Award Date

5-1-2016

Degree Type

Dissertation

Degree Name

Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)

Department

Educational Psychology & Higher Education

First Committee Member

Scott Loe

Second Committee Member

Tara Raines

Third Committee Member

Colleen Morris

Fourth Committee Member

Mario Gaspar de Alba

Fifth Committee Member

Michelle Paul

Number of Pages

110

Abstract

Diagnosing a child with a Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD) is a complex process that can require the collaboration of many individuals. Gathering information from multiple informants has been essential for diagnosis (CDC, 2012). The Achenbach Child Behavior Checklist (CBCL) and Teacher Rating Form (TRF) have been used in research to determine cross-informant agreement within various clinical populations, but little research has studied the concordance of caregiver-teacher perceptions on the behavior of children with FASDs. Data from 139 participants diagnosed with an FASD through the Fetal Alcohol Syndrome Clinic in Las Vegas, Nevada were included for analysis. Interrater Pearson r correlations were calculated from mean T-Scores for cross-informant scales on the CBCL and TRF to determine the degree of concordance between caregiver and teacher perceptions of problem behaviors of children with FASDs. Effects of age, gender, and diagnosis on the degree of concordance between caregiver and teacher report were also examined. Results revealed weak to moderate correlations across several domains and factors, including Externalizing Problems, Total Problems, Attention Problems, Rule-Breaking Behavior, Aggressive Behavior, Social Problems, ADHD Problems, Oppositional Defiant Problems, and Conduct Problems. Further analysis indicated significant differences between mean T-Scores for caregivers and teachers. However, when analyzed within qualitative categories (i.e., Normal, Borderline, and Clinical), caregiver and teacher responses were similar on many scales. When compared to cross-informant correlations within Achenbach’s normalized sample of participants, results indicated stronger correlations within this sample on several broad and narrow domains. Practical implications, conclusions, and areas for future research are discussed.

Keywords

Achenbach; Child Behavior Checklist; Concordance; Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders; Fetal Alcohol Syndrome; Gender Differences

Disciplines

Educational Psychology | Psychology

File Format

pdf

Degree Grantor

University of Nevada, Las Vegas

Language

English

Rights

IN COPYRIGHT. For more information about this rights statement, please visit http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/


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