Table of Contents | Previous | Next |
INTERNALIZING/EXTERNALIZING BEHAVIOR PROBLEMS
NATIONAL SURVEY OF CHILD AND ADOLESCENT WELL-BEING
Measure: Loneliness and Social Dissatisfaction Questionnaire for Young Children
Background
The Loneliness and Social Dissatisfaction Questionnaire for Young Children was used to measure internalizing behavior problems and relationships with peers for children in the National Survey of Child and Adolescent Well-Being (NSCAW; Asher and Wheeler, 1985). A slightly modified version of the scale was used to measure peer relations for the NSCAW, specifically (Dowd, 2002).
The NSCAW was funded and administered by the Administration on Children, Youth, and Families and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. The study has been conducted through collaboration between staff at the Research Triangle Institute, the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Caliber Associates, and the University of California at Berkeley.
Population Assessed
Children between the ages of 5 and 7, and children 8 and older were assessed using separate, age-appropriate versions of the Loneliness and Social Dissatisfaction Questionnaire for Young Children. Overall, the two NSCAW sample components are made up of 6,227 children; 5,501 of those children had contact with the child welfare system within the 15-month period beginning in October 1999. At the time of sampling, the children ranged in age from birth to 14 years old; infants, children who have been abused sexually, and children who are receiving services were oversampled. The results of the survey can be generalized to the population that comes in contact with the child welfare system in the United States. Wave 1 collection of the Loneliness and Social Dissatisfaction Questionnaire for 5- to 7-year-old children included 917 children, and the Wave 3 collection of the same age group consisted of 778 children. For the Loneliness and Social Dissatisfaction Questionnaire for children 8 years of age and older, Wave 1 consisted of 2,283 children and Wave 3 included 2,194.
The child protective services and long-term foster care sample components were fairly evenly distributed across the various child age categories from birth to age 14. At the time of the Wave 1 interview, just under 30 percent of the children fell under age 2. Another 21.6 percent fell between the ages of 2 and 5. Around 27 percent of the sample of children fell between the ages of 6 and 10. And 22 percent of the child sample fell between the ages of 11 and 14 at the time of the initial interview.
The racial and ethnic make-up of the combined child sample was diverse. American Indians made up 6.2 percent of the sample; Asian, Hawaiian, or other Pacific Islanders made up 2.4 percent of the sample; 35.7 percent of the sample was African American or Black; 49.6 percent of the sample was White. Across these racial groups, 17.3 percent were classified as being of Hispanic ethnic background. (See survey description for more information on the population.)
Periodicity
Data for the Loneliness and Social Dissatisfaction Questionnaire for Young Children were collected at Wave 1 between November 15, 1999, and April 30, 2001, and Wave 3, between April 1, 2001, and September 30, 2002. The questionnaire is also included in Wave 4 data collection, which should be complete by March 31, 2004.
Subscales/Components
The components of the Loneliness and Social Dissatisfaction Questionnaire for Young Children are as follows: Loneliness, Social Adequacy, Peer Status, Satisfaction of Important Relationships. A modified version of the scale was used to measure peer relations of children ages 5 and older. Slightly different versions of the questionnaires were used for children ages 5 to 7 and for children ages 8 and older.
Procedures for Administration
The Loneliness and Social Dissatisfaction Questionnaire for Young Children was included in the computer-assisted personal interview with the child. Administration time for these items was around 3 minutes, across child ages and waves of data collection.
Psychometrics/Data Quality
The psychometric information provided below is based on a standardization sample (see Asher & Wheeler, 1985).
The item-to-total score correlation ranged from .26 to .55. The internal reliability was .79. Low scores for validity were found; the study authors hypothesized that this resulted from children providing socially desirable responses.
Languages Available
The questionnaire module was administered in English and Spanish.
Items Included
RELATIONSHIPS WITH PEERS (Children age 5-7)
>Y_RP0FC<
[# IF AGE < 5 OR AGE > 7, GO TO Y_RPEND. IF Y_CH4e = TAUGHT AT HOME
OR NEITHER, GO TO Y_RPEND. ELSE, CONTINUE.]
>Y_RP1<
USE CARD 2. For this next set of questions, pick [r] one [n] answer from this card. You
can pick yes, no, or sometimes.
Is it easy for you to make new friends at school? Would you say...
Yes
No
Sometimes
F5 = NOT APPLICABLE (IF VOLUNTEERED NOT IN SCHOOL OR “HOME-SCHOOLED”) [# GOTO Y_RREND] @a
>Y_RP2<
USE CARD 2. Do you have other kids to talk to at school? Would you say...
