Mental health problems in children with intellectual disability: use of the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire

Background The assessment of mental health problems in children with intellectual disability (ID) mostly occurs by filling out long questionnaires that are not always validated for children without ID. The aim of this study is to assess the differences in mental health problems between children with ID and without ID, using a short questionnaire, the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ).

Methods We studied 260 children (6-12 years) selected from special education schools for trainable children (response: 57%). Parents completed the extended Dutch version of the SDQ, questions on background characteristics and on the care provided. A non-ID control group Of 707 children (response: 87%) was included to compare mental health problems.

Results In total, 60.9% of children with ID had an elevated score on the SDQ, compared with 9.8% of children without ID. Only 45% of the children with ID and an elevated SDQ score had visited a healthcare professional for these problems in the last 6 months.

Discussion The SDQ or an adapted version could contribute to the early identification of mental health problems in children with ID. Further research is needed to confirm the validity of the SDQ when used in a sample of children with ID.