title: Examining classification criteria: a comparison of three cut score methods.
abstract: This study compared 3 different methods of creating cut scores for a screening instrument, T scores, receiver operating characteristic curve (ROC) analysis, and the Rasch rating scale method (RSM), for use with the Behavioral and Emotional Screening System (BESS) Teacher Rating Scale for Children and Adolescents (Kamphaus & Reynolds, 2007). Using the BESS norm data set, we compared the methods across 7 classification indices. Additional information about accuracy was used with a subset of children who had been given a prior diagnosis for selected disorders. The results showed that the methods were generally in concordance, with similarities identified across methods. RSM and ROC analysis methods performed similarly, with both methods identifying the same optimal cut-point. The method based on T scores appeared to be more conservative, identifying a lower cut score as optimal.
authors: Department of Education Studies, University of South Carolina, 137 Wardlaw Hall, Columbia, SC 29208, USA. distefan@mailbox.sc.edu
authors: Christine
authors: C
authors: DiStefano
authors: Grant
authors: G
authors: Morgan
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000342:Affective Symptoms / Q000145:classification / Q000175:diagnosis; D002648:Child; D002653:Child Behavior Disorders / Q000145:classification / Q000175:diagnosis; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008403:Mass Screening; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales; D011581:Psychological Tests / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D002666:Psychology, Child / Q000145:classification* / Q000379:methods / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D012372:ROC Curve; D013223:Statistics as Topic