The Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ)

This brief screening tool assesses mental health in children and adolescents. Parents, teachers, and youth use the SDQ to identify emotional and behavioural strengths or needs.

Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ) behavioral screening PDF form
SDQ

Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ)

The Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ) is a brief behavioural screening tool for children and adolescents. It assesses emotional health, conduct, and peer relationships. Used by clinicians and educators, this survey helps identify mental health risks early to ensure kids get the right support.

Category

Mental health
Wellbeing
Diagnostic

Disease

Mental Health
Assessment
Wellbeing

Source

(Goodman, 1997)

Author Name

Goodman, R. (1997)

Page Editor

Thijs Sondag

What is Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ)

The Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ) is a brief screening tool for young people. It helps clinicians spot mental health issues early on. This smart tool covers 25 attributes divided between positive and negative traits. It is much shorter than other checklists but works just as well for screening. Items are grouped into five scales covering emotional symptoms, conduct problems, hyperactivity, peer issues and prosocial behaviour. Respondents rate each item as not true, somewhat true or certainly true to generate a total difficulties score. With versions for parents, teachers and self-reporting for older kids, the SDQ is super versatile. It is great for clinical assessment, evaluating outcomes and research. It gives a clear picture of a child's psychosocial functioning without taking ages to finish, making it a handy choice for busy clinics.

SDQ Scoring

The Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire can be scored using two main approaches: 1. Symptom Scores: You rate 25 items on a three point scale from not true to certainly true. These group into five scales like emotional symptoms and conduct problems. Summing four of these gives a Total Difficulties Score between 0 and 40, indicating overall stress. 2. Prosocial Score: This separate scale measures positive behaviours like sharing. Unlike the others, a higher score here is good. Clinicians use these totals to spot kids who might need extra support or a closer look.

View scoring form

Advantages

Efficient collection

Streamlines research data gathering process.

Outcome tracking

Measures healthcare intervention results systematically.

Condition versatility

Applicable across multiple diseases and conditions.

5
Minutes
25
Questions

Collect SDQ data with WeGuide, the all in one patient engagement platform

Streamline behavioural screening with digital SDQ forms. Automate scoring and track child progress over time.

Support Your patient in no time - all under your own brand

Our platform combines the knowledge of 100+ digital health solutions built, letting you easily build your patient engagement app for research or clinical use. Collect PROMs, support patients on waiting lists, or gather vital signs data. This is how:

Learn More

Program Builder

Import your clinical or research protocol, upload your forms and and off you go.
Learn More
We Guide

Whitelabelling

Get your own app in the store and created a trusted environment for your patients or participants.
Learn More

Turn on components, dependent on your usecase

Setup Program Information, Collect Wearable data.
Learn More

Support The Full Journey

Use WeGuide to support your patients or participants in the full journey, starting from screening & consent to collecting recurring data for months to come..
Learn More

It’s your turn

Every WeGuide project, saves researchers and clinicians - 9 months and $450,000 - creating impactful digital health solutions.

By clicking organise a demo, you’re confirming that we can contact you to set up a demonstration.
Thank you! Your submission has been received!
Oops! Something went wrong. Please try again.
No items found.