Examining Behavioral Ratings Between Lead and Assistant Teachers Using Dyadic Multigroup Invariance

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Abstract

The current study examined universal screening ratings from both lead and assistant teachers using a popular screening instrument, the Behavioral and Emotional Screening System, Teacher Rating Scale-Preschool (Kamphaus & Reynolds, 2015).
Using scores of the same child by lead and assistant teachers, we examined invariance of teacher ratings; we also accounted for the non-independent nature of the data using a dyadic analysis.
Lead and assistant teacher ratings were found to be invariant. Estimated factor means for Internalizing Risk and Externalizing Risk were not significantly different across lead and assistant teacher ratings; however Adaptive Skills means differed. Assistant teachers rated preschool children as being at a lower risk level for adaptive skills relative to lead teacher ratings.

Authors

• Christine DiStefano, University of South Carolina

• Ruiqin Gao, University of South Carolina

• Fang Wang, University of South Carolina

• Fred Greer, University of South Carolina

• Huijuan Wang, University of South Carolina