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Prevalence estimates suggest that up to 20% of students in schools experience significant internalizing behaviors that impact behavioral, social, or academic functioning. School-based interventions have great potential to promote student mental health; however, validated and feasible brief assessments are needed to progress monitor students' responses to these supports. The purpose of the current study was twofold: to (a) develop and validate teacher-completed brief rating scales for progress monitoring internalizing concerns in elementary-age students and (b) determine the reliability of the resultant measures. First, item content was generated and subjected to evaluation by two panels of school-based consumers and researchers. Within the second phase of development, exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses were used to reduce the initial number of items and ensure that the items were indicators of one latent factor. Teachers in Grades K-3 (N = 307) each completed ratings for one randomly selected student in their classroom. Results of factor analysis for each scale indicated one-factor solutions for the 4-item Anxious/Depressed ([omega] = 0.88) and 4-item Socially Withdrawn ([omega] = 0.87) scales. [For the corresponding grantee submission, see ED614791.]

Direct Behavior Rating (DBR) is an efficient method for monitoring changes in student behavior in response to intervention. Emerging research on DBR Multi-Item Scales (DBR-MIS) indicates that DBR-MIS has promising characteristics as a progress-monitoring assessment. Specifically, the multiple items within DBR-MIS allow stakeholders to measure specific behaviors at the item level, as well as global constructs at the scale level. In addition, studies have shown that fewer rating occasions are necessary to reach acceptable levels of dependability when using DBR-MIS as opposed to single-item scales (DBR-SIS). The purpose of the study was to develop and validate DBR-MIS problem behavior scales (Disruptive, Oppositional, Interpersonal Conflict, and Conduct Problems) that may be used to evaluate students' response to social-emotional or behavioral intervention. Within the first phase of development, item content was generated and subjected to evaluation by panels of researchers and school-based consumers. Exploratory factor analysis (EFA) was then used in the second phase to identify items that represented the strongest indicators of each construct. Teachers (N = 307) in Grades K-3, from 35 school districts across 13 states in the Northeastern, Midwestern, Southern, and Southwestern United States each completed ratings for one randomly selected student (N = 307). Results of the EFA using a starting pool of nine to 11 items for each DBR-MIS initially indicated one-factor solutions for the Disruptive and Oppositional scales and a two-factor solution for the Interpersonal Conflict scale. Consequently, a new Conduct Problems scale was created from items loading on the second factor. Implications for progress monitoring and future research are discussed. [For the corresponding grantee submission, see ED610401.]

The importance of letter sound knowledge (LSK) as a precursor to later literacy skills has been well-documented. Since English language learners (ELLs), or students who first acquired a language other than English, continue to underperform in reading compared to their English-speaking peers, they are particularly at-risk for reading and academic difficulties. The current study examines the utility and acceptability of teaching letter sounds to four ELL preschoolers through a software-based incremental rehearsal tool (Tutoring Buddy). All students demonstrated increases in LSK, with large effect sizes derived through percentage of all nonoverlapping data analyses. Increases were also noted in the students' generalization of letter sounds to measures of letter sound fluency and nonsense word fluency, signified by small to large effect sizes. Large effect sizes generated for real word fluency measures indicated that all students were able to apply LSK to decoding real, consonant-vowel-consonant words. All students rated Tutoring Buddy as helpful for their letter sound learning, and varied in how enjoyable they found the intervention to be. Overall, the results support the use of Tutoring Buddy as an effective and acceptable method for teaching letter sounds to young ELLs. Implications for school-based professionals working with ELL and future directions for research are discussed.

