The parent version of the preschool social skills rating scale: An analysis of its use with low-income, ethnicminority children

This study examined the psychometric properties of the parent version of th e preschool Social Skills Rating Scale (SSRS-P) for low-income, African-Ame rican children. Analyses were conducted to test the construct validity of t he SSRS-P and to determine the relationship between this measure and its pa rallel teacher version. Exploratory factor analyses supported the two-facto r solution for the Behavior Problem scale proposed by the test authors. Ins tead of a four-factor solution, findings indicated only two factors for the Social Skills scare: Self-Control and Interpersonal Skill. Moreover, highe r-order factor analyses of parent Social Skills and Behavior Problem factor s showed only one dimension with the Social Skills and Behavior Problem as inverse poles of a single dimension. Comparison of the parent and teacher v ersions of the SSRS revealed no meaningful, expected relationships between them. Implications of these findings for cross-informant assessment of pres chool social competency with low-income, ethnic minority children were disc ussed.