Comparing three short questionnaires to detect psychosocial dysfunction among primary school children: a randomized...

Area of Science:

• Child and Adolescent Psychiatry
• Developmental Psychology
• Public Health Screening

Background:

• Effective screening tools are vital for early identification of psychosocial dysfunction in community settings.
• School-aged children require validated questionnaires for accurate assessment.

Purpose of the Study:

• To compare the suitability of three short questionnaires for identifying psychosocial dysfunction in school-aged children.
• To evaluate the psychometric properties and clinical utility of the SDQ, PSC, and PSYBOBA.

Main Methods:

• A community-based study involving 2,066 parents of children aged 7-12 years.
• Randomized administration of the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ), Pediatric Symptom Checklist (PSC), or PSYBOBA, alongside the Child Behavior Checklist (CBCL).
• Assessment of scale structure, validity, usability, and incremental identification value using statistical analyses including Structural Equation Modelling and logistic regression.

Main Results:

• All three questionnaires demonstrated good internal consistency (Cronbach's alpha 0.80-0.89) and high accuracy in detecting psychosocial dysfunction.
• Sensitivities ranged from 0.78-0.86 with specificity at 0.90, and Areas Under the Curve were between 0.93-0.96.
• The SDQ, PSC, and PSYBOBA significantly improved identification of psychosocial dysfunction beyond clinical assessment alone, with PSYBOBA showing the largest added value.

Conclusions:

• Each of the three questionnaires (SDQ, PSC, PSYBOBA) substantially enhances the detection of psychosocial dysfunction in children.
• The SDQ and PSYBOBA were preferred by parents, and the SDQ was preferred by healthcare professionals, suggesting good usability.
• These findings support the use of these questionnaires for early identification and intervention in community-based child healthcare settings.