Although originally conceived of as a marriage of direct behavioral observation and indirect behavior rating scales, recent research has indicated that Direct Behavior Ratings (DBRs) are affected by rater idiosyncrasies (rater effects) similar to other indirect forms of behavioral assessment. Most of this research has been conducted using generalizability theory (GT), yet another approach, many-facet Rasch measurement (MFRM), has recently been utilized to illuminate the previously opaque nature of these rater idiosyncrasies. The purpose of this study was to utilize both approaches (GT and MFRM) to consider rater effects with 126 second- through fifth-grade students who were rated on two DBR-Multi-Item Scales by four raters (22 of these ratings were fully crossed). Results indicated the presence of rater effects and revealed nuances about their nature, including showing differences across construct domains, identifying items that are potentially more susceptible to rater effects than others, and isolating specific raters who appear to have been more susceptible to rater effects than other raters. These findings further indicate the indirect nature of DBRs and offer potential avenues for addressing and ameliorating rater effects in research and practice.

The primary goal of this study was to assess the treatment sensitivity of four newly developed Direct Behavior Rating--Multi-Item Scales (DBR-MIS) that assess the domains of academic engagement, disruptive behavior, organizational skills, and oppositional behavior in the context of a Daily Report Card (DRC) intervention. To achieve this goal, we first evaluated the integrity and effectiveness of the DRC intervention in this sample. Participants included six elementary school teachers, each of whom delivered a DRC intervention with one student from their classroom, while completing DBR-MIS ratings on a daily basis for 2 months. Results confirmed the effectiveness of the DRC intervention (all DRC target behaviors demonstrated improvement, with at least half demonstrating improvement that was moderate to large in magnitude) and revealed a positive relationship between DRC implementation integrity and student outcomes. We found strong evidence for the treatment sensitivity of the DBR-MIS assessing academic engagement, disruptive behavior, and organizational skills. Results for the treatment sensitivity of the DBR-MIS oppositional scale were inconclusive. Implications for progress monitoring using the recently developed DBR-MIS are discussed.

The use of systematic direct observation offers several advantages as a behavioral assessment method including enhanced objectivity of measurement, the ability to account for the environmental context, and the facilitation of local comparisons. The Classroom Observation of Engagement, Disruptive, and Disrespectful Behavior (COEDD) was designed to target those behaviors believed to be most critical to a child's success in the classroom: engagement, disruption, and disrespectful behavior. Given the limited availability of relevant measures in Greece, the goal of the current study was to examine the psychometric adequacy of this particular observation instrument within a sample of Greek primary school students. Results suggested that a large proportion of the variance in data for engagement and disruptive behavior could be explained by changes in the behavior of individual students across days, suggesting the need for classroom management strategies that might bring student behavior under closer control. In contrast, uniformly low levels of disrespectful behavior were noted, suggesting that this behavior is generally not of a concern in Greek classrooms.

Direct Behavior Rating (DBR) has been proposed as a promising approach to assess student behavioral progress in classroom settings. The current study examines raters and occasions as well as their interactions as sources of error in the use of DBR--Multi-Item Scales (DBR-MIS) and DBR--Single-Item Scales (DBR-SIS) for academically engaged (AE) and disruptive behavior (DB). Furthermore, the stability of scores across two school subjects (i.e., German language, mathematics) was examined. A total of 20 students and two teachers in an inclusive elementary school classroom participated in the study. Generalizability study results suggest that little variance in DBR scores was attributable to the facets of raters or occasions, but the interactions between persons with raters and occasions accounted for a large portion of variance. Variance attributable to these interactions was slightly higher for DBR-MIS than for DBR-SIS ratings. Decision studies revealed that dependable measurements of AE could be achieved within 1.5 weeks of daily ratings for absolute decision-making. Findings regarding DB were mixed. Differences across both school subjects were found indicating that DBR ratings that are obtained in one academic setting may not necessarily be exchangeable with ratings obtained in another. Overall, the results demonstrate the utility of DBR for behavioral progress-monitoring purposes.

Modern attempts to explain why some assessment tools are readily adopted by school-based personnel whereas others are not have focused on the concept of usability. Usability encompasses not only the degree to which consumers find an assessment tool to be acceptable, but also the degree to which it is well-understood, believed to be feasible, consistent with local norms, and supported within the larger school environment. The purpose of the current study was to conduct an initial validation of a German-language version of the Usage Rating Profile-Assessment (URP-A), a measure designed to assess the multiple influences on assessment usage. Participants included 101 1st-through 6th-grade teachers in Western Germany. Although findings from an exploratory factor analysis of URP-A items differed somewhat from results found for the original English-language measure, results of the current study suggest that the German URP-A may actually be used to reliably assess multiple dimensions of usability with a fewer number of items.

