SCREENING OF CHILD-BEHAVIOR PROBLEMS FOR PREVENTION PROGRAMS AT SCHOOL ENTRY

Targeted programs designed to prevent conduct problems in childhood an d adolescence rely on screening systems to identify high-risk individu als. This study examines the proximal usefulness of a multiple-gating approach to screening, using teacher and parent ratings in a 2-step pr ocedure with a sample of 382 kindergarten children. The study explored differences in the accuracy of the 2 steps of screening information a nd whether parents' reports of parenting practices augments the predic tion of negative outcomes. The 2-step screening system was found to ef fectively predict negative behavior outcomes over 1 year later, althou gh some false-positive and false-negative predictions were evident. Th e Parenting Practices Screen did not substantially add to prediction a ccuracy. The discussion emphasizes the potential contributions and pro blems of using screening measures.