Swedish norms for the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire for children 3-5 years rated by parents and preschool teachers

Screening Accuracy of the Parent-Report Preschool Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire in Primary Care

OBJECTIVE

To evaluate the screening test accuracy and reliability of the parent-report preschool Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (P-SDQ) in primary care settings.

METHODS

Children 24 to 48 months were recruited at scheduled primary care visits in Toronto, Canada. Parents completed the P-SDQ at baseline, 2, and 12 weeks. At 12 weeks, parents were invited to a semistructured diagnostic phone interview, the Preschool Age Psychiatric Assessment (PAPA). Criterion validity between baseline P-SDQ scores (Total Difficulties Score [TDS], internalizing and externalizing subscale) and Diagnostic and Statistical Manual, 5th edition diagnoses on PAPA was evaluated using area under the curve (AUC) and calculating screening test properties (sensitivity and specificity). Test-retest reliability at baseline and 2 weeks was evaluated using intraclass correlation coefficient.

RESULTS

A total of 183 children were enrolled, mean age 39.3 (SD 7.4) months, 46.4% male, 120 (66%) completed P-SDQ at 2 weeks, 107 (58%) completed PAPA at 12 weeks. Of those with a PAPA, 26 (24%) had any psychiatric diagnosis, 17 (16%) had internalizing disorders and 4 (4%) had externalizing disorders. TDS identified any diagnosis with AUC = 0.67 (95% confidence intervals (CI): 0.55, 0.79); internalizing subscale identified internalizing disorders with AUC = 0.61 (95% CI: 0.47, 0.74); externalizing subscale identified externalizing disorders with AUC = 0.77 (95% CI: 0.60, 0.94). Sensitivity and specificity, and test-retest reliability were satisfactory for TDS and externalizing subscale, and less satisfactory for the internalizing subscale.

CONCLUSIONS

The externalizing subscale has sufficient accuracy and reliability to identify children aged 2 to 4 years at risk for attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder and disruptive behavior disorders in primary care.

Early emotional and behavioural problems predict use of habilitation services among children: Findings from a longitudinal follow-up study

PURPOSE

To explore the association between early emotional and behavioural problems and use of habilitation services among children in Sweden.

METHODS

In this longitudinal cohort study, we used data on children, 3-5 years of age, whose mothers (n = 7343) and fathers (n = 6322) had responded to the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ) for assessment of emotional and behavioural problems, and who were followed for approximately 6.5 years with regard to use of habilitation services. The relations between emotional and behavioural problems and use of habilitation services were explored through cox regression models.

RESULTS

In unadjusted models, children with identified emotional and behavioural problems were more likely to utilise habilitation services compared to those with no identified problems. These associations were shown for both mothers' (HR: 5.02) and fathers' (HR: 4.25) SDQ ratings. In adjusted cox-regression models, the associations remained significant for both mothers' (AHR: 4.24) and fathers' (AHR: 4.03) ratings.

CONCLUSIONS

Early emotional and behavioural problems predict later habilitation service use among children in Sweden. Assessment of these problems in all children at child health services could facilitate early identification and timely interventions. Habilitation centres in Sweden could integrate mental health care into the standard treatment for children using these services.

Psychometric properties of the Norwegian version of the Strength and Difficulties Questionnaire in a preschool sample

PURPOSE

The Strength and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ) is widely used internationally, however less so in preschool populations and validations studies are thus needed. This study examined the psychometric properties of the Norwegian version parent report of the SDQ - preschool version (SDQ 2-4).

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Parents of 289 Norwegian children in the age span 1-6 years old filled out the SDQ 2-4, the Child Behavior Checklist (CBCL), and background information. Internal consistency, factor structure, and convergent validity were assessed.

RESULTS

The results showed satisfying internal consistency for the total difficulties score, but worse for some of the subscales. The five-factor structure showed a good fit. Good convergent and divergent validity was found in terms of correlations with CBCL. Sex differences were found on all scales, boys scoring higher on all problem scales.

CONCLUSIONS

The SDQ 2-4 can be a promising instrument to screen for emotional and behavioral difficulties among Norwegian preschoolers, particularly in high-risk populations.

