The strengths and difficulties questionnaire self-report: sensitivity and specificity testing to identify conduct problems in Indonesian adolescents

Abstract

Purpose The Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ) has been validated as a screening tool for identifying difficulties in adolescents in various countries. According to the results, the SDQ needs clinical evaluations to discriminate between adolescents with and without problems. This study is part of a research group that developed the self-report Indonesian version of the SDQ. Therefore, this study aims to evaluate the sensitivity and specificity of the self-report Indonesian version of the SDQ conduct problems subscale and identify the optimum cut-off score for Indonesian adolescents. Design/methodology/approach This study was a double-blind non-experimental study, in which the self-report SDQ score was compared to the diagnostic interview. Participants that completed the SDQ were 708 10th-grade students in Jakarta, with 40 students from the sample randomly selected through the double-blind technique for the diagnostic interview. Findings Crosstab’s analysis showed that the SDQ conduct problems subscale had a sensitivity value of 77.3% and a specificity value of 83.3%. Receiver operating characteristics analysis showed that the cut-off score of 4 used in this study is ideal for identifying individuals with conduct problems. Originality/value The SDQ has good accuracy for screening conduct problems among adolescents. Moreover, it will be helpful for parents, teachers, professionals and adolescents to screening conduct problems.