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The purpose of the current study was to examine the validity and diagnostic accuracy of the Intervention Selection Profile—Social Skills (ISP‐SS), a brief social skills assessment tool intended for use with students in need of Tier 2 intervention. Participants included 160 elementary and middle school students who had been identified through universal screening as at risk for behavioral concerns. Teacher participants (n = 71) rated each of these students using both the ISP‐SS and the Social Skills Improvement System—Rating Scales (SSiS‐RS), with the latter measure serving as the criterion within validity and diagnostic accuracy analyses. Confirmatory factor analysis supported ISP‐SS structural validity, indicating ISP‐SS items broadly conformed to a single "Social Skills" factor. Follow‐up analyses suggested ISP‐SS broad scale scores demonstrated adequate internal consistency reliability, with hierarchical omega coefficient equal to 0.86. Correlational analyses supported the concurrent validity of ISP‐SS items, finding each ISP‐SS item to be moderately or highly related to its corresponding SSiS‐RS subscale. Finally, analyses indicated three of the seven ISP‐SS items that demonstrated sufficient diagnostic accuracy; however, findings suggest additional revisions are needed if the ISP‐SS is to be appropriate for use in schools. Implications for practice and future research are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A line of research has supported the development and validation of Direct Behavior Rating–Single Item Scales (DBR-SIS) for use in progress monitoring. Yet, this research was largely conducted within the general education setting with typically developing children. It is unknown whether the tool may be defensibly used with students exhibiting more substantial concerns, including students with social competence difficulties. The purpose of this investigation was to examine the concurrent validity of DBR-SIS in a middle school sample of students exhibiting substantial social competence concerns (n = 58). Students were assessed using both DBR-SIS and systematic direct observation (SDO) across three target behaviors. Each student was enrolled in one of two interventions: the Social Competence Intervention or a business-as-usual control condition. Students were assessed across three time points, including baseline, mid-intervention, and postintervention. A review of across-time correlations indicated small to moderate correlations between DBR-SIS and SDO data (r = .25–.45). Results further suggested that the relationships between DBR-SIS and SDO targets were small to large at baseline. Correlations attenuated over time, though differences across time points were not statistically significant. This was with the exception of academic engagement correlations, which remained moderate–high across all time points. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of this study was to conduct reliability and validity generalization meta-analyses of evidence regarding the Student Risk Screening Scale (SRSS), a universal screener for externalizing behavior problems. A systematic review of the literature resulted in the identification of 17 studies inclusive of evidence regarding SRSS score (a) internal consistency reliability (i.e., alpha coefficients), and/or (b) criterion-related validity (e.g., correlations between the SRSS and various outcomes). Multilevel meta-analyses indicated that across studies, SRSS scores were associated with adequate internal consistency (α = .83). Analyses further suggested the SRSS was a valid indicator of both social and behavioral outcomes (r = .52) and academic outcomes (r = .42). Follow-up analyses suggested that in accordance with theory-driven expectations, the SRSS was a stronger indicator of externalizing problems and broad behavior outcomes relative to alternative outcomes (e.g., internalizing problems). Limitations and directions for future research are discussed, including recommendations for the collection of additional SRSS diagnostic accuracy evidence. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In recent years, schools have started implementing preventive practices such as universal screening. Yet, researchers have not evaluated the extent to which universal screening contributes to academic and behavioral outcomes. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the treatment utility of universal screening for behavioral risk. Student participants were randomly assigned to two groups, corresponding to a different method of identification (office discipline referrals and universal screening). Participants identified as at risk, based on their office discipline referral data or universal screening data, and selected for intervention, received a Tier 2 intervention. Data were analyzed using a fixed-effects regression model. Analyses identified no statistically significantly differences between the two groups with regard to various academic and behavioral outcomes, suggesting universal screening did not contribute to changes in student functioning. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Many populations served by special education, including those identified with autism, emotional impairments, or students identified as not ready to learn, experience social competence deficits. The Social Competence Intervention-Adolescents’ (SCI-A) methods, content, and materials were designed to be maximally pertinent and applicable to the social competence needs of early adolescents (i.e., age 11-14 years) identified as having scholastic potential but experiencing significant social competence deficits. Given the importance of establishing intervention efficacy, the current paper highlights the results from a four-year cluster randomized trial (CRT) to examine the efficacy of SCI-A (n = 146 students) relative to Business As Usual (n = 123 students) school-based programming. Educational personnel delivered all programming including both intervention and BAU conditions. Student functioning was assessed across multiple time points, including pre-, mid-, and post-intervention. Outcomes of interest included social competence behaviors, which were assessed via both systematic direct observation and teacher behavior rating scales. Data were analyzed using multilevel models, with students nested within schools. Results suggested after controlling for baseline behavior and student IQ, BAU and SCI students differed to a statistically significant degree across multiple indicators of social performance. Further consideration of standardized mean difference effect sizes revealed these between-group differences to be representative of medium effects (d > .50). Such outcomes pertained to student (a) awareness of social cues and information, and (b) capacity to appropriately interact with teachers and peers. The need for additional power and the investigation of potential moderators and mediators of social competence effectiveness are explored. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

