BASC -2: Behavior

Assessment System for

Children
EDPS 660 Learning Task 1
Shelina Hassanali
October 5
th
, 2013
Heres What it Looks Like!
Authors: Cecil R. Reynolds
& Randy W. Kamphaus

Published: 2004, AGS
Publishing
What is the BASC-2?

Rating scales for ages 2-25
Looks at numerous aspects of behaviour and personality
Facilitates differential diagnosis of emotional and
behavioural disorders
Involves perspectives of teachers, parents, self, history,
and direct observation

Who Can Use the BASC-2?
Qualifications include graduate training in psychology as
well as formal training in administration, scoring and
interpretation of behaviour and personality scales.

The authors state that others with some training may
administer and score the tool, but only those with higher
level training may interpret them.

Triangulation Model
The BASC-2 uses a model which collects information
from teachers, parents, and the students themselves
Parents:
Structured Developmental History
Parent Rating Scale

Teachers:
Structured Observation
Teacher Rating Scale

Child:
Self-report of Personality
Details About the Forms
Teacher Rating Scale
(TRS)
Parent Rating
Scale (PRS)
Self-Report of
Personality
(SRP)
Structured
Developmental
History (SDH)
Student
Observation
System (SOS)
Measures behaviours in the
school setting;
internalizing/externalizing
and school problems,
adaptive skills
Measures
behaviours in the
home and
community setting
Personality and
emotional
inventory
Extensive history
and background
survey; social and
medical child and
family history
Used to record
direct observations
of student
behaviour
Forms: preschool (2-5), child
(6-11), adolescent (12-21)
Age of forms same
as TRS
Forms: child (8-
11), adolescent
(12-21), young
adult (18-25)
Can be completed
as interview or
questionnaire
Positive and
negative
behaviours
recorded
Answer scale: never,
sometimes, often, always
Answer scale
same as TRS
Used for
assessment or
evaluation
Which Aspects of Behaviour &
Personality are Measured?
Activities of daily
living
Adaptability Aggression Anxiety
Attention problems Atypicality Conduct problems Depression
Functional
communication
Hyperactivity Leadership Learning
problems
Social skills Somatization Study skills Withdrawal
Whats Included in the
Developmental History Form?
Person answering questions Referral info Parents
Primary caregivers Child care Family history
Siblings Residence Family relations
Pregnancy Birth Development
Medical history Family health Friendships
Recreation/interests Behaviour/temperament Educational history
Administration of the BASC-2
This tool is extremely easy to administer
Clinician gives TRS and PRS to teachers and parents to
fill out and return
SRP is filled out with child; the child can read the
questions and respond or the clinician can read the
questions to the child
Ensure that all items are answered. If
any scale has more than 2 empty
responses, the scale cannot be scored
and therefore the composite score is
invalid!
Hand Scoring of the BASC-2
Each answer corresponds to a score (Never = 0,
Sometimes = 1, Often = 2, Always = 3)
Upon completion, separate the answer form from the
score sheet the point values will already be filled in
Follow the horizontal lines to add up the scores for each
scale, then fill out the table with these scores
Using the tables in the manual, calculate the T-scores
and percentile ranks
Computer Scoring of the BASC-2
Software available: BASC-2 ASSIST & BASC-2 ASSIST
PLUS
Remote administration is also available online for the BASC-2
What are the Classifications Used
by the BASC-2?
Adaptive Scales Clinical Scales T score range
Very High Clinically significant 70 and above
High At risk 60-69
Average Average 41-59
At risk Low 31-40
Clinically Significant Very Low 30 and below
How to Interpret Scores on the
BASC-2
The PRS & TRS provide an overall Behavioural Symptoms
Index and the SRP provides an Emotional Symptoms Index
Consider the
above
indices first
(BSI & ESI)
Examine all
composite
scores to see if
they are
consistent with
index scores
Analyze the
individual
scores which
make up each
composite
Interpret
overall results
by looking for
inconsistencies
or
discrepancies
among scales
or composites
Pay particular attention to any scores which are quite different from
others as these may require further interpretation
Technical Characteristics of the
BASC-2
General sample -12,850 reports; clinical sample -5,281
reports
Sample representative of population of U.S. children
(gender, race, ethnicity, clinical/special education
classification)
Combined norms and separate-sex norms are provided
Moderate to good reliability and validity
Scales and composites have high internal consistency
(0.90) & test-retest reliability (0.80)

How Does the BASC-2 Control for
Validity
F index Measures the respondents tendency to be excessively
negative about the child
L index Measures the tendency of the child to portray
themselves in extremely positive ways
V index Measures validity in general
Strengths & Weaknesses of the
BASC-2
Strengths Weaknesses
Summary
The BASC-2 is an easy to use tool to assess and
diagnose emotional and behavioural disorders in children
and youth
While it has many questions, it can be completed
relatively quickly
Administration and scoring are simple and
straightforward
Multiple informants in combination with a developmental
history and observations make this tool quite
comprehensive
Sound psychometrics