Graduate Program

School Psychology

Degree Name

Specialist in School Psychology

Semester of Degree Completion

1999

Thesis Director

Gary L. Canivez

Abstract

The Adjustment Scales for Children and Adolescents (ASCA) and the Preschool and Kindergarten Behavior Scales (PKBS) are two relatively new behavior assessment scales that measure youth problem behavior. The ASCA is designed to be completed by the child's classroom teacher. The PKBS is designed to be completed by the child's teacher, parent, or day care provider. Both scales are unique and are considered to be technically adequate. Many of their syndromes/subscales and global scales/composites are similar in nature and description according to their respective manuals. No research, however, has been conducted establishing convergent evidence of construct validity between these two instruments. The current study attempted to provide this needed research by comparing the ASCA and the PKBS. A sample of 5 and 6 year old children (n = 123) from regular education classrooms were participants in the study. Regular education teachers were asked to complete both scales for randomly selected children in their kindergarten and 1st grade classrooms. Comparisons between the two scales were studied through correlational analysis. Results indicated preliminary evidence for convergent validity between the two instruments on the core syndrome/subscale level and on the global scale/composite level. Nonsignificant mean differences between ratings on the two scales yielded further evidence of convergent validity among like syndromes/subscales and global scales/composites. The information provided in this study is beneficial to school psychologists and other educational professionals looking for a more psychometrically sound, less subjective methods of assessing problem behavior in youths.

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