Mental and physical health in children of women with a history of anorexia nervosa

Few studies have investigated the offspring of women with anorexia nervosa (AN). The aim of this study was to examine perinatal status, mental and physical health in the offspring of mothers with a history of AN. Fifty-one individuals with adolescent-onset AN and 51 matched controls (COMP) have been followed prospectively. Presently, 30 years after AN onset, at a mean age of 44 years, female participants who had given birth (nAN = 40, nCOMP = 40) were interviewed regarding psychiatric health in their offspring using the Developmental and Well-Being Assessment and the MINI International Neuropsychiatric Interview. In addition, information on the offspring's perinatal status, psychiatric- and physical health was obtained from the Swedish Medical Birth Register and The Swedish National Patient Register. Data regarding mental and physical health were available for 83 and 86 offspring in the AN and COMP groups, respectively. At birth, all of weight, length, head circumference and ponderal index were significantly reduced in the offspring of mothers with a history of AN. In adolescence, parental interviews indicated an overrepresentation of current psychiatric diagnoses in the offspring of mothers with AN. Compared with the offspring in the COMP group, endocrinological, immune and metabolic disorders were much more common in the offspring of the AN group. In conclusion, a history of AN increases the risk of worse perinatal outcome of the offspring. Later on, in childhood and adolescence, psychiatric and physical morbidity may be overrepresented in the offspring of women with AN.

Preschool-level socio-economic deprivation in relation to emotional and behavioural problems among preschool children in Sweden

AIMS

The aim of this study was to explore the association between preschool-level socio-economic deprivation and emotional and behavioural problems among preschool children in Sweden using a multilevel approach.

METHODS

In this cross-sectional study, we used data on 2267 children whose parents and preschool teachers had responded to items measuring individual-level socio-economic deprivation and the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ) for assessment of emotional and behavioural problems. Further, the Socioeconomic Structure Compensation Index (SSCI), collected from Uppsala municipality, was used to assess preschool-level socio-economic deprivation. Unadjusted and adjusted multilevel logistic regression models were used to explore the relations between preschool-level socio-economic deprivation and emotional and behavioural problems.

RESULTS

In unadjusted models, children who attended preschools classified as highly deprived had elevated odds for emotional symptoms (odds ratio (OR) 1.71) as rated by parents. However, this association did not remain significant after adjusting for individual-level socio-economic deprivation factors. In both unadjusted and adjusted models, children who attended preschools classified as moderately deprived had elevated odds for peer-relationship problems as rated by parents (OR 1.63; adjusted OR 1.48). There were no significant associations between preschool deprivation and emotional and behavioural problems as rated by preschool teachers.

CONCLUSIONS

Swedish preschools may have a compensatory capacity in addressing children's emotional and behavioural problems, whereas preschool-level deprivation remained significantly associated with peer-relationship problems after controlling for individual-level socio-economic deprivation factors. This implies that peer-relationship problems in deprived preschools need to be addressed in a broader community context.

Social inequalities in social-emotional problems among preschool children: a population-based study in Sweden

BACKGROUND

Social-emotional ability is important for overall health and wellbeing in early childhood. Recognizing preschool children in need of extra support, especially those living in unfavourable conditions, can have immediate positive effects on their health and benefit their wellbeing in the long-term.

OBJECTIVES

The aim of this study is to investigate whether there are social inequalities in preschool children's social-emotional problems, and whether inequalities differ between boys and girls.

METHOD

This study utilized repeated measures from cross-sectional population-based surveys of three-year old children (2014-2018). The final study population comprised of 9,099 children which was 61% of all the eligible children in Västerbotten County during the study period. The Ages and Stages Questionnaires: Social-Emotional (ASQ:SE) 36-month interval was used to measure children's social-emotional ability. Social inequalities were studied with respect to parents' income, education, and place of birth, for which data was obtained from Statistics Sweden. Multiple logistic and ordered regressions were used.

RESULTS

Among 3-year-olds, social-emotional problems were more common in the most vulnerable social groups, i.e. parents in the lowest income quintile (OR: 1.45, p < 0.001), parents with education not more than high school (OR: 1.51, p < 0.001), and both parents born outside Sweden (OR: 2.54, p < 0.001). Notably, there was a larger difference in social-emotional problems between the lowest and highest social categories for girls compared to boys. Higher odds of social-emotional problems were associated with boys not living with both parents and girls living in the areas of Skellefteå and Umeå, i.e. more populated geographical areas.

CONCLUSION

Already at 3-years of age social-emotional problems were more common in children with parents in the most vulnerable social groups. This does not fulfil the ambition of an equitable start in life for every child and might contribute to reproduction of social inequalities across generations.

