In an epidemiological sample of children aged 6 to 17 a total of 1964 parents responded to the Child Behavior Check List (CBCL). A subgroup of 399 parents were interviewed with the Diagnostic Interview Schedule for Children (DISC). The mean syndrome scale scores in the various sex/age groups were in the lower range of several international studies using the CBCL. Effect analyses revealed sex to be more important than nationality (indigenous vs. immigrant) and age. All effects had to be considered as being small. Convergence between syndrome scales of the CBCL and interview-derived DSM-III-R diagnoses was good for three major groups of disorders.