Construct Validity of the Behavior Assessment System for Children (BASC) Self-Report of Personality

Abstract

The authors investigate the construct validity of the Behavior Assessment System for Children Self-Report of Personality (BASC-SRP; Reynolds & Kamphaus, 1998). A sample of 970 adolescents (16-18 years) with histories of disruptive behavior problems and truancy complete the SRP; a subsample of 290 adolescents also completed the Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory—Adolescent (Butcher et al., 1992). Confirmatory factor analysis support a three-factor structure for the SRP. The Clinical Maladjustment and Personal Adjustment composites show adequate convergent, discriminant, and discriminative validity. Less evidence for the validity of the School Maladjustment composite is found. Results support the overall construct validity of the SRP with adolescents referred for behavior problems but suggest that the SRP composites and scales measure a wider range of psychopathology than their labels imply.