Assessing Emotional and Behavioural Problems with the Child Behaviour Checklist: Exploring the Relevance of Adjusting the Norms for the Flemish Community

Caroline Braet,Justine Callens,Mark Schittekatte,Celina Druart,Herbert Roeyers,Veerle Soyez

doi:10.5334/pb-51-3-4-213

Abstract

The Child Behaviour Checklist (CBCL) is one of the most frequently used dimensional instruments for screening behavioural and emotional problems in children. In this study the psychometric properties of the CBCL 2001-version and the usefulness of existing US norms within a Flemish community sample were explored. Mothers of young children ( N = 170) and school-aged children and adolescents ( N = 718) completed the CBCL and the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ). Reliability of both the CBCL/1½-5 and CBCL/6-18 was excellent. There were substantial correlations between the SDQ and CBCL scales, indicating a good concurrent validity. Significant differences were found when comparing the mean CBCL raw scores of the different subsamples (for different ages and gender groups) with the US norms. Generally spoken, the mean CBCL raw scores as well as the clinical and borderline clinical cutpoints for Flemish children were mostly lower, specifically for the Total Problems score and the Externalising scales.

Highlights

It is generally accepted that assessment of psychological problems in children and adolescents should not be delayed until these problems reach more serious levels and more intensive and expensive interventions are required (Braet & van Aken, 2006, Costello & Angold, 2000; Culbertson, 1993; Tick, van der Ende, & Verhulst, 2007)
The community sample was considered to be representative for children between 11⁄2 and 18 years old of the Dutch speaking part of Belgium
The psychometric properties of the Child Behaviour Checklist (CBCL) were based on studies in US samples and until now, the scientific usefulness of the most recently translated version was never questioned

Summary

Introduction

It is generally accepted that assessment of psychological problems in children and adolescents should not be delayed until these problems reach more serious levels and more intensive and expensive interventions are required (Braet & van Aken, 2006, Costello & Angold, 2000; Culbertson, 1993; Tick, van der Ende, & Verhulst, 2007). ASSESSING EMOTIONAL AND BEHAVIOURAL PROBLEMS children, mental health professionals need reliable and valid screening methods for behavioural and emotional problems in children. Screening through observation or interview is a great burden and these methods are generally neither very reliable nor cost-effective (Jensen & Weisz, 2002). Rating scales with clear cutpoints are seen as ‘golden standards’ for monitoring youth with mental problems and to select potential cases for further assessment. The appropriateness of these instruments is still under study

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