Behavior Assessment: Universal Screening

How do I find out who needs social/emotional/behavioral help?

The following universal screening instruments are examples of various research-based screeners:

Behavioral Description Measures Cost Ease of Use

Screener
Systematic Grade(s): 1-6 Externalizing & $131.49 Quick
Screener for Use: Comprehensive behavior screening tool Internalizing (includes 45 minutes to 1
Behavior Validated by the Program Effectiveness Panel of the U.S. Department of reproducible hour per
Disorders Education screening classroom
(SSBD) Six research studies confirm the SSBDs ability to systematically screen and forms)
identify students at-risk of developing behavior problems
Universal screening with the SSBD is less costly and time-consuming than
traditional referral system (Walker & Severson, 1994)
Teachers complete Critical Events Index checklist for top three internalizers and
externalizers
Internalizers with four or more and externalizers with five or more critical
events immediately pass gate two and are eligible for simple a secondary
intervention (i.e., CICO)

SSBD: Walker & Severson, 1994

Behavioral and Grade(s)- Pre-K -12 Externalizing Requires Requires basic
emotional Use: School wide (Universal) screening tool behaviors (e.g., scantron understanding
Screening BASC-2/BESS: Kamphaus & Reynolds, 2007 acting out) machine of T-scores
System (BASC- Developed as a school-wide (Universal) screening tool for children in grades Internalizing
2/BESS) Pre-K to 12 behaviors (e.g., $26.25 for Takes
Similar to annual vision/hearing screenings withdrawn) 25 hand- approximately
Identifies behavioral and emotional strengths and weaknesses Adaptive skills scored five minutes, or
Teachers complete scantron forms (bubble sheets) for each student in their (e.g., social and protocols less per student
class self-care skills) Online to complete
Or, for top three internalizers and externalizers if using a multi-gate approach access via ratings
AIMSweb

Subscription
fees apply

Software:
$620
Strengths and Age(s): 3-17 Externalizing & FREE Pencil/paper
Difficulties Use: screening, clinical assessment, progress monitoring, research tool Internalizing administration
Questionnaire Behaviors or online
(SDQ) Technically sound: Large, representative normative group version
Items skewed toward externalizing behaviors
Perceived
(SDQ; Goodman, 2001) length of
http://www.sdqinfo.org administration
time viewed as
a con
Student Risk Grade(s): K-12 Externalizing & FREE Less than 5
Screening Scale SRSS: Drummond, 1993 Internalizing minutes per
(SRSS) Easy to understand and interpret score results Behaviors student; 15
Technically-adequate minutes for
Not as accurate as the SSBD regarding identification of internalizers entire class

Easy to
understand and
interrupt scores
Social Skills Age(s): 3-18 Problem behaviors, Technical Computer and
Improvement Use: class-wide screener social and manual: web-based
System (SSIS) SSIS: Gresham & Elliott, 2008 (originally the SRSS) academic $105.60 (AIMSweb)
Computer and web-based (AIMSweb) administration and scoring available competence Rating administration
Forms: and scoring
$43.75/pkg available
of 25
Scoring Time
Software: consuming; 10-
$640 25 minutes per
student
Social, Use(s): universal screener for overall general behaviors Overall general FREE Easy to use
Academic, and Grade(s): K-12 behavior(s)
Emotional
Behavior Risk
Screener
(SAEBRS)