School systems are the primary providers for the increasing number of children with mental health needs. School-based universal screening offers a valuable way to identify children that would benefit from school-based mental health services. However, many existing screening systems rely on teacher ratings alone and do not incorporate student self-ratings. The current study evaluates the psychometric properties of the Social, Academic, and Emotional Behavior Risk Screener–Student Rating Scale (SAEBRS-SRS), a new 20-item multidimensional universal screener intended to provide assessment data on students’ social, academic, and emotional functioning. The SAEBRS-SRS complements the SAEBRS Teacher Rating Scale (TRS), which has previously demonstrated robust psychometric evidence. In the current study, data were collected from a racially and ethnically diverse sample of middle school students. Confirmatory factor analyses supported a bifactor structure consistent with the SAEBRS-TRS, with items corresponding to internally consistent Social, Academic, and Emotional Behaviors subscales, as well as an overall Total Behavior scale. The current analyses yield promising initial support for the development of the SAEBRS-SRS. Implications and the need for future research to provide additional psychometric evidence are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present study examined the use of student test performance for merit pay and teacher evaluation as predictive of both educator stress and counterproductive teaching practices, and the moderating role of perceived test value. Structural equation modelling of data from a sample of 7281 educators in a South-eastern state in the United States supported the hypothesis that educators who perceived the test as an invalid measure of teaching effectiveness were more likely to report high levels of test stress and to use counterproductive teaching practices, including fear appeals, in an attempt to motivate students for test-taking. This study provides initial evidence for the hypothesised relationships of test-based accountability policy with teacher mental health and instructional practices. Implications for research and practice are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Universal screening for behavioral and emotional risk represents an important component of multitiered systems of support, being a means by which schools identify at-risk students and evaluate the effectiveness of Tier 1 programming. Despite its importance, many schools have not adopted universal screening procedures, instead relying upon more reactive methods of student identification. A particularly common concern around screening includes the potential for over identification of at-risk students and the exhaustion of already limited school resources. This article introduces a novel universal screening procedural framework intended to address this concern, yet allow for proactive-oriented universal screening. This framework structures the universal screening process by determining (a) the targets of multitiered systems of support and (b) how school resources and educator time should be allocated to meet student needs efficiently and effectively. Information is provided regarding implementation of the framework, along with illustrative examples of the process and its relation to Tier 1 (school- and class-wide intervention) and Tier 2 (individual- and group-level intervention) practices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With the advent of multi-tiered problem solving frameworks, including positive behavior interventions and supports (PBIS), has come increasing emphasis on general education classroom teachers serving as data collectors, assessors, and interventionists for students demonstrating problem behavior. As such, there is need for teachers to have access to strategies that can be used as a foundation of service delivery and that are appropriate in assessment, intervention, and communication across a wide range of students and situations. Research suggests that Direct Behavior Rating (DBR) is a particularly promising tool for tracking student progress, affecting change in student behavior, maintaining and generalizing treatment effects over time and settings, and enhancing communication between school professionals and families. This article offers an overview of DBR and its various uses and suggestions for practitioners in implementing it as a tool for Tier 2 support. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The current study served to extend previous research on scaling construction of Direct Behavior Rating (DBR) in order to explore the potential flexibility of DBR to fit various intervention contexts. One hundred ninety-eight undergraduate students viewed the same classroom footage but rated student behavior using one of eight randomly assigned scales (i.e., differed with regard to number of gradients, length of scale, discrete vs. continuous). Descriptively, mean ratings typically fell within the same scale gradient across conditions. Furthermore, results of generalizability analyses revealed negligible variance attributable to the facet of scale type or interaction terms involving this facet. Implications for DBR scale construction within the context of intervention-related decision making are presented and discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

In this study, preliminary evidence of the potential for Direct Behavior Rating (DBR) in screening assessment of school social behavior is provided through evaluation of the concurrent validity of DBR with a commonly used criterion measure. The teacher-completed form of the Social Skills Rating System (SSRS) was selected as the criterion measure given similarity to DBR in both broad construct of interest and intended use. Classroom teachers completed DBRs of academic engagement and disruptive behavior twice daily, along with fall and spring completion of the SSRS. Overall results support a moderate to strong association between the methods, with stronger correlations in the fall assessment period. In addition, evidence of teacher acceptability for DBR is provided. Along with specific recommendations for future research, implications are discussed regarding selection and interpretation of behavior assessment methods for screening purposes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Advancing equity and justice in school mental health can address inequities in school-based services and outcome disparities. The purpose of this special issue is to promote equitable and just systems and practices in school mental health to promote change in institutional practices that have produced and reproduced inequities over time. The four articles in this special issue clarify a process for advancing equity in school mental health by addressing justice-centered variables to promote connections across and within systems to realize a vision of comprehensive and integrated school mental health. