Development and initial validation of the Social and Academic Behavior Risk Screener for Elementary Grades.

Abstract

The purpose of the current investigation was to develop and provide initial validation of the Social and Academic Behavior Risk Screener (SABRS). Research was conducted in southeast elementary schools with 54 teacher and 243 student participants. An initial item pool was created through review of developmental research on the trajectory of behavior problems and competencies, as well as various models of social, emotional, and academic competence. A content validation process in addition to reliability and exploratory factor analyses resulted in development of a 12-item SABRS scale. Two factors emerged, with six items corresponding to "Social Behavior" and 6 items corresponding to "Academic Behavior." Subsequent correlational and receiver operating characteristic curve analyses revealed each scale, as well as an overall combined scale, to be a concurrently valid and diagnostically accurate predictor of the Social Skills Improvement System (SSIS) Teacher Rating Scales. The reader is provided a review of implications for practice and directions for future SABRS research.

Technical Adequacy of the Social, Academic, and Emotional Behavior Risk Screener in an Elementary Sample

“…The primary purpose of this study is to examine the tenability of the various SAEBRS IUA inferences within a rural midwestern, elementary school sample. Findings build upon prior research conducted in a similar setting (Kilgus, Sims, et al, 2015) and grade level (Kilgus et al, 2013). Five research questions were posed.…”

“…For instance, exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses have identified three SAEBRS subscales, including Social Behavior (SB; six items), Academic Behavior (AB; six items), and Emotional Behavior (EB; seven items), as well as a broad Total Behavior (TB) scale inclusive of items from all three subscales. Multiple studies have supported the internal consistency of scores generated from each SAEBRS scale (Cronbach's α = .79-.94), as well as their interrater reliability across teacher raters at the high school level (Pearson's r = .35-.51; Kilgus et al, 2013;Kilgus, 2016;Kilgus, Sims, et al, 2015). Scores from all four scales have exhibited strong concurrent validity and diagnostic accuracy relative to both the Social Skills Improvement System (SSIS; r = .36-.90; Gresham & Elliott, 2008) and Behavioral and Emotional Screening System (BESS; r = .72-.94; Kamphaus & Reynolds, 2007).…”

“…Specifically, the SAEBRS was designed to (a) correspond to a wider range of constructs than more efficient tools (e.g., SRSS-IE), while also (b) including a smaller number of items than alternative scales corresponding to a similar number of constructs (e.g., Behavioral and Emotional Screening System; Kamphaus & Reynolds, 2007). Four studies have been conducted to date regarding the SAEBRS, with findings yielding preliminary support for SAEBRS psychometric defensibility (Kilgus, Chafouleas, & Riley-Tillman, 2013;Kilgus, Eklund, von der Embse, Taylor, & Sims, 2016;Kilgus, Sims, von der Embse, & Riley-Tillman, 2015; von der Embse, Pendergast, Kilgus, & Eklund, in press). For instance, exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses have identified three SAEBRS subscales, including Social Behavior (SB; six items), Academic Behavior (AB; six items), and Emotional Behavior (EB; seven items), as well as a broad Total Behavior (TB) scale inclusive of items from all three subscales.…”

“…Such scores serve as the foundation of universal screening decisions, specifying that students falling below the cut scores would be considered at risk for behavior problems, whereas those falling above would not. Kilgus et al (2013) originally established cut scores for the SB and AB subscales relative to the SSIS within an elementary sample. Specific cut scores included SB ≤ 12 and AB ≤ 9; each of these was found to evidence acceptable sensitivity (.79-.97) and specificity (.84-.90), suggesting their use would result in high rates of true positive and negative decisions regarding the presence of risk.…”

Enhancing science, practice, and policy relevant to school psychology around the world.

“…Volume 28, No, 3, contained articles regarding preservice teacher attitudes toward gay and lesbian parents (Herbstrith et al,, 2013); a latent profile analysis of teacher perceptions of parent involvement (Stormont et al, 2013); the development and initial validation of the social and academic behavior risk screener for elementary grades (Kilgus, Chafouleas, & Riley-Tillman, 2013); understanding daily Stressors in school-age children (Escobar, 2013); the effects of baseline estimation on the reliability, validity, and precision of curriculum-based measurement in reading growth estimates (Van Norman, Christ, & Zopluoglu, 2013); and the invariance of WJ-III scores for students with and without learning disorders (Benson & Taub, 2013), Volume 28, No. 4, consisted of articles concerning; the special topic section focused on the current science and practice regarding the assessment of general education teachers' Tier 1 classrooms (Reddy, Fabiano, & Jimerson, 2013), the development and initial validation of the Prekindergarten Classroom Observation tool and goal setting system for data-based coaching (Crawford et al, 2013), initial predictive validity of the Classroom Strategies Scale-observer form-on statewide testing scores , development and construct validity of the Classroom Strategies Scale-observer form , and the role of classroom observation systems in moving toward a shared understanding of effective teaching (Connor, 2013).…”