A psychometric study of the Preschool Behavior Checklist with developmentally delayed preschool children.

Item

Title
A psychometric study of the Preschool Behavior Checklist with developmentally delayed preschool children.
Identifier
AAI9997116
identifier
9997116
Creator
Palmer, Vikki Yvette.
Contributor
Adviser: Georgiana Shick Tryon
Date
2001
Language
English
Publisher
City University of New York.
Subject
Education, Tests and Measurements | Education, Early Childhood | Psychology, Psychometrics
Abstract
Study of the Preschool Behavior Checklist (PBCL; McGuire & Richman, 1988) was conducted to examine the factor structure of the PBCL, validate the factor subscales by correlating them with scale scores of the Preschool and Kindergarten Behavior Scales (PKBS; Merrell, 1994), and the Behavior Assessment System for Children---Teacher Rating Scales (BASC-TRS; Reynolds & Kamphaus, 1992) that appear to measure similar constructs, and develop local norms for African American, Hispanic, and Caucasian preschool-age, developmentally delayed students. Teachers of 129 developmentally delayed preschool age children completed the PBCL, the PKBS, and the BASC-TRS. The PBCL items seemed to form 5 subscales: Attentional, Social Relations, Adaptive Behavior, Internalizing Behavior, and Externalizing Behavior. A confirmatory factor analysis was conducted on the 5 rationally derived subscales of the PBCL. Results provided some support for the theoretical model. PBCL Total score and subscale scores from the above-noted factor analysis were correlated with select scales of the PKBS and BASC-TRS. All correlations were significant at the p < .01 level, suggesting that the PBCL subscales were measuring constructs similar to those measured by the PKBS and BASC-TRS scales. The Externalizing Behavior subscale was the most internally consistent PBCL subscale and had good test-retest reliability and correlated most highly with its counterparts---the PKBS and BASC-TRS externalizing scales. Lastly, in an attempt to improve internal consistency, the PBCL was revised and administered to 58 developmentally delayed preschool-age children. Internal consistency improved on the Adaptive Behavior and Social Relations subscales. The revised PBCL was correlated with select scales of the parent-completed Child Behavior Checklist (CBCL; Achenbach & Edelbrook, 1986). The correlation between the Externalizing Behavior subscales of each measure was significant at the p < .01 level. Results did not support replacing the PBCL with the revised PBCL.
Type
dissertation
Source
PQT Legacy Restricted.xlsx
degree
Ph.D.