A Validation of the Student Risk Screening Scale for Internalizing and Externalizing Behaviors: Patterns in Rural and Urban Elementary Schools

Abstract

: We report findings of two studies, one conducted in a rural school district (N = 982) and a second conducted in an urban district (N = 1,079), offering additional evidence of the reliability and validity of a revised instrument, the Student Risk Screening Scale–Internalizing and Externalizing (SRSS-IE), to accurately detect internalizing and externalizing behaviors. The SRSS-IE was modified to include seven additional items characteristic of internalizing behaviors. Items were developed based on information gleaned from current measures and the existing knowledge base as well as teaching experience with students with emotional or behavioral disorders. The original 7 items developed by Drummond (1994) were retained, resulting in a total of 14 items (SRSS-IE14). Scoring procedures remained the same as with the SRSS, with elementary teachers evaluating each student on each item using a 4-point Likert-type scale. In both studies, we examined item-level data, internal consistency, and factor structure. Results supported retention of five of the seven additional items, yielding the SRSS-IE12. In the second study, we explored and established convergent validity of the SRSS-IE12 as well as the two subscales (SRSS-E7, seven original externalizing items, and SRSS-15, five retained internalizing items) with the Systematic Screening for Behavior Disorders (H. M. Walker & Severson, 1992). Limitations and future directions are offered, including how to use information in designing Tier 2 and Tier 3 intervention supports.

Convergent, Criterion and Social Validity of the Emotional and Behavioral Screener

“…Estimates of the prevalence of students with emotional disturbance (ED) run from 2 % up to 20 % of all students (ages 4-17). However,\1 % of these school aged students actually receive interventions that are mandated by the Individuals with Disabilities Education Improvement Act of 2004 (IDEA) in the category of ED (Lane et al 2012). Efforts to identify this population are & Corey D. Pierce corey.pierce@unco.edu 1 obviously insufficient since this figure of 1 % of students who are actually receiving interventions has remained virtually unchanged since 1986 (Kauffman and Landrum 2009).…”

Duygusal ve Davranışsal Bozukluk Açısından Risk Altında Olan İlkokul Öğrencilerinin Belirlenmesi

“…Doi: 10.1177/1063426609338858 The children and adolescents with emotional and behavioral disorders (EBD) display a range of antisocial behaviors that are categorized as externalizing (EB) and internalizing behaviors (IB) in school, at home and in the community (Kauffman and Landrum, 2015). EB include antisocial behaviors that are accepted as difficult for the teachers and parents, such as verbal and physical aggression and noncompliance, whereas IB include depression, anxiety, somatic complaints and social withdrawal (Lane et al, 2012a). The previous literature emphasized that, unless the schools take necessary precautions, such as developing and implementing proactive and preventive programs, the students with EBD may encounter many difficulties within schools and in their future life (Austin and Sciarra, 2012).…”

Increasing Opportunities to Respond for Students With Internalizing Behaviors: The Utility of Choral and Mixed Responding

“…The SRSS-IE12 is an adapted version of the Student Risk Screening Scale (Drummond, 1994). SRSS-IE elementary version includes the original seven items and five new items reflecting internalizing behaviors (Lane et al, 2012). The SRSS-IE12 contains two subscale scores: the SRSS-E7 and the SRSS-I5.…”