In-School Adaptive Behavior: Assessment Domains of Behavior Rating Scales and Child Characteristics

Abstract

This study examined the in-school adaptive behavior of 283 randomly selected black, Hispanic and white 7-year-old children with two teacher behavior rating scales, Brown and Hammill's Behavior Rating Profile (BRP) and Mercer's Teacher Questionnaire (MTQ). Multiple regression analyses showed that the single best predictor of school functioning was MTQ competence ratings. Sociability as measured by the MTQ was only moderately related to school functioning. The BRP, a rating scale of behavior problems, appears to be a measure of social conformity in that it correlated most highly with the MTQ social conformity score. The BRP did not correlate highly with school functioning (either grades or standardized achievement test scores). Multivariate analyses indicated that child characteristics (gender and ethnic group) arc strongly related to teacher ratings of adaptive behavior. Specific correlations between adaptive behavior ratings and school functioning and the patterns of correlations varied across ethnic groups. The implications of these systematic rating differences were discussed in relation to the mandates for assessment of adaptive behavior and for nonbiased assessment. It is apparent that sociocultural background characteristics must be considered explicitly in the decision making process.