title: Factor validity and norms for the aberrant behavior checklist in a community sample of children with mental retardation.
abstract: The Aberrant Behavior Checklist (ABC) is a 58-item rating scale that was developed primarily to measure the effects of pharmacological intervention in individuals living in residential facilities. This study investigated the use of the ABC in a sample of community children with mental retardation. Teacher ratings on the ABC were collected on 666 students attending special classes. The data were factor analyzed and compared with other studies using the ABC. In addition, subscales were analyzed as a function of age, sex, and classroom placement, and preliminary norms were derived. A four-factor solution of the ABC was obtained. Congruence between the four derived factors and corresponding factors from the original ABC was high (congruence coefficients ranged between .87 and .96). Classroom placement and age had significant effects on subscale scores, whereas sex failed to affect ratings. The current results are sufficiently close to the original factor solution that the original scoring method can be used with community samples, although further studies are needed to look at this in more detail.
authors.affiliation: Nisonger Center for Mental Retardation and Development Disabilities, Ohio State University, Columbus 43210-1296.
authors.forename: E C
authors.initials: EC
authors.lastname: Marshburn
authors.forename: M G
authors.initials: MG
authors.lastname: Aman
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D001289:Attention Deficit Disorder with Hyperactivity / Q000150:complications / Q000523:psychology; D001519:Behavior; D002648:Child; D002658:Developmental Disabilities / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000523:psychology; D006233:Persons with Disabilities; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008607:Intellectual Disability / Q000150:complications / Q000523:psychology*; D007807:Language Tests; D008297:Male; D010555:Personality Inventory; D013239:Stereotyped Behavior