Multi-informant universal screening: Evaluation of rater, item, and construct variance using a trifactor model

Area of Science:

• Educational Psychology
• Child Psychology
• School Psychology

Background:

• Universal screening is under-utilized in schools, with many relying on teacher referrals.
• Reliance on single-informant data (e.g., teacher reports) overlooks diverse perspectives on student risk.
• Understanding discrepancies between student and teacher reports is crucial for accurate risk identification.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate multi-informant universal screening using a trifactor model.
• To examine discrepancies in risk reports between students and teachers.
• To identify factors influencing these reporting differences.

Main Methods:

• Utilized the Social, Academic, and Emotional Behavior Risk Screener (SAEBRS) teacher (SAEBRS-TRS) and student (mySAEBRS) forms.
• Analyzed data from a national sample of over 24,000 K-12 teacher-student dyads.
• Employed a trifactor model to assess common, perspective, and item factors in discrepant reports.

Main Results:

• Informant perspective significantly predicted student and teacher ratings of emotional behavior risk.
• Age influenced risk reporting differently for students (younger more risk) and teachers (older more risk).
• Teacher perceptions of student social and emotional behaviors were predicted by student gender.

Conclusions:

• Multi-informant screening, considering both student and teacher perspectives, is vital for accurate risk assessment.
• Informant perspective is a key factor in understanding discrepancies in risk reporting.
• Future research should explore age and gender influences on risk perception in school settings.