The internal structure of foster-parent completed SDQ for school-aged children

<div><p>Mental health problems are common in foster-children, and tools to measure the mental health of these children are needed. One candidate instrument is the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ), a measure of child psychological adjustment that is increasingly being employed by Child Protection services. The aim of the current study was to examine the structural validity of the foster parent completed SDQ in a sample of 237 school aged foster children. Confirmatory factor analysis demonstrated an excellent fit of the foster parent completed SDQ data to a five-factor model (CFI = 0.96, RMSEA = 0.05, 90% CI [0.04, 0.06]), thus confirming the structural validity of the five-factor model for the parent-version of the SDQ in Norwegian foster children. Measurement invariance analyses indicated that boys had lower thresholds for fighting with or bullying other children than girls. Girls were on their side more likely to be rated as less popular than boys with a similar level of peer problems.</p></div

Factor loadings (standardized) for the modified^a five latent factors in the P-Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (N = 236).

<p>Factor loadings (standardized) for the modified<a href="http://www.plosone.org/article/info:doi/10.1371/journal.pone.0176625#t001fn002" target="_blank">^a</a> five latent factors in the P-Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (N = 236).</p

Testing Measurement Invariance of the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire factors across gender.

<p>Testing Measurement Invariance of the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire factors across gender.</p

Correlations between latent factors of the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (N = 236).

<p>Correlations between latent factors of the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (N = 236).</p

Standardized factor loadings and thresholds based on confirmatory factor analysis for the SDQ five-factor model (n = 10,253).

<p>Standardized factor loadings and thresholds based on confirmatory factor analysis for the SDQ five-factor model (n = 10,253).</p

Correlations between latent factors of the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire for girls (above diagonal) and boys (below diagonal).

<p>Correlations between latent factors of the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire for girls (above diagonal) and boys (below diagonal).</p

Differences in latent factor mean between girls and boys when differential item functioning for gender is not accounted for, and when it is accounted for.

<p>Differences in latent factor mean between girls and boys when differential item functioning for gender is not accounted for, and when it is accounted for.</p

Endorsement rates for response categories on each item in the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire for the full sample, and separately for boys and girls.

<p>Endorsement rates for response categories on each item in the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire for the full sample, and separately for boys and girls.</p