PARADOXICAL PATTERNS IN THE MEASUREMENT OF HYPERACTIVITY

ABSTRACT: The use of rating scales rather than direct observation procedures to identify various behavior problems is a popular trend in the public school system. We compared a popular rating scale with a direct observation system to measure “hyperactive behaviors ” in a classroom setting. The subjects were 30 seventh grade students chosen at random from heterogeneously grouped students at a public middle school. A Pearson product-moment correlation was used to determine the magnitude and direction of the correlation between the data obtained by way of direct observations and the rating scale. Reliability coefficients were obtained, and a regression equation and coefficient of determination were calculated. A statistically significant but relatively low correlation was obtained between behaviors recorded by way of the direct observation instrument and the behavior rating scale. Interestingly, a strong negative correlation was found between the level of hyperactivity obtained on the rating scale and the rating scale reliability coefficients. Behavior analysts who work in the public school system are under increasing pressure to employ rating (Likert) scales in their assessment strategies. In fact, behavior rating scales have become one of the most popular types of assessment instruments in determining the extent and frequency of a wide range of maladaptive behaviors exhibited by children (Achenbach & Edelbrock, 1983