Evaluating a pragmatic universal social behavioral screener: Confirmatory factor analysis, invariance testing, and predictive validity of the early identification system – Teacher report

Abstract

Despite the fact that as many as 1 in 5 youth in the United States experience social, behavioral, and emotional problems, few are identified and receive services. Further, studies suggest only a small fraction of schools engage in screening practices to detect such concerns. There is need for a feasible, efficient, and psychometrically sound universal screening measure in schools to support the identification, prevention and intervention of youth social, behavioral, and emotional problems. The purpose of this study was to confirm the factor structure, measurement invariance, and the predictive validity of the Early Identification System-Teacher Report (EIS-TR), a screener for social, emotional, and behavioral problems, using a sample of over 17,000 students in 31 Midwestern school buildings across kindergarten to 12th grade. The EIS-TR was developed by using extant literature on the risk indicators that lead to social, emotional, and behavioral challenges among children and youth. Participating schools screened the majority of their students (98 %). Confirmatory factor analyses identified six subscales with strong factor loadings on theoretically meaningful constructs. Further, the measure was invariant across school level (i.e., elementary, middle, and high school), gender, race, and free or reduced lunch status of students. Lastly, the EIS-TR subscales administered in the fall of the school year were predictive of important outcomes in spring, including attendance, disciplinary data, bully victimization, and academic achievement. The EIS-TR is a pragmatic and technically adequate screening tool in school settings.