Risk and Protective Factors Scale: reliability and validity in preadolescents

Area of Science:

• Child Psychology
• Psychometric Assessment
• Developmental Psychopathology

Background:

• Disruptive Behaviour Disorders (DBDs) pose significant challenges in preadolescence.
• Early identification of risk factors is crucial for timely intervention.
• Existing assessment tools may require further validation or novel approaches.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the reliability and validity of the novel Risk and Protective Factors Scale (RPFS).
• To determine the RPFS's potential for predicting disruptive behaviour disorders in preadolescents.

Main Methods:

• A controlled study involving 120 children aged 6-12 years, divided into DBD and control groups.
• Administration of the RPFS alongside the Revised Child Behaviour Profile (RCBP) for comparison.
• Statistical analyses including interrater reliability (Cohen kappa), test-retest reliability (Pearson correlation), internal consistency (Cronbach alpha), and concurrent validity (Pearson correlation with RCBP).

Main Results:

• The RPFS demonstrated excellent interrater reliability (kappa=0.81) and test-retest reliability (r=0.76).
• High internal consistency (Cronbach alpha=0.89) and strong concurrent validity with the RCBP (r=0.82) were observed.
• The RPFS effectively discriminated between children with and without DBDs, indicating good discriminant validity.

Conclusions:

• The RPFS exhibits robust reliability and validity for assessing risk and protective factors in preadolescents.
• The scale shows promise in identifying children at risk for DBDs, potentially facilitating early intervention.
• Further longitudinal research is recommended to confirm the predictive power of the RPFS for DBD development.