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Normative data on the Missouri Children's Picture Series and the Missouri Children's Behavior Checklist with Southern
Insights
This study presents personality data for Southern Black children using the Missouri Children
Area of Science:
- Developmental Psychology
- Child Psychology
- Psychometrics
Background:
- Limited normative data exist for objective personality inventories in Southern Black children.
- Previous research has not adequately addressed the psychometric properties of these instruments within this demographic.
Purpose of the Study:
- To establish normative data for Southern Black children on the Missouri Children's Picture Series (MCPS) and Missouri Children's Behavior Checklist (MBCL).
- To examine age and sex differences in personality and behavior ratings for this population.
Main Methods:
- Administered the MCPS to 615 Black children (ages 5-16) in a low socioeconomic area of the southeastern U.S.
- Collected MBCL parent ratings for 437 of these children.
- Analyzed means, standard deviations, and scale intercorrelations, considering age and sex effects.
Main Results:
- Presented normative data for eight MCPS scales and six MBCL scales.
- Observed systematic age and sex differences in personality and behavior ratings.
- These differences were found to be atypical compared to other MCPS samples.
Conclusions:
- The study provides crucial normative data for Southern Black children on the MCPS and MBCL.
- Findings highlight potential demographic-specific variations in personality and behavior assessment.
- Raises empirical questions about the validity and applicability of these instruments for Southern Black children.
Abstract:
Normative data are presented for Southern black children on two objective personality inventories for children: the Missouri Children's Picture Series (MCPS), a child picture-sorting task, and the Missouri Children's Behavior Checklist (MBCL), a parent rating scale. The MCPS was administered to 615 black children attending public schools in a low socioeconomic area of the southeast United States. Parents returned the MBCL on 437 of the children. Means and standard deviations on eight MCPS personality scales and six MCBL behavior rating scales are presented for black males and females at ages 5 through 16, and effects of age, sex, and various scale intercorrelations are discussed. Results suggest systematic age and sex differences on the various scales for black children that are quite atypical when compared with the MCPS in other samples. Various empirical questions regarding the validity of these instruments when used with Southern black children are raised.