The SDQ can be used for urban aboriginal children, but the peer scale must be interpreted with caution. Which SDQ scale is this warning about?

• A. Conduct scale
• B. Peer scale
• C. Prosocial scale
• D. Hyperactivity scale

Answer: (B)

The line of thinking here is about which part of the SDQ requires extra caution in interpretation for urban Aboriginal children. The scale in question is the one that measures peer problems—how well a child gets along with other children, experiences rejection, or is left out by peers. Peer interactions can be strongly shaped by cultural context, community dynamics, school environment, and experiences of discrimination or racism. Because these factors can influence how children behave with peers and how adults perceive those behaviors, scores on the peer problems scale may not map as directly onto individual adjustment as they might in other groups. So, researchers caution interpreting this particular scale carefully, often using it alongside other information to get a fuller picture.

The other scales assess emotional symptoms, conduct problems, hyperactivity, and prosocial behavior. While those are important, the specific caution noted here is about the peer problems scale, which is why that choice is the best answer.