Screening for emotional problems: Diagnostic accuracy of the Strength and Difficulties Questionnaire Indonesian version

Purpose: Screening and intervention of emotional problems in Indonesia can be quite challenging given the large gap between available resources in Indonesia. Strength and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ) emotional problem subscale is a simple screening tool often used to detect mental health issues in adolescents. This study examined the accuracy of the SDQ emotional problem subscale Indonesian version. Methods: Accuracy has been examined by comparing the SDQ with diagnostic interviews based on DSM-5 as a gold standard. A double-blind study has been utilized with the assistance of the research team. Interviews have been conducted with 40 adolescents acquired from high schools located in Jakarta. Data has been analyzed with crosstabs and Receiver Operating Characteristic (ROC). Results: SDQ emotional problem subscale has a sensitivity of 94.4% and specificity of 86.4%. ROC plot shows that the cutoff score of 6 is ideal to identify adolescents with emotional problems. Conclusions: The Indonesian version of the SDQ emotional problem subscale showed high diagnostic accuracy for emotional problem screening based on the DSM-5, therefore it is an accurate tool to screen for emotional problems in adolescents.