Teacher-reported problem behaviour in Turkish immigrant and Dutch children: a cross-cultural comparison

Objective: To compare problem behaviour in Turkish immigrant children living in the Netherlands versus problem behaviour in Dutch children from the general population as reported by teachers. Method: Teacher's Report Forms (TRF) were filled out by Dutch teachers, and for a subsample also by Turkish immigrant teachers, concerning 524 Turkish immigrant children selected randomly from the immigrant population in two large cities in the Netherlands. TRFs completed for Turkish immigrant children were compared with TRFs filled out for 1625 children selected randomly from the Dutch general population. Results: No significant differences were revealed between children from both cultures on the TRF total problems, internalizing, externalizing and specific syndrome scales. Turkish immigrant teachers, however, reported higher total problems, internalizing and anxious/depressed scores for immigrant children than did Dutch teachers for the same immigrant children. Conclusion: No significant differences were found in the levels of behavioural and emotional problems reported by Dutch teachers for Turkish immigrant versus Dutch children. However, Turkish immigrant teachers reported high levels of anxiety and depression in immigrant children which go largely undetected by their Dutch teachers.