Thomas J Gross1, Kristin Duppong Hurley2, Matthew C Lambert3, Michael H Epstein4, Amy L Stevens5. 1. University of Nebraska - Lincoln, 213 Barkley Memorial Center, Lincoln, NE 68583, 402-472-5484. 2. University of Nebraska - Lincoln, 247E Barkley Memorial Center, Lincoln, NE 68583, 402-472-5501. 3. University of Nebraska - Lincoln, 273 Barkley Memorial Center, Lincoln, NE 68583, 402-472-5487. 4. University of Nebraska - Lincoln, 202F Barkley Memorial Center, Lincoln, NE 68583, 402-472-5472. 5. National Research Institute at Father Flanagan's Boys' Home, 100 Crawford Drive, Boys Town, NE 68010.
Abstract
BACKGROUND: There is a need for brief progress monitoring measures of behavioral and emotional symptoms for youth in out-of-home care. The Symptoms and Functioning Severity Scale (SFSS; Bickman et al., 2010) is one measure that has clinician and youth short forms (SFSS-SFs); however, the psychometric soundness of the SFSS-SFs with youth in out-of-home care has yet to be examined. OBJECTIVE: The objective was to determine if the psychometric characteristics of the clinician and youth SFSS-SFs are viable for use in out-of-home care programs. METHODS: The participants included 143 youth receiving residential treatment and 52 direct care residential staff. The current study assessed internal consistency and alternate forms reliability for SFSS-SFs for youth in a residential care setting. Further, a binary classification test was completed to determine if the SFSS-SFs similarly classified youth as the SFSS full version for low- and elevated-severity. RESULTS: The internal consistency for the clinician and youth SFSS-SFs was adequate (α = .75 to .82) as was the parallel forms reliability (r = .85 to .97). The sensitivity (0.80 to 0.95), specificity (0.88 to 0.97), and overall accuracy (0.89 to 0.93) for differentiating low and elevated symptom severity was acceptable. CONCLUSIONS: The clinician and youth SFSS-SFs have acceptable psychometrics and may be beneficial for progress monitoring and additional research should clarify their potential for progress monitoring of youth in out-of-home programs.
BACKGROUND: There is a need for brief progress monitoring measures of behavioral and emotional symptoms for youth in out-of-home care. The Symptoms and Functioning Severity Scale (SFSS; Bickman et al., 2010) is one measure that has clinician and youth short forms (SFSS-SFs); however, the psychometric soundness of the SFSS-SFs with youth in out-of-home care has yet to be examined. OBJECTIVE: The objective was to determine if the psychometric characteristics of the clinician and youth SFSS-SFs are viable for use in out-of-home care programs. METHODS: The participants included 143 youth receiving residential treatment and 52 direct care residential staff. The current study assessed internal consistency and alternate forms reliability for SFSS-SFs for youth in a residential care setting. Further, a binary classification test was completed to determine if the SFSS-SFs similarly classified youth as the SFSS full version for low- and elevated-severity. RESULTS: The internal consistency for the clinician and youth SFSS-SFs was adequate (α = .75 to .82) as was the parallel forms reliability (r = .85 to .97). The sensitivity (0.80 to 0.95), specificity (0.88 to 0.97), and overall accuracy (0.89 to 0.93) for differentiating low and elevated symptom severity was acceptable. CONCLUSIONS: The clinician and youth SFSS-SFs have acceptable psychometrics and may be beneficial for progress monitoring and additional research should clarify their potential for progress monitoring of youth in out-of-home programs.
Authors: Megan F Chambers; Alison M Saunders; Brendan D New; Catherine L Williams; Anna Stachurska Journal: Clin Child Psychol Psychiatry Date: 2010-10 Impact factor: 2.544
Authors: Manuel Riemer; M Michele Athay; Leonard Bickman; Carolyn Breda; Susan Douglas Kelley; Ana R Vides de Andrade Journal: Adm Policy Ment Health Date: 2012-03