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INTERNALIZING/EXTERNALIZING BEHAVIOR PROBLEMS
NATIONAL SURVEY OF AMERICA’S FAMILIES
Measure: Child Behavior and Emotional Problems Scale
Background
The Child Behavior and Emotional Problems Scale within the Issues, Problems, Social Services section of the National Survey of America’s Families (NSAF) interview, measures aspects of both internalizing and externalizing behaviors collectively and is thus considered a more general measure of behavior problems. The Child Behavior and Emotional Problems Scale consists of nine items selected from the original measure, the Child Behavior Checklist (CBCL; NHIS, 1997), an often-used, parent-rated measure of child and adolescent socio-emotional problems. Six items are used for each focal child.
These particular items were selected because they were used as the socio-emotional indicators for the National Health Interview Survey (NHIS) and were identified as “providing the best discrimination between demographically similar children referred and not referred for mental health services” (Ehrle & Moore, 1997, 4–2).
NSAF is a part of the Urban Institute’s Assessing the New Federalism project and was developed and conducted in partnership with Child Trends, Inc. The first round of the study was funded by 16 different foundations, and data collection was administered by Westat.
Population Assessed
The NSAF is a representative survey of the noninstitutionalized, civilian population of persons under age 65 in the nation as a whole and in 13 states. Three of the nine behavior problem items were asked of all children under the age of 18, whereas two other three-question sets were age dependent. That is, parents of children in each age group of children (i.e., 6 to11 and 12 to17) were each asked six questions. The original scale in the NHIS used gender differentiated scoring. The NSAF did not make a gender differentiation and scored only by age.
Periodicity
Three rounds of data have been collected: 1997, 1999, and 2002.
Subscales/Components
This information is not readily available.
Procedures for Administration
The major mode of data collection was through one-on-one, computer-assisted telephone interviews (CATI). To ensure that those without phone-service were represented, a smaller sample of homes without phones was obtained, and phones were provided. The interview format required the “Most Knowledgeable Adult” (MKA) to respond to statements regarding specific child behaviors over the past month as being “often true,” “sometimes true,” or “never true.” The time needed to administer these items is not expressly stated, but is estimated at 2 to 5 minutes, given the time needed for the full-length CBCL.
Psychometrics/Data Quality
Reliability
Internal reliability—Based on unweighted data, the scale had an alpha coefficient of .73 for children ages 6 to 11 and .75 for children ages 12 to 17.
Validity
Construct Validity—To access construct validity, the sample was broken into demographic groups that have been repeatedly associated with negative socioemotional outcomes for children and adolescents, and Child Behavior and Emotional Problems Scale scores were compared by group. For both age groups, the demographic groups’ Child Behavior and Emotional Problems Scale scores differed substantially. Fourteen and 21 percent (6- to 11-year-old and 12- to 17-year-old age groups, respectively) of children of parents without a spouse and an income less than 50 percent of the poverty line showed high emotional/behavioral problem ratings, compared to 4 percent and 5 percent among children of married parents with incomes of at least 200 percent above the poverty line. Similarly, 16 percent and 30 percent of children whose parents did not have a high school diploma and who received welfare showed high levels of emotional/behavioral problems, for 6- to 11-year-old and 12- to 17-year-old age groups, respectively. Rates for children of parents with college degrees and not receiving welfare were much lower: 4 percent and 6 percent. This illustrates that this scale is concurrent with relationships generally found in the literature and warrants including in an intervention or environmental variation study that is interested in this outcome.
Missing Data and Variability of Data
Missing data was minimal at both the scale and item level. Scale scores could be derived for 98.2% of the sample of MKAs in the 6- to 11-year-old group, and individual item response rates ranged from 97.57 percent to 98.17 percent. This was similar for the MKAs within the 12- to 17-year-old group, with 97.4 percent of the sample earning a scale score. Item level response was also high, ranging from 97.02 percent to 98.16 percent.
The distribution was slightly skewed to the positive end. This is to be expected from a parent report measure.
Languages Available
The survey is available in Spanish and English.
Items Included
Items from the NSAF interview follow:
Survey Section: Issues, Problems, Social Services
To parent:
Q N3: I am going to read a list of items that sometimes describe children. For each item please tell me if it has been often true, sometimes, true, or never true for the child in the past month (children of both age groups).
- doesn’t get along with other kids
- can’t concentrate or pay attention for long
- has been unhappy, sad, or depressed
QN4: I am going to read a list of items that sometimes describe children. For each item please tell me if it has been often true, sometimes, true, or never true for the child in the past month (only 6-to 11-year-olds).
- feels worthless of inferior
- has been nervous, high strung, or tense
- acts too young for his/her age
QN5: I am going to read a list of items that sometimes describe children. For each item please tell me if it has been often true, sometimes, true, or never true for the child in the past month (only 12-to 17-year-olds).
- has trouble sleeping
- lies or cheats
- does poorly at school work
References and Source Documents
Achenbach, T. M., & & Rescorla, L. A. (2000). Manual for the ASEBA preschool forms & profiles. Burlington, VT: University of Vermont, Research Center for Children, Youth, & Families.
Ehrle, J., & Moore, K. A. (1997). 1997 NSAF Benchmarking measures of child and family well- being. Washington, DC: Urban Institute.
Kenney, G., Scheuren, F., & Wang, K. (1997). 1997 NSAF Survey methods and data reliability: Report No. 1. Washington, DC: Urban Institute.
http://www.urban.org/content/Research/NewFederalism/NSAF/Methodology/1999MethodologySeries/1999.htm
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