Identifying student strengths is central to transition planning. However, school personnel use few assessments that operationalize behavioral and emotional strengths, and the psychometric functioning of those measures have not been established with transition-age students. In this two-part study, we used a national sample of transition-age…

This article presents a structured blueprint for school psychologists to assess and intervene in cases of automatically maintained self-injurious behavior (SIB) while adhering to the Least Restrictive Environment (LRE) mandate. We outline a six-step process for conducting Functional Behavior Assessments (FBAs) of automatically maintained SIB,…

Social, emotional, and behavioral (SEB) instruments are currently used in schools to screen, refer, and progress monitor students. Although many of these instruments have demonstrated strong technical adequacy, there has been far less examination of their consequential validity--that is, positive or negative intended and unintended consequences of…

Direct Behavior Rating (DBR) is a tool designed for the assessment of behavioral changes over time. Unlike methods for summative evaluations, the development of progress monitoring tools requires evaluation of sensitivity to change. The present study aimed to evaluate this psychometric feature of five newly developed DBR Multi-Item Scales…

Teacher perceptions of school-based behavior assessments were assessed over the course of a school year. Specifically, the utility and relevance of Direct Behavior Ratings-Single Item Scales, a hybrid direct observation method, relative to two school-based behavioral rating scales, the Social Skills Improvement System-Performance Screening Guide…

This study presents an evaluation of the diagnostic accuracy and concurrent validity of Direct Behavior Rating Single Item Scales for use in school-based behavior screening of second-grade students. Results indicated that each behavior target was a moderately to highly accurate predictor of behavioral risk. Optimal universal screening cut scores…

Despite the recent technical and theoretical advances in the investigation of children's social relations, the inherent complexity of these methods may prevent their easy integration into the classroom. A simple and effective tool can be valuable for teachers who wish to investigate students' social realities in the classroom. Therefore, the…

Targeted, school-based behavioral interventions that are designed in the positive behavior support model and created for elementary students at-risk for severe problem behavior have used four approaches to measuring response to intervention: (1) office discipline referrals, (2) systematic direct observation, (3) standardized behavior rating…

The method of Direct Behavior Rating (DBR) incorporates aspects of both systematic direct observation and behavior rating scales to provide an efficient means to collect time series data. This study extended the development and evaluation of DBR Single-Item Scales (DBR-SIS) as a behavior assessment tool. Eighty-eight undergraduate students used…

This article presents a discussion of the importance of a course in bargaining and negotiation to university-level students in an accredited business school environment. In addition to discussing recommended content, pedagogy, and assessment methods, the results of a study that examines the impact of the course on students' perceptions of skills,…

Direct Behavior Rating (DBR) is a method of social--emotional and behavior assessment that combines the immediacy of systematic direct observation and the efficiency of behavior rating scales. The purpose of this article is to discuss the defensibility and usability of DBR. This article provides a brief summary of (a) the past, present, and future…

High-quality formative assessment data are critical to the successful application of any problem-solving model (e.g., response to intervention). Formative data available for a wide variety of outcomes (academic, behavior) and targets (individual, class, school) facilitate effective decisions about needed intervention supports and responsiveness to…

The Student Record of Behavior (StRoBe) is an instrument that provides information about students' behaviors in the classroom. Researchers had preservice teachers use the StRoBe during their field experiences. The students believed it helped them focus on specific school behaviors, clarify behavioral patterns, and integrate what they observed with…

This study compared the relative frequency of the identification of students as maladjusted to school by standardized achievement tests and by teacher ratings. Subjects were 290 primary school children between 8 and 12 years of age from London, England. Children's achievement was assessed using the mathematics, maps, and reading subscales of the…

The Problem Behavior Questionnaire is an indirect functional assessment instrument for use with students presenting behavior problems in general education settings. Preliminary studies indicate that the questionnaire offers a practical, easy assessment method which considers the potential effects of peer attention on problem behavior. The…