SOCIAL-EMOTIONAL CHARACTERISTICS OF PRESCHOOL-AGED CHILDREN REFERRED FOR CHILD FIND SCREENING AND ASSESSMENT - A COMPARATIVE-STUDY

Differences in parent ratings of social-emotional behavior among young children referred for Child Find screening and assessment and nonrefe rred children were examined Participants included 64 preschool-aged ch ildren referred for Child Find screening and assessment (CF group) and 64 preschool-aged children without such referrals or identified disab ilities (Comparison group). The Comparison group was matched to the CF group by gender and age, using a randomized block procedure. Social-e motional behavior of the participants was assessed using parent rating s on the Preschool and Kindergarten Behavior Scale (PKBS), a social sk ills and problem-behavior rating scale for use with children aged 3-6. PKBS scores were found to classify the participants into their respec tive groups with a substantial degree of accuracy. Significant differe nces were found between the two groups in social skills and problem be havior scores, with the CF participants evidencing greater social skil ls deficits and problem behavior excesses than the participants in the Comparison group. An inspection of frequency distributions of the two groups revealed that children referred for Child Find screening were approximately four times as likely to have significant social deficits , and approximately six times as likely to have significant problem-be havior excesses than their nonreferred comparison peers. New validity evidence for the PKBS is provided, along with recommendations for futu re research and clinical practice with the Child Find population. (C) 1998 Elsevier Science Ltd.