Yes
No
Sometimes
@a
>Y_RP3<
USE CARD 2. Are you good at working with other kids at school? (Would you say yes, no or sometimes?)
Yes
No
Sometimes
@a
>Y_RP4<
USE CARD 2. Is it hard for you to make friends at school? (Would you say yes, no or sometimes?)
Yes
No
Sometimes
@a
>Y_RP5<
USE CARD 2. Do you have lots of friends at school? (Would you say yes, no or sometimes?)
Yes
No
Sometimes
@a
>Y_RP6<
USE CARD 2. Do you feel alone at school? (Would you say yes, no or sometimes?)
Yes
No
Sometimes
@a
>Y_RP7<
USE CARD 2. Can you find a friend at school when you need one? (Would you say yes, no or sometimes?)
Yes
No
Sometimes
@a
>Y_RP8<
USE CARD 2. Is it hard to get kids in school to like you? (Would you say yes, no or sometimes?)
Yes
No
Sometimes
@a
>Y_RP9<
USE CARD 2. Do you have kids to play with at school? (Would you say yes, no or sometimes?)
Yes
No
Sometimes
@a
>Y_RP10<
USE CARD 2. Do you get along with other kids at school? (Would you say yes, no or sometimes?)
Yes
No
Sometimes
@a
>Y_RP11<
USE CARD 2. Do you feel left out of things at school? (Would you say yes, no or sometimes?)
Yes
No
Sometimes
@a
>Y_RP12<
USE CARD 2. Are there kids at school that you can go to when you need help? (Would you say yes, no or sometimes?)
Yes
No
Sometimes
@a
>Y_RP13<
USE CARD 2. Is it hard for you to get along with the kids at school? (Would you say yes, no or sometimes?)
Yes
No
Sometimes
@a
>Y_RP14<
USE CARD 2. Are you lonely at school? (Would you say yes, no or sometimes?)
Yes
No
Sometimes
@a
>Y_RP15<
USE CARD 2. Do the kids at school like you? (Would you say yes, no or sometimes?)
Yes
No
Sometimes
@a
>Y_RP16<
USE CARD 2. Do you have friends at school? (Would you say yes, no or sometimes?)
Yes
No
Sometimes
@a
>Y_RPEND<
RELATIONSHIPS WITH PEERS (Children age 8+)
>Y_RR0FC<
[# IF AGE < 8, GOTO Y_RREND. IF Y_CH4e = TAUGHT AT HOME OR NEITHER, GO TO Y_RREND. ELSE, CONTINUE.]
>Y_RR0<
USE CARD 3. Now I am going to read you different sentences and for each one I want you to tell me how often these things are true about you. For each sentence, pick one answer from this card.
For example, suppose I read the sentence “I like to do homework” and then I ask you “How often is this true about you?” If you never like to do homework, you would tell me “never”. If you hardly ever like it, tell me “hardly ever”. If you sometimes like it, tell me “sometimes”. If you like it most of the time, tell me “most of the time”. If you always like to do homework, tell me “always”.
Never
Hardly ever
Sometimes
Most of the time
Always
F5 = NOT APPLICABLE (IF VOLUNTEERED NOT IN SCHOOL OR “HOME-SCHOOLED”) [# GOTO Y_RREND]
@a
>Y_RR1<
USE CARD 3. It’s easy for me to make new friends at school. How often is this true about you? Would you say...
Never
Hardly ever
Sometimes
Most of the time
Always
@a
>Y_RR2<
USE CARD 3. I have nobody to talk to at school. How often is this true about you? Would you say...
Never
Hardly ever
Sometimes
Most of the time, or
Always
@a
>Y_RR3<
USE CARD 3. I’m good at working with other kids at school. (How often is this true about you? Would you say never, hardly ever, sometimes, most of the time, or always true?)
Never
Hardly ever
Sometimes
Most of the time
Always
@a
>Y_RR4<
USE CARD 3. It’s hard for me to make friends at school. (How often is this true about you? Would you say never, hardly ever, sometimes, most of the time, or always true?)
Never
Hardly ever
Sometimes
Most of the time
Always
@a
>Y_RR5<
USE CARD 3. I have lots of friends at school. (How often is this true about you? Would you say never, hardly ever, sometimes, most of the time, or always true?)
Never
Hardly ever
Sometimes
Most of the time
Always
@a
>Y_RR6<
USE CARD 3. I feel alone at school. (How often is this true about you? Would you say never, hardly ever, sometimes, most of the time, or always true?)
