Social, emotional, and behavioral screening: A comparison of two measures and two methods across informants

• Published in: Journal of school psychology 2017-10, Vol.64, p.93-108
• Main Authors: Kettler, Ryan J., Feeney-Kettler, Kelly A., Dembitzer, Leah
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Behavior; Behavior modification; Child Behavior - psychology; Child Behavior Disorders - diagnosis; Child Behavior Disorders - psychology; Child, Preschool; Cognitive development; Cross-informant agreement; Educational evaluation; Emotions; Emotions - physiology; Female; Humans; Male; Mental health; Parents; Parents & parenting; Predictive validity; Problem Behavior - psychology; Psychologists; Psychometrics; Rating scales; Respondents; School psychologists; School Teachers; SEB assessment; Social interaction; Student behavior; Teachers; Tests; Universal screening
• ISSN: 0022-4405; 1873-3506
• DOI: 10.1016/j.jsp.2017.05.002

The current study is a correlational design comparing a multiple-gate social, emotional, and behavioral (SEB) screening system with a single-gate SEB screening system using a common criterion variable. Teachers and parents of 105 preschool students completed the multiple-gate Preschool Behavior Screening System (PBSS; Feeney-Kettler, Kratochwill, & Kettler, 2009) and the single-gate Behavioral and Emotional Screening System (BESS; Kamphaus & Reynolds, 2007). The measures were evaluated using Cronbach's alpha, Pearson correlations with each other, and conditional probability indices to represent accuracy in predicting scores from the Achenbach System for Empirically Based Assessment (ASEBA; Achenbach & Rescorla, 2000). Results indicated the PBSS was internally consistent (α=0.87 to 0.97), teacher-parent agreement for both measures was in the expected range (r=0.05 to 0.40), and relations among scores from the measures were at the expected magnitudes and in the expected directions. Although both measures accurately predicted ASEBA results, the BESS was a better predictor for both groups of raters (i.e., teachers and parents) in most situations. The PBSS provided the advantage of also being a good predictor while providing internally consistent subscale scores that may be useful for intervention planning. The results are discussed including their implications for school psychologists seeking to select technically sound instruments that yield reliable scores from which valid inferences about SEB factors can be drawn.