Estimates of childhood behavioural problems in Malaysia and their relationship with parenting behaviour

This study examined estimates of different types of childhood behavioural problems based on reports from 1407 parents of primary school children aged 5 to 13 years from Klang Valley, Malaysia using the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ). It also examined the mean and standard deviation scores for the scales in the SDQ, and how these scores are influenced by age and gender. Additionally, it examined the relationship of childhood behavioural problems with parental warmth and rejection. The results indicated that the percentages of children within the borderline and abnormal bands were 12.8% for Emotional Symptoms, and 23.7% for Peer Problems. The percentages were 14.2% for Conduct Problems and 13.2% for Hyperactivity. The percentage of Malaysian children within the abnormal and borderline band for the Prosocial was 16.0%. The current study did not find any differences in age and gender for Emotional Symptoms, Peer Problems, Conduct Problems and Hyperactivity. Nonetheless, Prosocial had significant effect for age. Conforming to previous studies, the findings also revealed that Total Difficulties scores (comprising the scores for Emotional Symptoms, Peer Problems, Hyperactivity and Conduct Problems), and the scale scores for Emotional Symptoms, Peer Problems, Hyperactivity and Conduct problems were all positively and significantly associated with parental rejection, and negatively and significantly associated with parental warmth. Prosocial was negatively correlated with parental rejection and positively correlated with parental warmth. The findings provide important new data on the behavioural and emotional problems of Malaysian school aged children, and how these problems are associated to parenting styles. It also provided used normative data that can facilitate the use of the SDQ for screening behavior and emotion problems in Malaysian children.