A systematic review was conducted using PsychInfo, ERIC, and Google Scholar using the terms "classroom" and "direct observation". The search yielded 1,006 articles published between 1935 and 2022 with a total of seven observation codes (Behavioral Observation of Students in Schools, Classroom Observation of Engagement, Disruptive and Disrespectful Behavior, Direct Observation Form, Revised Edition of the School Observation Coding System, Response to Interpersonal and Physically Provoking Situations and the State-Event Classroom Observation System) meeting full inclusion criteria. The current article reviews the structure, content, training requirements and available psychometric evidence of each of the seven aforementioned observation codes. Each observation code was evaluated using criteria for each indicator for psychometric evidence. A synthesis of the reviewed literature indicates the need for increased attention to the psychometric evidence of observation codes, measurement invariance across racial/ethnic groups, and the acceptability of observation methods for school-based practitioners. Recommendations for the use of each observation code based on a synthesis of the reviewed studies and future directions for research in observational assessment are provided. Impact Statement This paper reports the results of a systematic review of observation codes designed to assess student academic behaviors in classroom settings. Results indicate robust evidence for interobserver agreement, but far less consistent evidence for other important indicators of psychometric evidence including criterion-related validity and treatment sensitivity. The study highlights the need for further research on the psychometric evidence of observation methods, measurement invariance across racial/ethnic groups and the acceptability of methods for school-based practitioners. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The abrupt onset of the COVID-19 pandemic necessitated an unprecedented shift to remote schooling for students across the United States and required many caregivers to take a primary or secondary role as schoolteacher. The goal of this study was to better understand caregivers' experiences of schooling from home during the spring 2020 COVID-19 closures. Roughly 1,000 caregivers, the majority of whom were White, highly educated mothers, responded to the survey, documenting their children's daily remote learning experiences and providing insight into the frequency and perceived quality of specialized services and individualized support plans. Results highlight the wide variability in students' daily educational experiences. Estimates of assigned work ranged from less than 30 minutes to more than three hours per day across grade levels, and approximately 1 in 4 caregivers reported that their child received no synchronous instruction. Furthermore, reports provide insight into the specific stresses experienced by caregivers in navigating schooling from home, most notably related to time and communication.

The current study represents the first psychometric evaluation of an expanded version of the Integrated System Teacher Rating Form, which is a German language school-based universal screening measure initially developed to identify students with academic productivity problems and oppositional behavior. The measure was expanded to include assessment of internalizing problems experienced by children and youth. This initial study examines the factor structure of the expanded measure in a large sample of 2,416 German schoolchildren attending grades 1-6 in Western Germany. A total of four factors (Anxious/Depressed, Oppositional/Disruptive, Academic Productivity Problems/Disorganization, and Socially Withdrawn) were extracted via exploratory factor analysis. Collectively, the four factors accounted for over 52% of the variance in teacher ratings. Each factor demonstrated excellent internal consistency indicated by alpha and/or omega coefficients above 0.90. Results of the current study support continued investigation of the expanded ITRF-G for use in universal screening in German-speaking schools.

Class-wide behavioral interventions are a feasible and effective method to support the behavior of all students. In six peer-reviewed studies, Tootling, a class-wide intervention that combines positive peer reporting with an interdependent group contingency, has increased positive peer reports and academically engaged behavior (AEB), and decreased disruptive behavior (DB). However, no prior studies have been conducted with middle school students, and none have employed strategies to promote enduring behavior change. A withdrawal design with maintenance phase, implemented across two middle school classrooms, found moderate effects (nonoverlap of all pairs [NAP] = 0.74, Tau-U = -0.48) of Tootling on decreasing DB and moderate to large effects (NAP = 0.76, Tau-U = 0.68) on increasing AEB, although internal threats to validity prevented the demonstration of a clear functional relationship across both classrooms. Results from the maintenance phase, in which the group contingency reward was removed, suggest promising strategies to support durable behavioral change. Limitations of the present study, directions for future research, social validity, and implications for practice are discussed.