Greenlandic norms for the parent-report and self-report versions of the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ)

The Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ) is a brief screening questionnaire of child behaviour, used to evaluate mental health. It is applicable for children 2-17 years, available to both parents and professionals, and exists in a self-report version available from the age of 11 years. This paper aims to generate Greenlandic norms on the self-report and parent-report versions of the SDQ. In 2023, the self-report version was translated, and a representative sample of children and adolescents completed the SDQ (N = 641). In 2008, the parent-report version was translated into Greenlandic and used in a study of children's well-being (N = 939). Data from both samples were analysed, generating normative scores. Results show significant differences between genders (effect sizes of .006-.145), and discrepancies between parent and self-report. Parents report higher total problems for boys, while self-reporting indicate higher total problems for girls. Cut-off values are higher for self-report norms than parent-report norms. Mean scores on the SDQ total score and subscales differ across age, area of living, caregiver constellation and caregiver's educational level (effect sizes of .011-.064). With the availability of Greenlandic norms, we anticipate further use of the SDQ in clinical practice and research settings, strengthening screening and assessment of children and adolescents.

Patterns of mental health problems and well-being in children with disabilities in Sweden: A cross-sectional survey and cluster analysis

BACKGROUND

Children with disabilities have an increased risk of mental health problems. Patterns of mental health problems and well-being may vary.

AIMS

To identify patterns of mental health problems and well-being in children with disabilities in Sweden, and investigate the influence of parental background (migration, education), and child cognitive level.

METHOD

In this cross-sectional study, cluster analysis was used to analyse parents' ratings of conduct problems, emotional symptoms, and prosocial behaviour on the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ) in children with disabilities (n = 136). The influence of parental background (migration, education) and child cognitive level on cluster membership was explored through multinomial logistic regression.

RESULTS

Five clusters of mental health patterns emerged. Three clusters had mean ratings near or past clinical cut-off for one each of the SDQ-subscales. One cluster had difficulties on all three subscales. Greater child cognitive difficulties increased the likelihood of low prosocial behaviour (OR 2.501, p < .001) and of difficulties on all three subscales (OR 2.155, p = .006). Parental background did not influence cluster membership.

CONCLUSION

Children with disabilities display varying mental health patterns. Awareness of the complexity of mental health patterns among children with disabilities is important. Screening and support for emotional symptoms and prosocial behaviour deficits should be considered for children with conduct problems.

Use of the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire in child and school health services among children aged 4 and 6 years in Southern Norway: clinical considerations

BACKGROUND

Parent reported mental health can be assessed by the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ). Currently, Norwegian norms for parent-reported SDQ do not exist, whereas Swedish, Danish, and United Kingdom (UK) norms have been published. We aimed to (1) describe parent-reported SDQ among children aged 4 and 6 years in Southern Norway, (2) evaluate empirical cutoff values within the context of the Starting Right^TM project in relation to the Swedish, Danish, and UK cutoffs, and (3) evaluate the representativeness of the study sample with regard to parental socioeconomic status.

METHODS

This study included parent-reported observations for 665 children (63% consent rate). Means and standard deviations were calculated for the domains of SDQ, and gender differences were assessed. Based on the Swedish, Danish, and UK cutoffs and the 80^th and 90^th percentile cutoff values within the study, we calculated the total number of children with borderline and abnormal scores.

RESULTS

Boys had higher mean total difficulties (7.3 vs 5.6) and impact scores (0.3 vs 0.1) and lower prosocial scores (8.3 vs 8.8) than girls. The differences in means were largest in the case of externalizing symptoms (5.0 vs 3.6) and hyperactivity subscore (3.2 vs 2.3). Using the UK cutoff values, 28 and 25 children had borderline and abnormal total difficulties scores, respectively. The corresponding numbers using the within study or Scandinavian cutoff values were 84-99 and 54-79, respectively. Overall, our study sample was well representative of the target population.

CONCLUSIONS

Our findings consistently indicated that girls had better SDQ scores than boys among children aged 4 and 6 years. Fewer children would be identified as having mental health difficulties using the UK cutoff values than using the Scandinavian age- and gender-relevant cutoff values.

An online self-directed program combining Community Reinforcement Approach and Family Training and parenting training for concerned significant others sharing a child with a person with problematic alcohol consumption: a randomized controlled trial

BACKGROUND

There is an urgent need for interventions helping children affected by parental problematic alcohol consumption (PAC). Such interventions could target partners to individuals with PAC, partners who often themselves show impaired quality of life and mental health. The aim of this study was to investigate the efficacy of an online self-directed intervention combining components from Community Reinforcement Approach and Family Training (CRAFT) with a parenting training program for concerned significant others (CSOs) sharing a child with a co-parent with PAC.

