TY - JOUR
T1 - Assessing the strengths of young children at risk
T2 - Examining use of the preschool behavioral and emotional rating scale with a head start population
AU - Griffith, Annette K.
AU - Hurley, Kristin Duppong
AU - Trout, Alexandra L.
AU - Synhorst, Lori
AU - Epstein, Michael H.
AU - Allen, Elizabeth
PY - 2010
Y1 - 2010
N2 - Over the past decade, there has been an increased need for the development and use of psychometrically acceptable measures to assess the behavioral and emotional strengths of young children served in statewide preschool and Head Start programs. One measure developed to address this need is the Preschool Behavioral and Emotional Rating Scale (PreBERS), which is a strength-based instrument designed to evaluate the behavioral and emotional strengths of preschool children aged 3 to 5 years old. In a previous study with a nationally representative sample, researchers found that (a) the items of the PreBERS can best be described by a four-factor structure model (Emotional Regulation, School Readiness, Social Confidence, and Family Involvement), (b) the subscales and total measure have highly acceptable levels of internal consistency, and (c) differences were obtained for levels of strength for preschool children with and without disabilities. The findings of this investigation replicate these previous results with a national sample of children (N = 962) enrolled in Head Start programs. Confirmatory factor analysis and analyses of internal consistency and criterion validity provide support for the use of the PreBERS with children served in Head Start programs. Study limitations and implications are addressed.
AB - Over the past decade, there has been an increased need for the development and use of psychometrically acceptable measures to assess the behavioral and emotional strengths of young children served in statewide preschool and Head Start programs. One measure developed to address this need is the Preschool Behavioral and Emotional Rating Scale (PreBERS), which is a strength-based instrument designed to evaluate the behavioral and emotional strengths of preschool children aged 3 to 5 years old. In a previous study with a nationally representative sample, researchers found that (a) the items of the PreBERS can best be described by a four-factor structure model (Emotional Regulation, School Readiness, Social Confidence, and Family Involvement), (b) the subscales and total measure have highly acceptable levels of internal consistency, and (c) differences were obtained for levels of strength for preschool children with and without disabilities. The findings of this investigation replicate these previous results with a national sample of children (N = 962) enrolled in Head Start programs. Confirmatory factor analysis and analyses of internal consistency and criterion validity provide support for the use of the PreBERS with children served in Head Start programs. Study limitations and implications are addressed.
KW - Head Start
KW - preschool children
KW - strength-based assessment
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U2 - 10.1177/1053815110384059
DO - 10.1177/1053815110384059
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:77957313741
SN - 1053-8151
VL - 32
SP - 274
EP - 285
JO - Journal of Early Intervention
JF - Journal of Early Intervention
IS - 4
ER -