The Farsi Version of the Strength and Difficulties Questionnaire Self Report Form: The Normative Data and Scale Properties

Objective:

This study was performed to evaluate the normative data and psychometric properties and the internal consistency of the Farsi (Persian) version of the Strength and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ) self-report form, as a screening tool in a community-based sample of 12 to 17 year-old adolescents of urban Tehran.

Materials & Methods:

In this investigation, 1105 adolescents (12 to 17 years old), selected from 250 clusters from all the 22 municipality areas of Tehran, responded to 25 questions of the Farsi version of SDQ self-report form. The frequency of each symptom domains according to Goodman's cutoff points and 90th percentile and the mean score in each subscale were determined.

Results:

The 90th percentile cutoff points were somewhat different from those of the previous reports. Using Goodman's cutoff points, the prevalence of symptom domains was relatively high. For example, 13.7 percent of the adolescents studied had total scores equal to 20 or more. There were significant correlations between different subscales and their constituting questions.

Conclusion:

Self-report form of SDQ is a valuable tool in the screening of adolescent psychopathologies. Frequency of majority of the symptom domains seems to be higher in the adolescents in Tehran urban areas.