This study examines the reliability and validity of the Chinese language version of the Integrated Screening and Intervention System Teacher Rating Form (ITRF) as a screening tool for problem behaviors among secondary school students in Hong Kong. The Chinese ITRF was validated through identifying factor structure using exploratory factor analysis and evaluating internal consistency, temporal stability, convergent validity, and discriminant validity. Thirty-one teachers completed the ITRF and Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ) for five students nominated for behavioral problems and five randomly chosen students in their class with a subset of 27 teachers repeating the procedure two to five weeks later for test-retest analysis. Results support a two-factor structure (i.e., Oppositional/Disruptive, Academic Productivity/Disorganization) as identified in the original ITRF and German ITRF. The Chinese ITRF demonstrated adequate internal consistency ([alpha]s > 0.90) and temporal stability (rs > 0.80). Correlation coefficients between similar (rs = 0.54-0.74) and dissimilar (rs = 0.06-0.24) ITRF and SDQ subscales supported its convergent validity and discriminant validity, respectively. The findings imply the measurement invariance of the ITRF and usability of the Chinese ITRF as a validated universal screener for behavior.

The number of opportunities to respond (OTR) and spacing (massed or distributed practice) of practice sessions are important variables to consider in instructional design. The purpose of this pilot study was to compare the impact of these variables on trajectories of mathematics fluency. Second- and third-grade students (N = 112) were randomly assigned to 1 of 4 conditions: (a) distributed practice, low OTR; (b) massed practice, low OTR; (c) distributed practice, high OTR; and (d) massed practice, high OTR. Students completed 1 practice session using cover-copy-compare for subtraction according to the group assignment. Multilevel modeling of 4 assessment time points (pretest, follow-up at 1, 4, and 7 days) was used to evaluate differences in retention (correct digits) between groups. After controlling for prior math knowledge, instructional level and OTR, but not spacing, were significant predictors of final score. These findings suggest that OTR is an important variable to consider when planning for instruction and intervention.

Fact fluency is an important prerequisite to mastering more complex and abstract mathematics principles. Delivering math interventions in the home setting may be a feasible way to expose students to necessary supports and improve math outcomes. The present study utilized a multiple baseline design across parent-student dyads to examine the impact of Detect, Practice, and Repair, modified to be implemented by parents in the home environment, on the fluency of basic addition and subtraction facts of 4 second-grade students. Video modeling and performance feedback were used to train and support parents during implementation. Math fact fluency improved across all students, with 2 students reaching mastery levels, and progress was maintained following intervention. Video modeling alone was insufficient for parent training, although performance feedback was effective in improving parents' procedural fidelity. Considerations regarding social validity and suggestions for future research are discussed.

The purpose of this commentary is to discuss articles in the special issue focused on improving procedures for universal screening for social-emotional and behavioral problems. Based on work by Hunsley and Mash (2007), we examine factors to consider for those seeking to establish evidence-based behavioral screening practices in school settings. Discussed are the selection of appropriate constructs for a given assessment task, the selection of instruments and methods to inform the decision-making process, the accuracy and utility of the decision-making process, the cost of the assessment process, and the impact the assessment has on the outcomes of students. Finally, we discuss factors to consider for the maximization of screening usage.

Time-sampling techniques are popular among school practitioners and researchers alike when conducting observations of student behavior. Despite their popularity, the psychometric properties of such observation data have not received much attention, likely given that both procedures and targets vary widely across individual coding systems. A systematic literature review was therefore conducted to provide insight into how various procedural aspects may influence the psychometric properties of time-sampling data. Specifically, the influences of the number of target behaviors, time-sampling method, interval length, observation length, and number of observations on the psychometric properties of time-sampling data are explored. Both implications for practice and future research are discussed.

