Screening for Behavioral and Emotional Risk Versus Traditional School Identification Methods

• Published in: School mental health 2014-03, Vol.6 (1), p.40-49
• Main Authors: Eklund, Katie, Dowdy, Erin
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Achievement tests; Behavior; Behavior Problems; Behavioral Science and Psychology; Child and School Psychology; Clinical Psychology; Developmental Psychology; Early intervention; Education; Gender; Grade 1; Grade 2; Grade 4; Grade 5; Grade 6; Health services; Identification; Mental health; Nominations; Original Paper; Pacific Islander people; Psychology; School districts; Special education; Standardized Tests; Students; Teachers
• ISSN: 1866-2625; 1866-2633
• DOI: 10.1007/s12310-013-9109-1

Systematic screening is one strategy to enhance the early identification of behavioral and emotional problems among youth. Although conceptually sound, it is unclear if screening is more or less effective than current school identification practices in identifying youth with behavioral and emotional concerns. This study compares screening for behavioral and emotional risk with current identification practices in schools to determine differences among referral methods, across a sample of elementary aged students ( N  = 867). Results indicated that of the 160 students identified as at-risk by the screening measure, only 61 were previously identified through current school identification methods, highlighting the potential benefit of screening to enhance early identification. Results demonstrated internalizing and externalizing behaviors were significantly correlated with at-risk status by identification method. Furthermore, students identified as demonstrating behavioral and emotional concerns by both the screener and receiving school-based services had significantly lower academic achievement. Implications and future research needs are discussed.