title: Teacher ratings of child behavior in preschool: A MIMIC investigation of the BESS TRS-P.
abstract: The purpose of this study was to conduct further investigations of the latent structure underlying the Behavioral and Emotional Screening System Teacher Rating Scale-Preschool (BESS TRS-P) by examining latent variable differences due to demographic factors of the preschool children being rated. A U.S. representative sample of teacher ratings of more than 1,200 preschoolers was used to examine the latent structure of the BESS TRS-P. A multiple indicator-multiple causes (MIMIC) model used with a bifactor model showed differences on selected latent factor means relative to a child's age and gender, but no relationship with child's race. Use of age and/or gender scoring norms may produce a more accurate estimate of a child's latent score. (PsycINFO Database Record
authors.affiliation: Department of Educational Studies, University of South Carolina.
authors.forename: Christine
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: DiStefano
authors.affiliation: Department of Educational Studies, University of South Carolina.
authors.forename: Mihaela
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ene
authors.affiliation: Department of Educational Studies, University of South Carolina.
authors.forename: Elizabeth
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Leighton
mesh_terms: D001741:Black or African American; D002652:Child Behavior; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D006630:Hispanic or Latino; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D000066553:Problem Behavior; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D000070777:School Teachers; D012574:Schools; D044465:White People