The convergent validity of the Romanian version of the Behavioral Assessment of Children: A Multitrait-Multimethod Analysis

Abstract

This study assessed the validity of the Behavior Assessment System for Children 2nd Edition, by providing evidence based on a multitraitmultimethod (MTMM) analysis performed on data obtained with a culturally adapted form of the test. The study included two Romanian samples (161 adolescents aged 12-18 years and 91 children aged 8-12 years) that were each assessed with all the three age corresponding forms (self, parent, and teacher) of the test. We used a confirmatory factor analytic framework in order to test the convergent and discriminant validity of BASC-2, by generating a CFAbased multi-trait, multi-method latent factor correlation matrix. Results showed that, for both the Adolescent and Child forms, the coefficients falling under the validity diagonal (mono-trait, hetero-method) have the highest median values, compared to the coefficients encountered in the monomethod block and those in the heteromethod-heterotrait triangles. The study provides evidence for the construct validity of the multi-trait, multi-rater assessment system that is the basis of the BASC-2.