Traditional drill and practice (TDP) has been shown to be both effective and efficient for increasing word recognition. WordSheets (WS) is a novel drill procedure similar to TDP with two key differences: (a) WS increases opportunities to respond, which may increase efficiency and (b) WS present instructional stimuli in a context that more closely resembles actual reading passages, which may enhance generalization to connected text. The study sought to compare the effectiveness and efficiency of TDP and WS in a sample of first-grade students (n = 27) identified by their teachers as struggling readers. Results indicated that, although WS led to significantly more opportunities to respond, it was both less effective and efficient than TDP with regard to cumulative retention. However, there were no significant differences across interventions in regard to the maintenance or generalization of treatment gains. Limitations and implications of the current study for school-based professionals are discussed.

Direct behavior rating (DBR) represents a feasible method for monitoring student behavior in the classroom; however, limited work to date has focused on the use of multi-item scales. The purposes of the study were to examine the (a) dependability of data obtained from a multi-item DBR designed to assess peer conflict and (b) treatment sensitivity of Direct Behavior Rating Multi-Item Scales (DBR-MIS) constructed using factor-derived and individualized methods. Analyses were performed using teacher ratings of 65 students (53 boys, 12 girls) between 6 and 12 years old. Results of decision studies indicated that an acceptable criterion of dependability (? > 0.70) for low-stakes, intraindividual decision making could be achieved using a three-item scale across eight occasions, a four- or five-item scale across four occasions, or a six-item scale across three occasions. Subsequent analyses verified that a six-item DBR demonstrated acceptable treatment sensitivity when ratings were conducted on 3 days during baseline and 3 days during treatment with methylphenidate. Implications for practice and future research are discussed.

This study examines the classification accuracy and teacher acceptability of a problem-focused screener for academic and disruptive behavior problems, which is directly linked to evidence-based intervention. Participants included 39 classroom teachers from 2 public school districts in the Northeastern United States. Teacher ratings were obtained for 390 students in Grades K-6. Data from the screening instrument demonstrate favorable classification accuracy, and teacher ratings of feasibility and acceptability support the use of the measure for universal screening in elementary school settings. Results indicate the novel measure should facilitate classroom intervention for problem behaviors by identifying at-risk students and informing targets for daily behavior report card interventions.

Off-task and disruptive classroom behavior impedes the learning of the children emitting these behaviors as well as the delivery of instruction to the entire class, which may lead to decreased academic achievement and more severe behavior problems. A meta-analysis of the single-case literature was conducted to understand the effectiveness of class-wide interventions in supporting student behavior in general education settings. Twenty-nine studies of K-12 classrooms, published between January 1969 and September 2015, were included for analysis. Two effect sizes, the Hedges, Pustejovsky, and Shadish (2012, 2013) "d"-statistic and Tau-U (Parker, Vannest, Davis, & Sauber, 2011), were calculated for relevant studies and designs. The results of a random-effects meta-analysis using the "d"-statistic resulted in an estimated overall effect of 2.04 (95% CI [1.67, 2.41]) and an overall effect of 0.93 (95% CI [0.87, 0.99]) using Tau-U. The implications of these findings for interventions implemented in the general education classroom are discussed.

The Online Intergenerational Tutoring Program addresses a service delivery gap in schools because older adult volunteers expand schools' capacity to implement evidence-based instruction with students in need of individual support. Tutoring includes dialogic reading with digital books and Tutoring Buddy, a web-based program used to improve children's letter sound fluency. Developed during the school closures resulting from COVID-19, the program uses online technology to deliver individual instruction to students after school. Our preliminary research found online intergenerational tutoring is a promising, socially valid model for addressing students' learning loss resulting from the pandemic. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study examines the dependability of two scaling approaches for using a five-item Direct Behavior Rating multi-item scale to assess student disruptive behavior. A series of generalizability theory studies were used to compare a traditional frequency-based scaling approach with an approach wherein the informant compares a target student's behavior with that of classroom peers. A total of seven novice raters (i.e., graduate students) used both types of scales to rate 10-min video clips of the classroom behavior of nine middle school students across three occasions. Generalizability of composite scores derived from each type of scale was examined across raters and occasions. Subsequent decision studies were conducted to determine the number of measurement occasions that would be required to obtain an acceptable level of dependability. Results of these studies indicated that the type of scale accounted for a substantial proportion of variance (29%) and that the traditional frequency approach required far fewer assessment occasions to reach the criterion for absolute and relative decisions (4 and 8 occasions, respectively) compared with the comparative scaling approach (30 occasions). Implications for future research and current practice are discussed.

