Abstract
The Achenbach System of Empirically Based Assessment (ASEBA) constitutes an all-inclusive evidence-based assessment system assessing competencies, adaptive functioning, social, emotional, and behavior problems of individuals from age of 1 1/2-90 years. ASEBA instruments are consistently used for clinical assessment, outcome evaluations, epidemiological survey and research. Its approach is also widely used for multicultural research. ASEBA instruments are translated and used in different cultures over the world in different settings such as mental health, medical, child and family, school, public health agencies etc. (Achenbach & Rescorla, 2015). Adult Self-Report for Ages 18-59 (ASR), an ASEBA self-report measure, are one of the most widely used and well-known psychometric measures for assessing adults’ adaptive functioning and emotional and behavior problems (Achenbach & Rescorla, 2003). In order to culturally adapt, standardize and validate the instrument for the Albanian context the reliability and validity of the ASR was examined using a national representative sample of 750 Albanian adults. In order to reach reliability, internal consistency analyses were performed. Empirically based syndrome scales of ASR in the Albanian sample ranged from .50 to .96 from the Cronbach’s alphas obtained with a mean alpha of .80, falling within the “good to excellent” range except for the Thought Problems syndrome scale having an alpha of .50. Confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) indicated a good model fit of ASR scales in the Albanian sample. Furthermore, Albanian norm scores and cut-off scores have been generated for the Albanian version of ASR. The article provides evidence regarding the psychometric properties and utility of ASR in the Albanian adult population for clinical assessment, outcome evaluations and research purposes. DOI: 10.5901/ajis.2016.v5n1p51
Highlights
Measuring adults’ psychological functioning is usually a difficult task
The data in this study were analyzed through the Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS), version 21.0
In order to check the reliability of the Albanian version of the ASR, we computed the internal consistency, using the Cronbach Alpha coefficient as an indicator
Summary
Measuring adults’ psychological functioning is usually a difficult task. Consensus on which assessment tools should be used is yet to be reached, most researches argue that the assessment of adults’ psychological functioning relies mostly on the reports of their own functioning via self-reports, questionnaires and interviews, (Achenbach, Berstein & Dumenci, 2005). Self-reports have many advantages such as: distributed, low cost, more time efficient and ability to reflect the respondent’s own functioning (Schuman & Presser, 1996). For these reasons they are of essential importance for use in mental health services, schools, medical settings, public health agencies, multicultural assessments, epidemiological surveys and research (Kessler, et al, 2000). The necessity to empirically evidence their properties in order to use them in such settings is of outmost importance and needs to be emphasized Due to their sensitivity to culture and language, they must be standardized and validated in order to reflect the characteristics of the target group on specific populations (Meyer, et al, 2001)
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