Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ): Prediction of ADHD and ASD in Children

Abstract

This study investigated the predictive power of the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ) subscales for the diagnosis of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and autistic spectrum disorder (ASD) in the evaluation of parents and teachers. Participants were 108 children between 4 and 12 years (controls n = 72) and clinical group presented psychiatric diagnosis. Multivariate analysis of variance verified the similarities and differences between the groups in the subscales, and logistic regression models to analyze the predictive power. Clinical groups presented difficulties in all subscales, and the children with ASD differed from those with ADHD only in emotional problems. Pro-social behavior was predictive for both disorders. Specificities and divergences were found in the predictive power of the other subscales for both groups and evaluators. We discuss the relevance of SDQ to aid diagnosis of ADHD and ASD in different contexts.

Keywords:
attention deficit disorder with hyperactivity; autism; childhood behavior disorders; questionnaires