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Development and validation of a Q-sort procedure to assess temperament and behavior in preschool-age children
Maureen E Buckley1, Daniel N Klein, C Emily Durbin
1State University of New York at Stony Brook, Psychology Department, Stony Brook, NY 11794-2500, USA. mbuckley@ic.sunysb.edu
Insights
The Child Temperament and Behavior Q-Set (CTBQ-Set) offers a reliable observational tool for assessing preschooler temperament and behavior. This naturalistic measure demonstrates good consistency and validity in home environments.
Area of Science:
- Child Psychology
- Developmental Psychology
- Behavioral Science
Background:
- Limited observational measures exist for preschool-age children's temperament and behavior.
- A need exists for naturalistic assessment tools to capture key developmental domains.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the Child Temperament and Behavior Q-Set (CTBQ-Set) as a naturalistic observational measure.
- To assess the reliability and validity of the CTBQ-Set for preschoolers.
Main Methods:
- Pairs of observers used the CTBQ-Set with q-sort methodology during two home visits.
- A community sample of preschoolers was observed in their natural environment.
- Construct validity was examined using correlations with existing child behavior checklists.
Main Results:
- The CTBQ-Set scales demonstrated good internal consistency and content saturation.
- High interrater reliability and moderate test-retest stability were observed.
- Correlations with the CBCL/2-3 and Children's Behavior Questionnaire supported construct validity.
Conclusions:
- The CTBQ-Set shows promise as a valid and reliable observer-rated measure.
- It effectively assesses preschooler behavior and temperament in naturalistic home settings.
Abstract:
Few broad observational measures of preschool-age children's temperament and behavior currently exist. Studied the Child Temperament and Behavior Q-Set (CTBQ-Set) as a naturalistic observation measure to tap the major domains of temperament and behavior in preschoolers. Pairs of observers rated the behavior of a community sample of preschoolers during 2 independent home visits using q-sort methodology. The CTBQ-Set scales displayed good levels of internal consistency and convergent and discriminant content saturation. The scales displayed good interrater reliability at each observation and moderate test-retest stability between observations. The construct validity of the CTBQ-Set scales was supported by correlations with mothers' ratings of their children's behavior using the Child Behavior Checklist for 2- and 3-year-olds (CBCL/2-3) and the Children's Behavior Questionnaire. The CTBQ-Set shows promise as an observer-reated measure of preschoolers' behavior and temperament in their natural home environment.
