Disruptive behavior scale for adolescents (DISBA): development and psychometric properties

Area of Science:

• Psychology
• Educational Psychology
• Adolescent Psychiatry

Background:

• Disruptive behavior in adolescents can persist, leading to delinquency, substance abuse, and violence.
• Valid and reliable measures are crucial for early identification and effective treatment of disruptive behaviors.
• The study aimed to develop and psychometrically evaluate a scale for disruptive behavior in adolescents.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop and assess the psychometric properties of the Persian version of the Disruptive Behavior Scale for Adolescents (DISBA).
• To provide a reliable tool for identifying and addressing disruptive behaviors in high school students.

Main Methods:

• The study involved 600 high school students (ages 15-18) selected via multi-stage random sampling.
• Psychometric properties were evaluated using content validity, Explanatory Factor Analysis (EFA), and Confirmatory Factor Analysis (CFA).
• Reliability was assessed through internal consistency and test-retest methods.

Main Results:

• EFA identified four factors explaining 59% of the variance: aggressive school behavior, classroom defiance, school disinterest, and defiance to authorities.
• The final 29-item scale showed a Goodness of Fit Index > 0.90 in CFA.
• Internal consistency reliability was 0.89, and test-retest reliability was 0.85.

Conclusions:

• The Iranian version of the DISBA possesses content validity.
• The scale demonstrates acceptable reliability and validity for assessing disruptive behavior in adolescents.
• Further research is recommended to further validate the DISBA's psychometric properties.