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A line of research has supported the incremental and construct validity of multi-informant assessment. Accordingly, multiple universal screening systems have been designed to support the collection of information from multiple informants. The purpose of the study was to expand the Social, Academic, and Emotional Behavior Risk Screener (SAEBRS) suite of tools to include a novel parent form (SAEBRS-P). Specific aims of the study included the examination of SAEBRS-P factor structure, internal consistency reliability, and concurrent validity. Screening was conducted across four elementary schools in the Pacific Northwest with 212 students and their parents. Factor analytic results supported the retention of four factors, which demonstrated acceptable internal consistency reliability. Further analyses supported SAEBRS-P concurrent criterion-related validity, indicating moderate to high correlations between SAEBRS-P and Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ) scales. Limitations and implications for research are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Data derived from universal screening procedures are increasingly utilized by schools to identify and provide additional support to students at risk for behavioral and emotional concerns. As screening has the potential to be resource intensive, effort has been placed on the development of efficient screening procedures, including brief behavior rating scales (BBRS). This study utilized classical test theory and generalizability theory to examine the extent to which differences among students, raters, occasions, and screening measures affect the amount of variance in data derived from universal screening procedures. Teacher pairs from three middle school classrooms completed two BBRS during fall and spring for each student in their classrooms. Correlation coefficients examining interrater reliability, test-retest reliability, and convergent validity were generally strong. Generalizability analyses indicated that the majority of variance in teacher ratings was attributable to student differences across all score comparisons, but differences between teacher ratings for particular students accounted for relatively large percentages of error variance among student behavior ratings. Although decision studies suggested that increasing the number of screening occasions resulted in more generalizable data, they also demonstrated that increasing the number of raters not only resulted in more generalizable data but also procedures that are more efficient. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Evidence-based interventions (EBIs) have become a central component of school psychology research and practice, but EBIs are dependent upon the availability and use of evidence-based assessments (EBAs) with diverse student populations. Multi-group confirmatory factor analysis (MG-CFA) is an analytical tool that can be used to examine the validity and measurement equivalence/invariance of scores across diverse groups. The objective of this article is to provide a conceptual and procedural overview of categorical MG-CFA, as well as an illustrated example based on data from the Social and Academic Behavior Risk Screener (SABRS) – a tool designed for use in school-based interventions. This article serves as a non-technical primer on the topic of MG-CFA with ordinal (rating scale) data and does so through the framework of examining equivalence of measures used for EBIs within multi-tiered models – an understudied topic. To go along with the illustrated example, we have provided supplementary files that include sample data, Mplus input code, and an annotated guide for understanding the input code ( http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.jsp.2016.11.002 ). Data needed to reproduce analyses in this article are available as supplemental materials (online only) in the Appendix of this article. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The success of a comprehensive and integrated school mental health system is dependent on data to inform decision-making. Universal screening is one such method utilized by schools to inform treatment across universal, targeted, and individual levels of service. However, the use of multiple informants (teacher and student) remains elusive due to a lack of practical and research based-aggregation guidance. The purpose of the current study is to identify the optimal numbers of rater agreement profiles, determine demographic predictors of profiles membership, and if profiles differentially predict distal academic outcomes. Nearly 24,000 teacher-student dyads were included in this study. Results suggested four profiles emerged with significant differences in academic outcomes. Considerations for research and practice are presented. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Preschool has been recognized as an optimal time to provide behavioral and emotional supports to children; however, there is a need to examine the stability, accuracy, and predictive validity of universal emotional and behavioral screening scores in early childhood to inform procedures for repeated screenings across time. The present study included a sample of 1,014 students assessed with the Behavioral and Emotional Screening System Teacher Preschool screening form and comprehensive, omnibus teacher rating scales in preschool through first grade. Results indicated that scores from the Behavioral and Emotional Screening System Teacher screener were relatively stable within the school year and showed evidence of predictive validity of clinical problems in early childhood. To help identify who may benefit from a repeated screening later in the academic year, receiver operating characteristic curve analyses were conducted. A cut score of 51 emerged as a useful cut point to minimize expended resources and maximize sensitivity and specificity in finding new cases of risk. Implications for practitioners are discussed, including those related to the efficiency, timing, and frequency of screening in early childhood. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The first purpose of the current study was to examine the defensibility of common recommendations for the frequency of screening administrations. The second purpose was to examine the internal consistency and criterion- related validity of the Devereux Student Strengths Assessment (DESSA)-mini (Naglieri, LeBuffe, & Shapiro, 2011a), a strength-based social-emotional and behavioral (SEB) risk screening tool. Specifically, the current study examined the defensibility of the oft-recommended triannual screening schedule, while also evaluating alternative screening schedules (i.e., once and twice per year). Participants included 525 students sampled across 2 rural mid-western elementary schools. Teachers completed the DESSA-mini across 3 time periods throughout the school year. Schools provided data for outcome variables, including student attendance, reading scores, and office discipline referrals (ODRs). Analyses revealed (a) adequate internal consistency and alternate forms reliability of DESSA-mini scores, and (b) small to moderate relations between DESSA-mini scores and the various outcomes. Findings also suggested strength-based SEB risk status was relatively stable over the 3 screening periods. Furthermore, generalized linear modeling and classification accuracy analyses indicated that after accounting for fall screening scores, winter and spring screening scores contributed little to the prediction of the outcome variables. Limitations and implications for practice are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]