METHODS

A randomized controlled parallel-group superiority trial compared the efficacy of the online intervention for CSOs sharing a child (3-11 y/o) with a co-parent with PAC (N = 37), to an active control group (N = 39) receiving written psychoeducational material. Assessment of outcomes was conducted at baseline, 3 weeks, 8 weeks and 12 weeks. Primary outcome was children's mental health, while secondary outcomes included parental self-efficacy, CSO mental health and co-parent alcohol consumption and level of dependence. Linear mixed effect models with a factorial time variable were used to model time by group interaction effects.

RESULTS

Recruitment rate was slow and a vast majority of interested CSOs were excluded at baseline assessment, mainly due experience of co-parent violence. The target sample size was not met. The intention to treat analysis did not show any significant time by group effects on either the primary or secondary outcomes during the follow-up period: the CSOs reported a significant reduction in co-parent alcohol consumption and severity of alcohol dependence and showed significant improvements in parental self-efficacy for how to handle effects of co-parent alcohol consumption, but no differences were found between the two conditions.

CONCLUSIONS

The current study found no evidence supporting efficacy of a novel, online self-directed intervention on children's mental health, CSO mental health and co-parent alcohol related outcomes. Engaging in a support program or receiving information appears to initiate behavior change in the CSOs which affects the alcohol consumption and severity of dependence for co-parents with PAC. It is suggested that future studies may preferably focus on CSOs in more severely affected contexts. Trial registration The trial was pre-registered at isrctn.com reference number ISRCTN38702517, November 28, 2017.

Parental sociodemographic characteristics and mental health referrals by nurses in Swedish child health centres

AIM

To explore the influence of parents' socio-economic characteristics on child healthcare nurses' mental health referrals of 3- to 5-year-olds and also to test the association between mental health problems and referrals.

METHODS

Repeated cross-sectional data including parents' Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ) assessments and referral data (psychologist and speech and language pathologist). Hierarchical regression was used to analyse whether parents' country of birth, education level, marital status and mental health problem scores (SDQ; total difficulties and impact scores) were associated with nurses' referrals.

RESULTS

About 9% of mothers and 12% of fathers rated high SDQ scores (total difficulties) in their children. Approximately, 1% of the children were referred. The influence of parents' socio-economic characteristics on referral rates was not observed. However, for children with Swedish-born mothers, referral rates were significantly lower. Scores for SDQ total difficulties and impact were associated with the child's referral to specialists.

CONCLUSION

In general, parental sociodemographic characteristics do not influence Swedish child healthcare nurses' mental health referrals. Although there was a significant association between problem behaviour and referral, a disproportion between children rated with high SDQ scores (9% and 12%) and children referred to specialists (1%) should be addressed.

Successful implementation of parenting support at preschool: An evaluation of Triple P in Sweden

Although emotional and behavioural problems among young children are common and, if unaddressed, can lead to multi-facetted problems later in life, there is little research investigating the implementation of parenting programs that target these problems. In this study, the RE-AIM framework was used to evaluate the implementation of the Triple P parenting program in a preschool setting at a medium-sized municipality in Sweden. Reach increased over time, showing an overall increase in participating fathers and parents with lower education. Effectiveness outcomes showed an improvement in emotional and behavioural problems in children and less mental health-related symptoms and higher self-efficacy in parents. Adoption rate was 93.3%. To ensure staff “buy-in”, designated coordinators made changes in recruitment procedures, and provided supervision and training to all Triple P practitioners. Implementation adaptations were made, such as minor revisions of parenting strategies and other program content, as well as providing child care during seminars and groups, and setting up weekend-groups. Maintenance assessed through 12 month follow-up data suggested that several child and parent outcomes were maintained over time. Uppsala municipality continues to offer Triple P to parents. The reach, effectiveness, adoption, implementation and maintenance of the program were all satisfactory and demonstrated the suitability of delivering evidence-based parenting support using preschools as an arena.

The Ages and Stages Questionnaire: Social-Emotional-What Is the Optimal Cut-Off for 3-Year-Olds in the Swedish Setting?