Traditional drill and practice (TDP) and incremental rehearsal (IR) are flashcard drill techniques for teaching sight words to students. Although both have extensive research support, no study to date has compared these methods with children who have autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Utilizing an adaptive alternating treatments design, the present study compared TDP and IR with a second-grade student, educated in a substantially separate classroom, who was diagnosed with ASD (N = 1). Retention, maintenance, and generalization results suggested that both methods were effective interventions for enhancing sight-word recognition. However, TDP was more effective and efficient than IR across retention, maintenance, and generalization measures. Limitations and implications of the study for school-based professionals are discussed.

Direct Behavior Rating-Multi-Item Scales (DBR-MIS) have been developed as formative measures of behavioral assessment for use in school-based problem-solving models. Initial research has examined the dependability of composite scores generated by summing all items comprising the scales. However, it has been argued that DBR-MIS may offer assessment of 2 levels of behavioral specificity (i.e., item-level, global composite-level). Further, it has been argued that scales can be individualized for each student to improve efficiency without sacrificing technical characteristics. The current study examines the dependability of 5 items comprising a DBR-MIS designed to measure classroom disruptive behavior. A series of generalizability theory and decision studies were conducted to examine the dependability of each item ("calls out," "noisy," "clowns around," "talks to classmates" and "out of seat"), as well as a 3-item composite that was individualized for each student. Seven graduate students rated the behavior of 9 middle-school students on each item over 3 occasions. Ratings were based on 10-min video clips of students during mathematics instruction. Separate generalizability and decision studies were conducted for each item and for a 3-item composite that was individualized for each student based on the highest rated items on the first rating occasion. Findings indicate favorable dependability estimates for 3 of the 5 items and exceptional dependability estimates for the individualized composite.

Although there is much research to support the effectiveness of classwide interventions aimed at improving student engagement, there is also a great deal of variability in terms of how response to group-level intervention has been measured. The unfortunate consequence of this procedural variability is that it is difficult to determine whether differences in obtained results across studies are attributable to the way in which behavior was measured or actual intervention effectiveness. The purpose of this study was to comparatively evaluate the most commonly used observational methods for monitoring the effects of classwide interventions in terms of the degree to which obtained data represented actual behavior. The 5 most common sampling methods were identified and evaluated against a criterion generated by averaging across observations conducted on 14 students in one seventh-grade classroom. Results suggested that the best approximation of mean student engagement was obtained by observing a different student during each consecutive 15-s interval whereas observing an entire group of students during each interval underestimated the mean level of behavior within a phase and the degree of behavior change across phases. In contrast, when observations were restricted to the 3 students with the lowest levels of engagement, data revealed greater variability in engagement across baseline sessions and suggested a more notable change in student behavior subsequent to intervention implementation.

We examined the degree to which child, family, and treatment variables predicted treatment outcomes for reading and math achievement and oppositional behavior in a sample of 135 young children (105 boys and 30 girls). All of the participants met "Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fourth Edition, Text Revision" criteria for attention deficit hyperactivity disorder and received early intervention over a period of 24 months. Results of second-order latent growth model analyses indicated that (a) growth and posttreatment performance in reading and math were predicted by age, cognitive ability, gender, and lower perceived family support at pretreatment; (b) growth and posttreatment reading performance were predicted by child ethnicity; (c) posttreatment oppositional behavior was predicted by higher child hyperactivity-impulsivity symptoms at pretreatment, more hours of consultant contact, and receipt of psychotropic medication at pretreatment; and (d) parent attendance at education sessions was inversely related to improvement in oppositional behavior over time. Early intervention during the preschool years may yield significant improvement in reading and math skills for those children at greater risk of academic difficulties. Alternatively, children with milder symptoms and greater cognitive abilities may show the greatest improvement in oppositional behaviors.

