Factor structure of the strengths and difficulties questionnaire in a Canadian elementary school sample.

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The Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ) is a 25-item screening measure for emotional and behavioral problems in children and adolescents aged 4 to 16. Structural equation modeling was used to test the five-factor structure of teacher and parent ratings on the British version of the SDQ in a community sample of 501 Canadian children aged 6 to 9 years. The five-factor model fit the data well for both teacher and parent ratings. In addition, the SDQ demonstrated acceptable reliability based on internal consistency coefficients and inter-rater agreement. The findings provide preliminary support for the reliability and validity of the British version of the parent and teacher SDQ in a sample of early elementary school Canadian children.