivity: 56–80%; positive predictive values: 40% to 56%). Conclusion The study underscores the importance of understanding the strengths and limitations of SDQ in clinical settings, providing valuable information for mental health assessments in children and adolescents. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-c9138bd61a8e4460bc3f234d8a67abe1 |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 2731-4383 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-01-01 |
| publisher | Springer |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Discover Mental Health |
| spelling | doaj-art-c9138bd61a8e4460bc3f234d8a67abe12025-01-26T12:17:26ZengSpringerDiscover Mental Health2731-43832025-01-01511710.1007/s44192-025-00129-1Accuracy of the strengths and difficulties questionnaire in identifying common mental health disorders in children and adolescents: a cross-sectional analytical studyMaisaa Al-Dhahri0Salim Al-Huseini1Maisa AL-Jamoudi2Sanjay Jaju3Samir Al-Adawi4Hassan Mirza5Psychiatry Residency Training Program, Oman Medical Specialty BoardDepartment of Psychiatry, AL Masarra Hospital, Ministry of HealthGeneral Foundation Program, Oman Medical Specialty BoardDepartment of Family Medicine and Public Health, College of Medicine & Health Sciences, Sultan Qaboos UniversityCollege of Medicine & Health Sciences, Sultan Qaboos UniversityDepartment of Behavioural Medicine, Sultan Qaboos University HospitalAbstract Background and aim This cross-sectional analytic study, conducted in the Child and Adolescent Mental Health (CAMH) Clinic of Sultan Qaboos University Hospital (SQUH) for 12 months, aimed to evaluate the precision of the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ) in identifying hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), conduct problems, and emotional difficulties in children and adolescents in an Arab-speaking population. Method The study involved 139 participants aged 4 to 17 years drawn from new referrals to CAMH services. SDQ scores were compared with the gold standard clinical diagnosis obtained through diagnostic interviews based on the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders criteria. The predictive accuracy of SDQ subscales for attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and emotional difficulties was evaluated using Kendall's tau-b. Result The results indicated moderate agreement for emotional problems (Kendall's tau b 0.265; p < 0.001) and between moderate and strong agreement for hyperactivity problems (Kendall's tau b 0.351; p < 0.001). Screening efficiency indices, including sensitivity and positive predictive values, varied between the two disorders (sensitivity: 56–80%; positive predictive values: 40% to 56%). Conclusion The study underscores the importance of understanding the strengths and limitations of SDQ in clinical settings, providing valuable information for mental health assessments in children and adolescents.https://doi.org/10.1007/s44192-025-00129-1ChildrenMental healthPsychiatric diagnosisQuestionnairePrediction |
| spellingShingle | Maisaa Al-Dhahri Salim Al-Huseini Maisa AL-Jamoudi Sanjay Jaju Samir Al-Adawi Hassan Mirza Accuracy of the strengths and difficulties questionnaire in identifying common mental health disorders in children and adolescents: a cross-sectional analytical study Discover Mental Health Children Mental health Psychiatric diagnosis Questionnaire Prediction |
| title | Accuracy of the strengths and difficulties questionnaire in identifying common mental health disorders in children and adolescents: a cross-sectional analytical study |
| title_full | Accuracy of the strengths and difficulties questionnaire in identifying common mental health disorders in children and adolescents: a cross-sectional analytical study |
| title_fullStr | Accuracy of the strengths and difficulties questionnaire in identifying common mental health disorders in children and adolescents: a cross-sectional analytical study |
| title_full_unstemmed | Accuracy of the strengths and difficulties questionnaire in identifying common mental health disorders in children and adolescents: a cross-sectional analytical study |
| title_short | Accuracy of the strengths and difficulties questionnaire in identifying common mental health disorders in children and adolescents: a cross-sectional analytical study |
| title_sort | accuracy of the strengths and difficulties questionnaire in identifying common mental health disorders in children and adolescents a cross sectional analytical study |
| topic | Children Mental health Psychiatric diagnosis Questionnaire Prediction |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1007/s44192-025-00129-1 |
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