OBJECTIVE

Expressions of emotional and behavioral symptoms in preschool age can predict mental health problems in adolescence and adulthood. The Ages and Stages Questionnaires: Social-Emotional (ASQ:SE) has been successful in detecting social and emotional problems in young children in some countries but had not been tested in Sweden. The objective of this study was to determine the optimal cut-off for the ASQ:SE instrument when administered to 3-year-old children in a northern Swedish setting, using the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ) as the reference.

METHODS

The ASQ:SE (36-month interval, first edition) was administered at routine 3-year-olds' visits to Child Health Care centers in Region Västerbotten, Sweden. During the study period (September 2017 to March 2018) parents were invited to also fill out the SDQ (2-4 year version). In the final analyses 191 children fulfilled the criteria for inclusion in the study sample. Non-parametric Receiver Operating Characteristic analysis was performed to quantify the discriminatory accuracy of ASQ:SE based on SDQ.

RESULTS

The Pearson correlation between ASQ:SE and SDQ indicated strong correlation between the two instruments. The Receiver Operating Characteristic curve showed good accuracy of ASQ:SE in relation to SDQ. However, our results suggest that the existing ASQ:SE cut-off score of 59 was not optimal in the Swedish context. Changing the cut-off from 59 to 50 would allow us to detect 100% (n = 14) of children with problems according to SDQ, compared to 64% (n = 9) when the cut-off was 59. However, the proportion of false positives would be higher (9% compared to 3%).

CONCLUSION

The main finding was that for 3-year-olds in Sweden a decreased ASQ:SE cut-off score of 50 would be optimal. This would increase the detection rate of at-risk children according to SDQ (true positive), thus prioritizing sensitivity. Our conclusion is that, although this change would result in more false positives, this would be justifiable.

Birth order and socioeconomic disadvantage predict behavioural and emotional problems at age 3 years

AIM

The aim of this study was to describe sociodemographic and family predictors for behavioural and emotional problems in pre-schoolers.

METHODS

This was a cross-sectional study including 30,795 children in the Stockholm region whose parents had completed the Strength and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ) prior to a routine visit to a well-baby clinic at age 3 years. Multivariate logistic regression was used to analyse predictors for having a high total SDQ difficulties score.

RESULTS

Young parental age and a low level of parental education predicted high total SDQ score in a stepwise pattern. Being a first-born child was associated with a high SDQ score with an adjusted odds ratio of 2.10 (95% C.I. 1.84-2.41), compared with having older siblings. A sole physical custody arrangement predicted a high total SDQ score after parental separation. The percentage of children with a high total SDQ score increased with the Care Need Index (CNI) of the well-baby clinic.

CONCLUSIONS

This study identified socioeconomic disadvantage and being the first-born child as the main predictors of poor mental health at age 3 years. Well-baby clinics with socioeconomically disadvantaged catchment areas should be provided with adequate resources and methods for equitable prevention.

Gender-specific associations of pregnancy-related anxiety with placental epigenetic patterning of glucocorticoid response genes and preschooler's emotional symptoms and hyperactivity

BACKGROUD

We have recently reported that maternal prenatal pregnancy-related anxiety predicts preschoolers' emotional and behavioral development in a gender-dependent manner. This study aims to test for this gender-specific effect in a different cohort and investigate whether the gender difference was specific to placental methylation of genes regulating glucocorticoids.

METHODS

A total of 2405 mother-child pairs from the Ma'anshan Birth Cohort Study were included in present study. The maternal pregnancy-related anxiety symptoms were evaluated with the Pregnancy-Related Anxiety Questionnaire in the third trimester of pregnancy. Child neurobehavior was assessed with the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire at 4 years old. Placental methylation of FKBP5, NR3C1 and HSD11B2 genes was quantified using the MethylTarget approach in 439 pregnant women. After exploratory factor analysis, the associations between methylation factor scores and pregnancy-related anxiety and child neurobehavior were examined using logistic regression analysis.

RESULTS

After controlling for confounding factors, pregnancy-related anxiety in the third trimester of pregnancy increased the risk of hyperactivity only in boys and emotional symptoms only in girls. Decreased scores of the factor characterized by FKBP5 methylation were associated with maternal pregnancy-related anxiety only in boys. Furthermore, increased scores of the factors characterized by NR3C1 and HSD11B2 methylation were associated with hyperactivity (NR3C1: adjusted OR = 1.80, 95%CI = 1.15-2.83) and emotional symptoms (HSD11B2: adjusted OR = 0.53, 95%CI = 0.29-0.97; NR3C1: adjusted OR = 1.64, 95%CI = 1.03-2.59) only in boys. However, the scores of the factor characterized by FKBP5, NR3C1 and HSD11B2 did not mediate the relationship between maternal pregnancy-related anxiety and preschoolers' emotional symptoms and hyperactivity.

