Submission Type

Article

Preliminary Examination of the Reliability and Validity of the Teacher Rating Scale of Social Competence and School Adjustment for Preschool and Kindergarten Children

Authors

Kristen N. Missall
Kayla D. Polk
Salloni Nanda

Abstract

Prosocial behaviors in preschool and kindergarten are associated with student well-being and positive school outcomes. A teacher rating scale focused on young children’s social strengths can provide educators with important information for supporting children in their classroom with social instruction and intervention. The purpose of this study was to examine the technical adequacy of a teacher rating scale developed expressly to measure prosocial development in young children, the Scale of Social Competence and School Adjustment (SSCSA). Using data from a sample of preschool- and kindergarten-aged children in inclusive classrooms, analyses examined the reliability and validity of the SSCSA. Results provided evidence of internal consistency and strong test-retest reliability over two weeks. Analyses of concurrent validity with criterion measures showed strong positive correlations with subscales of social skills and moderate to strong negative correlations with subscales of problem behaviors. Overall, findings provided initial evidence that supports ongoing evaluation of the technical adequacy of the SSCSA.

Recommended Citation

Missall, Kristen N.; Polk, Kayla D.; and Nanda, Salloni (2022) "Preliminary Examination of the Reliability and Validity of the Teacher Rating Scale of Social Competence and School Adjustment for Preschool and Kindergarten Children," Perspectives on Early Childhood Psychology and Education: Vol. 6: Iss. 2, Article 11.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.58948/2834-8257.1020
Available at: https://digitalcommons.pace.edu/perspectives/vol6/iss2/11