Psychometric Evaluation of the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire ( SDQ ) in Central Taiwan: Assessing Mental Health in School Children

ABSTRACT The Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ) has been validated across many cultural settings, yet evidence from Taiwan is scarce and derives mainly from metropolitan populations. No data are available from Changhua County, central Taiwan—an area with a strong agricultural profile and socio‐demographic characteristics distinct from the more urbanised north and south. After exclusions, valid data from 1008 elementary school students (ages 7–12) were analysed. Parents and teachers completed questionnaires for all children, and students in grades 5–6 provided self‐reports. Normative data and percentile‐based cutoff scores were established. Reliability was generally satisfactory, though weaker for peer and conduct problem subscales, particularly in self‐reports. Inter‐rater correlations were modest ( r = 0.15–0.48), with especially low agreement between teachers and other informants on emotional symptoms. Exploratory factor analysis partially supported the intended structure. These findings demonstrate that while the SDQ is a practical tool for school‐based screening in Taiwan, peer and conduct domains require cautious interpretation and socio‐demographic context should be considered when applying the instrument across different regions.