Validity evidence of the Social, Academic, and Emotional Behavior Risk Screener - Teacher Rating Scale: A systematic review & quantitative synthesis

Abstract

Early identification of student social, emotional, and behavioral (SEB) concerns is vital to prevent and ameliorate future difficulties. Yet, assessment practices rely on sound validity arguments to accurately identify students who may benefit from support. As the strength of a validity argument relies on the extent of validity evidence, the synthesis of evidence may facilitate appropriate use and interpretation. Therefore, this systematic review synthesized peer-reviewed empirical studies and unpublished dissertations and theses of the Social, Academic, and Emotional Behavior Risk Screener - Teacher Rating Scale (SAEBRS-TRS) conducted in educational settings. Studies were included if they assessed the validity of the revised version of the SAEBRS-TRS. Data were extracted and coded for sample characteristics, procedural characteristics, evidence of validity, and quality appraisal. Results of the systematic search identified 29 studies meeting inclusion criteria, consisting of 65,317 students across K-12 grade levels. Overall, evidence of validity for SAEBRS-TRS scores was promising yet limited in several respects. Findings highlight limitations in the existing literature concerning the diversity of samples, a lack of studies examining measurement bias, the relative weakness of the Emotional Behavior subscale, and the need for further exploration of the factor structure for the revised version of the measure. Future research is critical to gain a complete understanding of this measure.