Factor Structure of Teacher Rating Scales for Children

The Portland Problem Behavior Checklist: Sex and Age Differences in Teacher-Rated Behavior Problems

Sex and age differences in teacher-rated behavior problems were examined. Teacher ratings on 306 randomly selected children from grades kindergarten through high school, using the Portland Problem Behavior Checklist, were factor-analyzed. Factors were developed and compared for each sex at grade levels kindergarten through sixth grade and seventh through twelfth grade. The younger boys exhibited four factors: (a) Conduct Problems, (b) Academic Problems, (c) Anxiety Problems, and (d) Peer Problems. Younger girls exhibited three factors: (a) Conduct Problems, (b) Peer Problems, and (c) Personal Problems. Older boys exhibited five factors: (a) Academic Problems, (b) Anxiety Problems, (c) Conduct Problems, (d) Peer Problems, and (e) Personal Problems. Finally, older girls exhibited four factors: (a) Academic Problems, (b) Personal Problems, (c) Conduct Problems, and (d) Anxiety Problems. These factors were used to compare sex and age differences of teacher-rated behavior problems. The findings were compared to the results of other studies using different rating scales.

In-School Adaptive Behavior: Assessment Domains of Behavior Rating Scales and Child Characteristics

This study examined the in-school adaptive behavior of 283 randomly selected black, Hispanic and white 7-year-old children with two teacher behavior rating scales, Brown and Hammill's Behavior Rating Profile (BRP) and Mercer's Teacher Questionnaire (MTQ). Multiple regression analyses showed that the single best predictor of school functioning was MTQ competence ratings. Sociability as measured by the MTQ was only moderately related to school functioning. The BRP, a rating scale of behavior problems, appears to be a measure of social conformity in that it correlated most highly with the MTQ social conformity score. The BRP did not correlate highly with school functioning (either grades or standardized achievement test scores). Multivariate analyses indicated that child characteristics (gender and ethnic group) arc strongly related to teacher ratings of adaptive behavior. Specific correlations between adaptive behavior ratings and school functioning and the patterns of correlations varied across ethnic groups. The implications of these systematic rating differences were discussed in relation to the mandates for assessment of adaptive behavior and for nonbiased assessment. It is apparent that sociocultural background characteristics must be considered explicitly in the decision making process.

Teacher and Observer Ratings of Children's Social Skills: Validation of the Social Skills Rating Scales

This study investigated the test-retest and inter-rater reliability and the construct validity of the Social Skills Rating Scales — Teacher (SSRS-T) with an elementary school sample. The SSRS-T is an experimental version of a new series of multi-rater, multi-factor scales for rating the frequency and importance of children's social behavior. The results of this study indicated that the SSRS-T has high (r = .90) test-retest reliability over a 6-week period, is internally consistent (r = .96), and has moderate (r = .65) interrater reliability. The construct validity of the SSRS-T was established by comparisons with the Revised Behavior Problem Checklist and Teacher Ratings of Academic Performance. Data are reported on grade level differences in social skills, teachers' ratings of the importance of behaviors, and the relationships between behavior ratings and direct observations. A discussion of future research and the further developments of the SSRS concludes the article.

Children's Adaptive Behaviors: Measure and Source Generalizability

This study examined the in- and out-of-school adaptive behavior of 154 randomly selected Black, Hispanic and White 7-year-old children. Six mea sures of adaptive behavior were used, two ad ministered to each of three sources of information (parents, teachers, and children themselves)— Adaptive Behavior Inventory for Children; Mer cer's Teacher Questionnaire; Children's Adaptive Behavior Scale; and Behavior Rating Profile- Parent, Teacher, and Child. Overall, there was a consistent pattern of within-source correlations among adaptive behavior ratings higher than between-source correlations for the parent and teacher measures. That pattern was particularly clear for the minority samples, an indication of the relative independence of children's adaptive be haviors in home and school settings and the need to obtain information from both sources. The two children's measures were not correlated with each other and were not related strongly to other measures of adaptive behavior from other informa tion sources. Examination of intercorrelations among adaptive behavior measures and between adaptive behavior and indices of ability and school achievement provided some evidence of domains that were being addressed by these measures, with indications of both convergent and divergent validity for the various measures. Finally, multivariate analyses resulted in gender and ethnic group differences, and examination of correlation matrices for each ethnic group suggested possible differential meaning of adaptive behavior scores for the three groups.

School Maladjustment in Young Children

For the purpose of early identification of school adjustment problems, an American quick screening device (AML) and a more detailed classroom adjustment rating scale (CARS) were standardized on a Jerusalem sample of schools. Hebrew versions of the scales (TAMAL and SHILHAV) were administered to 18 first to third-grade teachers, who rated all of their 499 pupils. Factorial and parametric analyses of the Jerusalem data were compared with corresponding findings from Rochester, New York. Structurally, the scales' original factors that is, aggressiveness-acting out (A), moodiness-withdrawal (M), and learning (L) problems were replicated in the Israeli sample. Some factorial item compositions, however, were found to differ meaningfully. Examination of the resulting factor contents pointed to possible cultural differences in the interpretation of the three complexes. Quantitatively, total TAMAL and SHILHAV means resembled those of AML and CARS. However, in separate factors certain differences between the cities were noted. Additional comparisons pertained to the discrepancies between both AML and TAMAL scores, categorized according to behaviour frequencies, and the ratings on the CARS and SHILHAV, judged according to problem magnitudes. Findings hinted at different thresholds of tolerance for particular problematic behaviours. In conclusion, beyond fundamental similarities of schooling standards prevailing in the two cities, the comparisons indicated certain differences attributable to students' school behaviour, teachers' judgements of maladjustment and cultural norms. Finally, schematic profiles of the Jerusalem versus the Rochester young learners could be tentatively sketched.