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Examined discriminative validity of the Parent Rating Scale (PRS) of the Behavior Assessment System for Children (BASC; Reynolds & Kamphaus, 1992, Circle Pines, MN: American Guidance Services). Two groups were compared: a cohort with recurrent abdominal pain (RAP) (n = 49) and children from the BASC-PRS standardization sample (n = 49) matched on the background characteristics of age, race/ethnicity, and gender. A multivariate, two-group discriminant function analysis was used to compare groups across standard scores from the nine clinical scales of the PRS. Results demonstrated that children with RAP could be differentiated (Wilks [lambda] = 0.642, F = 6.45, df (9, 88), p less than 0.001), and demonstrated higher scores on the Somatization, Depression, Anxiety, Attention Problems, and Withdrawal scales. Subsequent jackknifed classification analysis, diagnostic efficiency statistics, and an odds ratio for the classification analysis added to the overall validity of results. The practical utility of the BASC-PRS is further supported in light of expanding roles for school psychologists in the assessment and treatment of children with health problems. (Contains 4 tables.)

Presents a study, which examined the validity of the Behavior Assessment System for Children-Parent Rating Scale, by comparing the scores of children with recurrent abdominal pain (RAP) to a non-identified group of controls. Factors affected when children experience physical distress; Clinical features of RAP; Advantages of using schools as the location for delivering integrated services for children who are experiencing functional pain disorders; Role of school psychologists in the implementation of school health programs.