SDQ: Predictive Algorithm

A computerised algorithm predicts child psychiatric diagnoses from the symptom and impact scores derived from Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaires (SDQs) completed by parents, teachers and young people. The predictive algorithm generates "unlikely", "possible" or "probable" ratings for four broad categories of disorder, namely conduct disorders, emotional disorders, hyperactivity disorders, and any psychiatric disorder.

This algorithm appears to be moderately accurate in the prediction of the type of disorder in a clinic sample (abstract), and in the prediction of the presence or absence of disorder in a community sample (abstract).

At present, the algorithm runs in three statistical packages:

	In SPSS statistical software
	In SAS statistical software
	In STATA statistical software

The algorithm is also an integral part of a computerised scoring and report-writing program that runs using the Access component of Microsoft Office Professional. This is available without charge for non-profit organisations that do not make any charge to families. If this applies to you and you are interested in using the program, please contact us on youthinmind@gmail.com telling us whether you use Access97 or Access2000 (or higher), and whether you are able to receive compressed (zipped) files.