Citation

Briggs-Gowan MJ, Carter AS, McCarthy K, Augustyn M, Caronna E, Clark R. J. Pediatr. Psychol. 2013; 38(5): 577-587.

Affiliation

Department of Psychiatry, University of Connecticut Health Center, Department of Psychology, University of Massachusetts at Boston, Department of Pediatrics, Boston University, Harvard Vanguard Medical Developmental and Behavioral Pediatrics, Boston, MA, and Department of Psychiatry, University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2013, Oxford University Press)

DOI

10.1093/jpepsy/jst014

PMID

23603252

Abstract

OBJECTIVE: To address a pressing need for measures of clinically significant social-emotional/behavioral problems in young children by examining several validity indicators for a brief parent-report questionnaire. METHODS: An ethnically and economically diverse sample of 213 referred and nonreferred 2- and 3-year-olds was studied. The validity of the Brief Infant-Toddler Social-Emotional Assessment (BITSEA) Problem Index and Internalizing and Externalizing scales was evaluated relative to a "gold standard" diagnostic interview, as well as the Child Behavior Checklist (CBCL). RESULTS: The validity of the BITSEA Problem Index relative to Diagnosis (sensitivity = 72.7%-80.8%, specificity = 70.0%-83.3%) and clinical-range CBCL scores (sensitivity = 80.0%-96.2%, specificity = 75.0%-89.9%) was supported in the full sample and within minority/nonminority groups. Additional results supported the validity of the BITSEA Internalizing and Externalizing scales. CONCLUSIONS: Documented validity suggests that the BITSEA may be a valuable tool to aid screening, identification, and assessment efforts targeting early-emergent social-emotional/behavioral problems. Practical implications and generalizability are discussed.

Language: en