title: Reliability and Validity of the Child and Adolescent Behavior Assessment (CABA): A Brief Structured Scale.
abstract: Use of valid, affordable, accessible, and brief measures facilitates the assessment of mental health outcomes. The Child and Adolescent Behavior Assessment Scale, a brief, structured scale, assesses problem behavior through patient and/or informant report. The purpose of this paper is to illustrate the scale's psychometric properties. In the cross-sectional study presented, a large national sample of youth (aged 5-18) admitted for psychiatric treatment (N = 32,689) was examined. The two major domains of problem behavior assessed were Internalizing and Externalizing. Reliability was good to excellent with alpha levels ranging from 0.874 to 0.917. Additional items measured Risk Behavior (α = 0.648). Subscale total scores correlated well with the Brief Psychiatric Rating Scale for Children, 9-item version (BPRS-C-9). Exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses supported the three-factor, multidimensional model of problem behavior as satisfactory for child and adolescent use, although further research is required to refine some items for clarity and improved model fit.
authors.affiliation: Texas Christian University, Fort Worth, TX, USA. Amanda.Morin@horizonhealth.com.|Universal Health Services, Inc., Lewisville, TX, USA. Amanda.Morin@horizonhealth.com.|Mental Health Outcomes, 1965 Lakepointe Dr. Suite 100, Lewisville, TX, 75057, USA. Amanda.Morin@horizonhealth.com.
authors.forename: Amanda Leigh
authors.identifier: 0000-0001-7988-9954
authors.initials: AL
authors.lastname: Morin
authors.affiliation: Universal Health Services, Inc., Lewisville, TX, USA.|Mental Health Outcomes, 1965 Lakepointe Dr. Suite 100, Lewisville, TX, 75057, USA.
authors.forename: Stacy Jo
authors.initials: SJ
authors.lastname: Miller
authors.affiliation: Universal Health Services, Inc., Lewisville, TX, USA.|Mental Health Outcomes, 1965 Lakepointe Dr. Suite 100, Lewisville, TX, 75057, USA.
authors.forename: Johan R
authors.initials: JR
authors.lastname: Smith
authors.affiliation: Universal Health Services, Inc., Lewisville, TX, USA.
authors.forename: Karen E
authors.initials: KE
authors.lastname: Johnson
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000294:Adolescent Behavior / Q000502:physiology*; D000067290:Behavior Rating Scale / Q000592:standards*; D010054:Brief Psychiatric Rating Scale / Q000592:standards*; D002648:Child; D002652:Child Behavior / Q000523:psychology*; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005163:Factor Analysis, Statistical; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008603:Mental Health; D000066553:Problem Behavior / Q000523:psychology*; D011594:Psychometrics / Q000379:methods; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012309:Risk-Taking
keywords: Brief Psychiatric Rating Scale for Children; CABA; Child and Adolescent Behavior Assessment; Outcomes assessment; Psychometrics