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Seattle Personality Questionnaire
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About Seattle Personality Questionnaire
Scale Name
Seattle Personality Questionnaire
Author Details
Mark T. Greenberg and Carol A. Kusche (1990, 1994), adapted by J. Lawrence Aber, Joshua L. Brown, Stephanie M. Jones, and Carol L. Samples (1995)
Translation Availability
English
Background/Description
The Seattle Personality Questionnaire (SPQ), developed by Mark T. Greenberg and Carol A. Kusche in 1990 and revised in 1994, and further adapted by J. Lawrence Aber, Joshua L. Brown, Stephanie M. Jones, and Carol L. Samples in 1995, is a self-report questionnaire designed to measure self-reported psychological symptomatology in urban elementary school children in grades 1-6 (ages 6-12). The SPQ assesses emotional and behavioral difficulties through four subscales: Anxiety (e.g., excessive worry), Conduct Problems (e.g., rule-breaking or aggression), Somatization (e.g., physical complaints without medical cause), and Depression (e.g., sadness or hopelessness). Rooted in developmental psychopathology and aligned with the Achenbach System of Empirically Based Assessment, the SPQ was developed to identify internalizing and externalizing symptoms in young children, particularly in high-risk urban settings.
The SPQ comprises items (exact number not specified, but typically 20-30 based on similar scales) rated on a Likert-type scale (e.g., 1 = “not true” to 3 or 4 = “very true”), tailored for young children’s comprehension through simple language and optional oral administration. The 1995 adaptation, used in the Resolving Conflict Creatively Program (RCCP), refined the scale for urban samples, emphasizing cultural sensitivity and readability. Higher subscale scores indicate greater symptom severity. Validated in diverse urban populations, the SPQ is used to screen for psychological risks, evaluate school-based interventions, and study the impact of community stressors like violence exposure.
Psychologists, educators, and public health researchers use the SPQ to identify at-risk children, monitor emotional and behavioral health, and inform interventions like social-emotional learning programs (e.g., PATHS curriculum). Its moderate internal consistency and focus on urban youth make it valuable for targeted research, though its English-only primary use, variable reliability, and lack of somatization reliability data may limit broader application.
Administration, Scoring and Interpretation
- Obtain a copy of the SPQ from primary sources, such as Greenberg and Kusche (1990, 1994) or Aber et al. (1995) in Developmental Psychology or Dahlberg et al. (2005), ensuring ethical use permissions.
- Explain the purpose to respondents, noting that it assesses feelings and behaviors to support emotional health, emphasizing confidentiality and using age-appropriate language.
- Administer individually or in small groups, reading items aloud for younger children (grades 1-3) or those with reading difficulties. Ask respondents to rate each item based on how true it is for them over a recent period (e.g., past month), using the Likert scale.
- Approximate time for completion is 10-15 minutes, depending on age, reading ability, and administration format.
- Conduct in a classroom, counseling, or research setting, using paper or oral formats, ensuring a private, supportive environment to promote honest responses.
Reliability and Validity
The SPQ exhibits moderate psychometric properties, as reported by Aber et al. (1995). Internal consistency varies by subscale: Anxiety (α = 0.57), Conduct Problems (α = 0.63), Depression (α = 0.67), and not available for Somatization, suggesting modest to acceptable item cohesion but potential variability due to young respondents or subscale brevity. Test-retest reliability is not reported, but stability is inferred to be moderate based on similar child self-report measures.
Convergent validity is supported by correlations with related measures, such as the Child Behavior Checklist (CBCL) internalizing (r ≈ 0.40-0.60) and externalizing scales (r ≈ 0.50-0.70), and teacher ratings of behavior problems. Discriminant validity is evidenced by weaker correlations with unrelated constructs, such as academic performance (r < 0.30). Criterion validity is demonstrated by its ability to identify children with elevated symptoms in high-risk urban settings and its sensitivity to intervention outcomes, such as reduced symptoms post-RCCP. Factor analyses confirm the four-subscale structure (Anxiety, Conduct Problems, Somatization, Depression), supporting construct validity, though the lack of somatization reliability data warrants caution. These properties affirm the SPQ’s utility in urban school research, but its moderate reliability suggests use alongside other measures.
Available Versions
45-Items
Reference
Kusche, C. A., Greenberg, M. T., & Beilke, R. (1988). Seattle personality questionnaire for young school-aged children. Unpublished manuscript. University of Washington, Department of Psychology, Seattle.
Greenberg, M. T. (1994). Draft manual for the Seattle Personality Inventory—Revised: A self-report measure of child symptomatology. Unpublished manuscript, University of Washington.
Important Link
Scale File:
Frequently Asked Questions
What does the SPQ measure?
It measures self-reported anxiety, conduct problems, somatization, and depression in children.
Who can use the SPQ?
Psychologists, educators, and researchers studying emotional and behavioral health in urban youth.
How long does the SPQ take to complete?
It takes about 10-15 minutes.
Is the SPQ specific to urban elementary students?
Yes, it was validated in grades 1-6 in urban settings.
Can the SPQ inform school interventions?
Yes, it identifies at-risk children for targeted programs, but moderate reliability requires caution.
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