Chapter 16. Psychometrics properties of the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ) among Mexican school-aged children

The Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ) is a tool to measure the risk for mental disorders in children and ad- olescents. The aim of this study was to evaluate the psycho- metric properties of the SDQ with a sample of Mexican
school-aged children. Participants were 278 children and preadoles- cents, ages 10-13, living in the metropolitan area of Monterrey, Nuevo León. Two self-report measures were administered collectively: the Spanish version of the SDQ and the Spanish version of the Children Depression Inventory (CDI). Factor, exploratory and confirmatory analysis were conducted, and the convergent validity of the instrument was also evaluated. Regarding the factorial structure, a three-factor model with good fit indexes was found, the latter including an inter- nalizing, externalizing and a prosocial behavior dimension. Statisti- cally significant correlations were also found with the CDI. These re- sults are similar to the ones found among Spanish children, therefore, giving further evidence of the usefulness of the measure as a screening tool for epidemiological research. Further studies should explore whether the differences depend on sociocultural factors or are due to methodological questions. It is possible that a more in-depth cultural adaptation is required in order to provide a better adjustment model.