Never
Hardly ever
Sometimes
Most of the time
Always
@a
>Y_RR7<
USE CARD 3. I can find a friend when I need one. (How often is this true about you? Would you say never, hardly ever, sometimes, most of the time, or always true?)
Never
Hardly ever
Sometimes
Most of the time
Always
@a
>Y_RR8<
USE CARD 3. It’s hard to get kids in school to like me. (How often is this true about you? Would you say never, hardly ever, sometimes, most of the time, or always true?)
Never
Hardly ever
Sometimes
Most of the time
Always
@a
>Y_RR9<
USE CARD 3. I don’t have anyone to play with at school. (How often is this true about you? Would you say never, hardly ever, sometimes, most of the time, or always true?)
Never
Hardly ever
Sometimes
Most of the time
Always
@a
>Y_RR10<
USE CARD 3. I get along with other kids at school. (How often is this true about you?Would you say never, hardly ever, sometimes, most of the time, or always true?)
Never
Hardly ever
Sometimes
Most of the time
Always
@a
>Y_RR11<
USE CARD 3. I feel left out of things at school. (How often is this true about you? Would you say never, hardly ever, sometimes, most of the time, or always true?)
Never
Hardly ever
Sometimes
Most of the time
Always
@a
>Y_RR12<
USE CARD 3. There are no kids at school that I can go to when I need help. (How often is this true about you? Would you say never, hardly ever, sometimes, most of the time, or always true?)
Never
Hardly ever
Sometimes
Most of the time
Always
@a
>Y_RR13<
USE CARD 3. I don’t get along with other kids at school. (How often is this true about you? Would you say never, hardly ever, sometimes, most of the time, or always true?)
Never
Hardly ever
Sometimes
Most of the time
Always
@a
>Y_RR14<
USE CARD 3. I’m lonely at school. (How often is this true about you? Would you say never, hardly ever, sometimes, most of the time, or always true?)
Never
Hardly ever
Sometimes
Most of the time
Always
@a
>Y_RR15<
USE CARD 3. I am well liked by the kids at school. (How often is this true about you? Would you say never, hardly ever, sometimes, most of the time, or always true?)
Never
Hardly ever
Sometimes
Most of the time
Always
@a
>Y_RR16<
USE CARD 3. I don’t have any friends at school. (How often is this true about you? Would you say never, hardly ever, sometimes, most of the time, or always true?)
Never
Hardly ever
Sometimes
Most of the time
Always
@a
>Y_RREND<
The response categories to questions about whether young children sometimes feel lonely, inadequate, etc. were “yes,” “no,” and “sometimes.”
References and Source Documents
Some of the references listed below were cited in source documents if they were not readily available.
Achenbach, T.M. (1991a). Manual for the child behavior checklist 2–3 and 1991 profile. Burlington: Department of Psychiatry, University of Vermont.
Achenbach, T. (1991b). Manual for the child behavior checklist 4–18 and 1991 profile. Burlington: Department of Psychiatry, University of Vermont.
Achenbach, T.M. (1991c). Manual for the youth self-report and 1991 profile. Burlington: Department of Psychiatry, University of Vermont.
Asher, S., & Wheeler, V. (1985). Children’s loneliness: A comparison of rejected and neglected peer status. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 53(4), 500–505.
Briere, J. (1996). Trauma Symptom Checklist for Children: Professional Manual. Florida: Psychological Assessment Resources, Inc.
Dowd, K., Kinsey, S., Wheeless, S., Thissen, R., Richardson, J., Suresh, R., Mierzwa, F., Biemer, P., Johnson, I., and Lytle, T. (2003, September). National Survey of Child and Adolescent Well-Being: Combined Waves 1–3 data file user’s manual. Ithaca, NY: Cornell University, National Data Archive on Child Abuse and Neglect.
Dowd, K., Kinsey, S., Wheeless, S., Thissen, R., Richardson, J., Mierzwa, F., & Biemer, P. (2002, May). National Survey of Child and Adolescent Well-Being: Wave 1 Data File User’s Manual. National Data Archive on Child Abuse and Neglect: Cornell University, Ithaca, NY.
Gresham, F.M., & Elliott, S.N. (1990). Social Skills Rating System. Circle Pines, MN: American Guidance Service.
Kovacs, M. (1992). Children’s Depression Inventory. North Tonawanda, NY: Multi-health Systems, Inc.
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Administration for Children, Youth and Families (2001, June). National Survey of Child and Adolescent Well-Being: Local Child Welfare Agency Survey: Report. Washington, D.C. URL: http://www.acf.hhs.gov/programs/opre/abuse_neglect/nscaw/index.html.
| Table of Contents | Previous | Next |