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Behavior rating inventory for moderately, severely, and profoundly retarded persons.
American Journal of Mental Deficiency
|January 1, 1978
Summary
A new behavior scale for institutionalized children with intellectual disabilities demonstrated high reliability and validity. This tool accurately assesses communication, self-help, and social skills, aiding in clinical evaluation.
Area of Science:
- Psychometrics
- Developmental Psychology
- Behavioral Science
Background:
- Assessing behavior in institutionalized children with intellectual disabilities is crucial for proper care and intervention.
- Existing behavioral scales may lack sufficient reliability and validity for this specific population.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the reliability and validity of a new behavior rating scale for institutionalized children with intellectual disabilities.
- To determine if the scale effectively measures key behavioral domains including communication, self-help, physical skills, self-control, and social behavior.
Main Methods:
- A new behavior rating scale was administered to a sample of institutionalized children with intellectual disabilities (total IQs 2-53).
- Interrater agreement was assessed. Validity was examined using factor analysis, correlation with ward placement levels, and comparison with independent behavioral measures.
Main Results:
- The scale demonstrated clinically and statistically acceptable interrater agreement.
- Factor analysis supported the a priori subscale structure.
- Cognitive and psychomotor development factors explained 75% of the variance in ward placement (multiple R = .86).
- Individual items showed high correlations with independent behavioral measures.
Conclusions:
- The new Behavior Rating Inventory for the Retarded exhibits strong reliability and validity.
- Its demonstrated accuracy and ease of use offer significant advantages over existing scales for assessing behavior in institutionalized children with intellectual disabilities.