Citation

Young EL, Sabbah HY, Young BJ, Reiser ML, Richardson MJ. J. Emot. Behav. Disord. (Austin) 2010; 18(4): 225-235.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2010, Hammill Institute on Disabilities, Publisher SAGE Publishing)

DOI

10.1177/1063426609338858

PMID

unavailable

Abstract

Few research studies have examined how screening outcomes may be different or similar for males and females, despite evidence that male students outnumber female students in special education populations and are more likely to experience school failure. During the 3 years of this study, 15,932 students in Grades 6 through 9 were screened with the use of a modified version of the Systematic Screening for Behavior Disorders (SSBD). Within this period, 1,065 nominations were collected for students identified as at risk for internalizing and externalizing problems, of which 77.4% were male. The average ratio of males to females nominated was approximately 5:1 for externalizing behaviors, 2:1 for internalizing behaviors, and 3:1 for total nominations. Reliability coefficients on the Adaptive and Maladaptive scales from the SSBD Stage 2 were comparable for both genders as determined by Fisher’s z tests. On the Adaptive scale, female students tended to be rated higher by their teachers. A multivariate analysis (general linear model) was conducted to examine gender socioeconomic status, and the internalizing—externalizing dimension at SSBD Stage 1 as predictors of scores on the three SSBD Stage 2 scales (Critical Events, Adaptive, and Maladaptive).