Early identification of social-emotional behavioral problems in infants and preschoolers is critical. Nine parent-report and caregiver/teacher-report instruments measuring preschool social-emotional behavioral problems and strengths are reviewed. Advantages to the use of parent-report and caregiver/teacher-report instruments are that they are easy…

The validity of the subscales of the Reiss Screen for Maladaptive Behavior in an institutional population was examined by correlating these scores with the Psychopathology Instrument for Mentally Retarded Adults, the Aberrant Behavior Checklist, and programmatic measures. Results support previous research on Reiss total score validity, though…

The Reiss Screen for Maladaptive Behavior was factor analyzed in 2 institutional samples and 1 community sample of persons with mental retardation (total n=353). Factor analysis revealed no strong justification for the instrument's seven scales. An alternative three-factor solution, comprising intrapersonal maladaptive behavior, psychotic…

The "Handbook of Youth Prevention Science" describes current research and practice in mental health preventive interventions for youth. Traditional prevention research focused on preventing specific disorders, e.g. substance abuse, conduct disorders, or criminality. This produced "silos" of isolated knowledge about the…

The "Behavior Problems Inventory" (BPI) is a behavior rating instrument for self-injurious, stereotypic, and aggressive/destructive behavior in mental retardation and other developmental disabilities. Evaluation with 432 residents in a developmental center found the BPI to be a reliable (retest reliability, internal consistency, and…

Eleven years ago, FPG Child Development Institute (FPG) launched a longitudinal study of a little known form of mental retardation known as fragile X syndrome (FXS). The Carolina Fragile X Project has since grown into a multidisciplinary team studying diverse aspects of the condition, ranging from early identification to school performance. The…

The Child Behavior Rating Form (CBRF) was adapted for use with children having mental retardation and was named the Nisonger CBRF. Independent factor analyses of parent and teacher ratings for 369 children produced 2 Social Competence subscales and 6 Problem Behavior subscales. Internal consistency was generally high and parent-teacher agreement…

Reliability and construct validity of over 1,000 mothers' responses to the Disruptive Behavior Rating Scale-Parent Version were studied. Results indicated excellent internal consistency and test-retest reliability on three subscales (Oppositional, Distractible, and Impulsive-Hyperactive) but only marginal reliability on the Antisocial Conduct…

The Walker-McConnell Scale of Social Competence and School Adjustment is intended for screening and identifying elementary-aged school children with social skill deficits. The instrument is divided into two components covering adaptive classroom behavior and interpersonal social skills. This paper describes the test's administration, summation of…

The construct validity of the Preschool and Kindergarten Behavior Scales (PKBS) was evaluated with 94 kindergarten students. Results supported both the convergent and discriminant validity of the Social Skills and Problem Behavior scales of the PKBS. Results also support use of the PKBS for identifying young children who are behaviorally at risk.…

The National Research Council formed a Committee on Educational Interventions for Children with Autism and charged the committee with integrating the scientific, theoretical, and policy literature and creating a framework for evaluating the scientific evidence concerning the effects and features of educational interventions for young children with…