The development and validation of an observational measure of children\u27s internalizing and externalizing behaviors for use in the Head Start setting: The Child Brief Observation Measure of Behavior

This project involved the initial development and preliminary validation of a structured observational measure of children\u27s behavior, the Child Brief Observation Measure of Behavior (CBOMB) using a sample of Head Start children. Behavioral observation has been accepted and validated in identifying children at risk for the development of internalizing and externalizing disorders (see Dekker, Koot, van der Ende, & Verhulst; 2002; Flanagan, 1995; Ostrander, Weinfurt, Yarnold, & August, 1998). Head Start employs mental health consultants whose primary responsibility is to observe each child in every classroom to screen children in need of mental health services. With no standard screener in the preschool age currently, consultants rely on unstructured observations and may not adequately identify children in need. The current project was conducted as two studies: Study 1 involved the initial item development and factor analysis of the CBOMB; Study 2 focused on the generation of early psychometric data related to the measure. The resulting measure from Study 1 consisted of two portions: a direct observation measure of children\u27s classroom behavior and a rating scale completed after an observation session by mental health consultants. Both portions of the CBOMB were designed to be used as screening instruments for the identification of problematic classroom behaviors. Factor analysis resulted in four factors reflecting externalizing behavior, irritability and somatization, social withdrawal, and positive peer relations, with a fifth factor of classroom compliance retained for exploratory purposes. Results from Study 2 indicated that three factors of the CBOMB had adequate psychometric properties and the measure had good construct validity as compared with existing measure of children\u27s behavior. The CBOMB allowed for observations of 4 children at a time within the same classroom. The use of such a standardized measure ensures that all children are observed for the same amount of time and that behaviors which may affect a child\u27s performance in the classroom (both academically and socially) are identified. Further research should aim to replicate the findings of the present study with a new group of Head Start children as well as to extend the use of the measure to other preschool age populations