Identifying at-risk children at school entry: The usefulness of multibehavioral problem profiles.

Flanagan, K. S., Bierman, K. L., Kam, C., & Conduct Problems Prevention Research Group. (2003). Identifying at-risk children at school entry: The usefulness of multibehavioral problem profiles. Journal of Clinical Child and Adolescent Psychology, 32(3), 396-407.

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1207/S15374424JCCP3203_08 

Abstract: Found that 1st-grade teacher ratings of aggressive, hyperactive-inattentive, and low levels of prosocial behaviors made unique contributions to the prediction of school outcomes (measured 2 years later) for 755 children. Person-oriented analyses compared the predictive utility of five screening strategies based on child problem profiles to identify children at risk for school problems. A broad screening strategy, in which children with elevations in any one of the three behavior problem dimensions were identified as "at-risk," showed lower specificity but superior sensitivity, odds ratios, and overall accuracy in the prediction of school outcomes than the other screening strategies that were more narrowly focused or were based on a total problem score. Results are discussed in terms of implications for the screening and design of preventive interventions.