Given the dearth of technically adequate universal screening tools in the Greek language, the current study sought to examine the psychometric properties of a 67-item universal screener (i.e. Integrated Teacher Rating Form; ITRF), that was originally developed in American English and then translated and implemented in Greek primary schools. The ITRF, which was designed to identify students at risk and facilitate the planning of interventions targeting classroom behaviors that interfere with academic and social functioning, incorporates four constructs (i.e. Disorganized/Academic Performance Problems, Disruptive behavior, Anxious/Depressed behavior, Socially Withdrawn behavior). To test the classification accuracy of the ITRF, a multi-gated screening procedure was followed, consisting of a brief 4-item screening measure that Greek teachers completed for all students in classroom, followed by completion of the ITRF for those students whose first-gate ratings indicated concern. Results suggested that teachers reported the highest level of concern for students' academic performance problems, followed by oppositional/disruptive behaviors, socially withdrawn behaviors, and anxious/depressed behaviors. Classification accuracy was found to be excellent for the Disorganized/Academic Productivity Problems Gate 1 measure, good for the Disruptive/Oppositional measure, fair for the Socially Withdrawn measure and poor for the Anxious/Depressed measure. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study examines the factor structure, reliability and validity of a novel school-based screening instrument for academic and disruptive behavior problems commonly experienced by children and adolescents with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). Participants included 39 classroom teachers from two public school districts in the northeastern United States. Teacher ratings were obtained for 390 students in grades K-6. Exploratory factor analysis supports a two-factor structure (oppositional/disruptive and academic productivity/disorganization). Data from the screening instrument demonstrate favorable internal consistency, temporal stability and convergent validity. The novel measure should facilitate classroom intervention for problem behaviors associated with ADHD by identifying at-risk students and determining specific targets for daily behavior report card interventions.

Currently, there are few strengths-based preschool rating scales that sample a wide array of behaviors believed to be essential for early academic success. The purpose of this study was to assess the factor structure of a new measure of early academic competence for at-risk preschool populations. The Teacher Rating Scales of Early Academic Competence (TRS-EAC) includes two broad scales (Early Academic Skills and Early Academic Enablers) and was completed by 60 teachers for 440 children enrolled in Head Start and public preschool classrooms. Evidence from two exploratory factor analyses supported a five-factor solution for the Early Academic Skills Scale (Creative Thinking, Critical Thinking Skills, Numeracy, Early Literacy, and Comprehension) and a five-factor solution for the Early Academic Enablers Scale (Approaches to Learning, Social and Emotional Competence, Fine Motor Skills, Gross Motor Skills, and Communication). TRS-EAC scores also demonstrated good to excellent reliability and were related to children's performance on direct measures of early academic skills.

Although generalizability theory has been used increasingly in recent years to investigate the dependability of behavioral estimates, many of these studies have relied on use of general education populations as opposed to those students who are most likely to be referred for assessment due to problematic classroom behavior (e.g., inattention, disruption). The current study investigated the degree to which differences exist in terms of the magnitude of both variance component estimates and dependability coefficients between students nominated by their teachers for Tier 2 interventions due to classroom behavior problems and a general classroom sample (i.e., including both nominated and non-nominated students). The academic engagement levels of 16 (8 nominated, 8 non-nominated) middle school students were measured by 4 trained observers using momentary time-sampling procedures. A series of G and D studies were then conducted to determine whether the 2 groups were similar in terms of the (a) distribution of rating variance and (b) number of observations needed to achieve an adequate level of dependability. Results suggested that the behavior of students in the teacher-nominated group fluctuated more across time and that roughly twice as many observations would therefore be required to yield similar levels of dependability compared with the combined group. These findings highlight the importance of constructing samples of students that are comparable to those students with whom the measurement method is likely to be applied when conducting psychometric investigations of behavioral assessment tools.