Feedback Lance:   Two Measures  My two measures that... | Psychology

Research Requirement:

Two Measures  My two measures that I’m considering for my evaluation of the EOS program provided by Tides Family Services are the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ) and the Pediatric Symptom Checklist-17 (PSC-17). Participants of Measure  The participants for this measure are children and adolescents between the ages of 6-17, that are experiencing emotional, behavioral, conduct, peer and social issues. SDQ Strengths and Weaknesses  The SDQ is a widely utilized behavioral screening measure for children and adolescents ages 4-17 which measures emotional symptoms, conduct problems, hyperactivity, peer problems, and prosocial behaviors (Goodman,2001). The measure aligns well with the goal of Tides Family Services which is reducing emotional distress, stabilizing youth behaviors and overall improved functioning. The SDQ is a short (25 item), easy to read and respond measure designed for the targeted age of the youth population. The measure is can be delivered in multiple languages which supports the diverse population that is being measured. The SDQ is also free for utilization for any nonprofit clinical usage, which aligns with Tides Family Services business model. The SDQ is considered to need minimal training to administer and interpret and consumes very little time to administer (5-7 minutes) for the clinical staff (administered twice pretreatment & post discharge. The biggest disadvantage for the SDQ is that the measurement may not capture trauma related symptoms common among high-risk youth in an EOS program. PSC-17 Strengths and Weaknesses  The PSC-17 is designed for measuring youth ages 4-17 and assesses internalizing, externalizing, and attention symptoms (Gardner et al.,1999). It is commonly utilized in school-based programs and does align with the Tides Family Services EOS program’s goals for their youth. The PSC-17 strengths are that it is brief (17 items), can be delivered in multiple languages and cultural backgrounds and is suited for children with limited reading and writing abilities. It is more practical than the SDQ as it is a public domain and requires no specialized clinical training for the staff and requires little time to administer (3-5 minutes). The weaknesses of the measure, are that the assessment may not detect changes in youth peer functioning, prosocial behaviors, or behavioral deficits which are commonly associated with EOS programs in youth that are experiencing common behavioral and social disruptions. Leaning Towards SDQ Measure  Based on the goals of the EOS program at Tides Family Services, the SDQ measure is the stronger fit for the model as it has a more comprehensive profile to measure youth’s emotional and behavioral symptoms. References  Gardner, W., Murphy, J. M., Childs, G., Kelleher, K., Pagano, M., Jellinek, M. S., & Chiapetta, L. (1999). The PSC-17: A brief pediatric symptom checklist with psychosocial problem subscales. Ambulatory Child Health, 5(3), 225–236. Goodman, R. (2001). Psychometric properties of the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire. Journal of the American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry, 40(11), 1337–1345.