CONCLUSIONS

Our results suggested that pregnancy-related anxiety in the third trimester of pregnancy predicted preschoolers' emotional symptoms and hyperactivity in a gender-dependent manner. Although we did not find the mediation role of the placental methylation of genes regulating glucocorticoids, we found it was associated with both maternal pregnancy-related anxiety and preschoolers' emotional symptoms and hyperactivity in a gender-dependent manner.

Asthma and allergies correlate with mental health problems in preschool children

AIM

To explore the relations between asthma, allergies and mental health problems in preschool children, aged 3-5 years.

METHODS

In this cross-sectional Swedish study, we used data on 4649 children in Uppsala municipality whose parents and preschool teachers had responded to questions measuring asthma and allergies, and the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ) for assessment of mental health problems. Logistic regression models were used to explore the relations between asthma and allergies and mental health problems.

RESULTS

Children with asthma (8.5%) had elevated odds of having emotional symptoms as rated by parents (OR: 1.34; 1.02-1.76) and teachers (OR: 1.44; 1.09-1.91). According to parents' ratings, these children also had elevated odds of showing mental health problems in general according to the SDQ total score (OR: 1.42; 1.05-1.94). Children with food allergies or intolerance (4.4%) only had elevated odds of having emotional symptoms (OR: 1.64; 1.16-2.33), as reported by parents. These results remained significant after adjustment for parental background factors.

CONCLUSION

Preschool children with asthma and food allergies or intolerance are at risk of having concurrent mental health problems. Mental health problems should be assessed in children with these disorders. Adequate support and/or referral to specialised services should be offered when needed.

Facilitating implementation of an evidence-based method to assess the mental health of 3-5-year-old children at Child Health Clinics: A mixed-methods process evaluation

BACKGROUND

A number of instruments for identifying mental health problems in children are available, but there is limited knowledge about how to successfully implement their use in routine practice. The Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ) is an instrument with sound psychometric properties. Because using multi-informant SDQs when assessing young children has been emphasized, parent- and preschool teacher reports on the SDQ were introduced at Child Health Clinics in a Swedish municipality. This paper aimed to describe a facilitation programme developed to support the introduction of SDQ in clinical practice and evaluate how nurses perceived the facilitation strategies used. Moreover, the dose (delivery) and reach (response rate and population coverage) of the questionnaires were assessed.

METHODS

The mixed-methods process evaluation was guided by Moore et al.'s framework. Process data were excerpted from monitoring data, the trial database, research group documents, study materials, group interviews with nurses, and a survey on nurses' opinions and experiences of the screening method and the implementation process. Data were analysed using descriptive statistics and qualitative content analysis.

RESULTS

Facilitation strategies used included: educational meetings, educational outreach visits, newsletters, facilitative administrative support, and adaptations made in procedures and materials when required. Although nurses described a variety of barriers at the organisational and individual level, they were in favour of using the SDQ in clinical practice and emphasised the importance of the facilitation strategies used for its implementation. While dose levels (77-91%) indicated that nurses essentially delivered the intervention as intended, parental response rates remained between 54 and 63% and population coverage at around 50%, throughout the intervention period.

CONCLUSION

The facilitation program was perceived to support the implementation of the SDQ at the yearly check-ups in the child healthcare setting, but further efforts are required to reach all families.

Swedish norms for the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire for children 3-5 years rated by parents and preschool teachers

The Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ) is a widespread tool for assessing behavior problems in children and adolescents. Despite being investigated thoroughly concerning both validity and reliability, peer reviewed studies that provide norms, especially for preschool children, are lacking. This paper provides Swedish norms using data from a large community sample of children aged 3–5, based on mothers’, fathers’, and preschool teacher’s ratings. Preschool teachers’ ratings were generally lower than parents’ ratings, which contradicts some previous studies. Differences between girls and boys were found, suggesting that boys display higher levels of behavior problems. Lower parental education and country of origin outside of Sweden were also associated with more difficulties. Cut‐offs are presented for each age group, gender and rater category. Population‐specific norms and percentile cut‐offs provided in this study facilitate identifying children in need of interventions in paediatric care and enable cross‐country comparisons of children’s mental health problems.