Do Latino and White Parents Interpret DECA’s Behavioral Concerns in Similar Ways: Assessing Measurement Invariance

• In Event: Navigating Identity, Equity, and Cultural Narratives in Education

Abstract

This study examined whether the responses to the behavioral concerns scale from the preschool version of the Devereaux Early Childhood Assessment, 2nd edition (DECA-P2) were psychometrically equivalent across 313 Spanish-speaking parents of Latino children, 276 English-speaking parents of Latino children, and 823 English-speaking parents of white children. Using exploratory factor analysis, we found the behavioral concerns scale was not unidimensional (as intended by the developers of the DECA-P2), but was instead a 4-factor scale. A confirmatory factor analysis indicated that there is general consensus across parents of different linguistic and ethnic backgrounds with respect to the types of behaviors that are considered problematic, but that cross-group comparisons of average ratings of challenging behaviors should be avoided.

Authors

• Ji Eun Park, NORC at the University of Chicago

• Vi-Nhuan Le, NORC at the University of Chicago

• Diana Schaack, University of Colorado - Denver

• Laura S. Hamilton, National Center for the Improvement of Educational Assessment, Inc.

• Cristal Cisneros, Denver Preschool Program

• Jolene Castillo Gregory, Denver Public Schools