Achenbach System of Empirically Based Assessment (ASEBA)

Achenbach System of Empirically Based Assessment (ASEBA)

The Achenbach System of Empirically Based Assessment (ASEBA) is a measure of mental competencies, adaptive functioning, and problems. The ASEBA is used in a variety of settings, including clinical, medical, child and family services, and education. Practitioners in these settings may use the ASEBA to develop a baseline, periodically monitor growth, and monitor the effectiveness of interventions.

The ASEBA uses checklists, interview forms, self-reports, and questionnaires to be completed by the individual being assessed, caregivers, teachers, and practitioners. The ASEBA is considered the gold standard of behavior rating scales due to its extensive use and research base.

Structure

The ASEBA has four levels:

• Preschool
• School-age
• Adult
• Older adult

Each level includes a manual and a multicultural supplement to ensure non-biased and appropriate administration. Each instrument is hand-scored using a chart that provides percentile ranks and scaled scores on both syndrome scales and DSM-oriented scales. The computerized scoring system provides a profile that allows side-by-side comparisons of ratings from each informant, correlations, graphs, and narrative reports.

Development

The ASEBA was initially developed to address the limitations of the DSM-1 by identifying additional patterns of children’s problems beyond the two categories provided in the DSM-1. The assessment was then expanded through the older adult level using a developmental psychopathology model. This multi-informant system gathers information about an individual’s behavioral, emotional, and social competencies, functioning, and concerns.

• The syndrome scales were developed using exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses, with score cutoffs set at the median score of a national survey.
• Norm groups were developed from the distribution of syndrome scores from a large, representative sample of non-referred children (for preschool and school-age levels) and adults (for adult and older adult levels).
• Normalized T scores were assigned to raw scores on each syndrome scale.
• The DSM-oriented scales were constructed based on the clinical judgments of international panels of experts.

Preschool Assessment

The preschool assessment includes:

• Child Behavior Checklist (CBCL/1½-5): A 99-item parent rating scale with open-ended queries regarding child strengths, additional problems, and concerns.
• Language Development Survey (LDS): Assesses the progress of language development in children between 18 and 35 months of age. It can also be used for children over the age of 3 who have a suspected language development delay.
• Caregiver-Teacher Report Form (C-TRF): Evaluates behaviors observed in a daycare or preschool setting.

These forms can be completed in approximately 10 to 15 minutes each.

Uses

The ASEBA can be used to evaluate and track the behavioral, emotional, and social development of individuals from 18 months through 90+ years of age.

• Mental health, medical, educational, child and family service, and forensic professionals can use the preschool and school-age levels to diagnose problems and plan and evaluate interventions.
• In mental health, substance abuse treatment, educational, medical, and forensic settings, the adult level assessments can be used for initial evaluations, to structure client interviews, and diagnose problems.
• Children’s Services professionals can use the adult level instruments to evaluate parental functioning as part of a child’s treatment.
• The older adult level assessments can be used in outpatient medical and general hospital settings, mental health facilities, pastoral counseling settings, senior citizen residential settings, and Veteran’s Administration services settings to diagnose problems and determine appropriate services.

Strengths

The ASEBA has several strengths:

• Comprehensive: It covers a wide range of ages and developmental stages.
• Multi-informant: Gathers information from multiple sources.
• Well-researched: Backed by decades of research and revisions.
• Strong technical adequacy: Provides reliable and valid results.
• Easy to use: Simple to administer, score, and interpret.
• Culturally sensitive: Includes multicultural supplements and norms.
• Practical: Offers guidance for various professionals using the assessments.

Limitations

The ASEBA has a few limitations:

• English language bias: Developed and normed on English-speaking individuals, which may present validity issues when testing English language learners.
• Lack of information regarding model fit: Although the manual mentions using Item Response Theory (IRT), specifically the Rasch model, it lacks information about how well the model fits the data.
• Limited criteria for selecting the appropriate form.
• Minor proofing errors: Some citations in the Fast Guide are not included in the reference list.

Summary

The ASEBA is a valuable tool for assessing and monitoring the behavioral, emotional, and social development of individuals across the lifespan. Its comprehensive nature, strong research base, and ease of use make it a valuable resource for practitioners and researchers in various settings. However, users should be aware of the limitations and use caution when interpreting results, particularly with English language learners. Continued research and development of the ASEBA will further strengthen its utility and contribute to improving the lives of children and adults.

References

• Acosta, S., Gana, T., Goodson, P., Padrón, Y., Goltz, H. H., & Johnston, A. (2015). A systematic review of high-stakes accountability testing and English language learners during the first decade of the No Child Left Behind act. Manuscript submitted for publication.
• Achenbach, T. M. (2009). The Achenbach System of Empirically Based Assessment (ASEBA): Development, findings, theory, and application. Burlington, VT: University of Vermont, Research Center for Children, Youth, and Families.
• American Psychiatric Association. (2013). Diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders (5th ed.). Washington, DC: Author.
• Bachman, L. F. (2004). Statistical analyses for language assessment. Cambridge, UK: Cambridge University Press.
• Bagnato, S.J., Neisworth, J.N., & Munson, S.M. (1997). Linking assessment and early intervention: An authentic curriculum-based approach. Baltimore: Paul H. Brookes.
• Bricker, D., Capt, B., Pretti-Frontczak, K., Johnson, J., Glentz, K., Straka, E., & Waddell, M. (2008). AEPS® Test administration and programming guide for infants and children (2nd ed.). Baltimore: Paul H. Brookes.
• Elliott, S. N., Sheridan, S. M., & Gresham, F. M. (1989). Assessing and treating social skills deficits. In E. S. Shapiro & T. R. Kratochwill (Eds.), Behavioral assessment in schools: Conceptual foundations and practical applications (pp. 442-476). New York: Guilford Press.
• Frederiksen, J. R., & Collins, A. (1989). A systems approach to educational testing. Educational Researcher, 18(9), 27-32.
• Horn, E. (2003). Review of Assessment, Evaluation, and Programming System (AEPS) for Infants and Children, Second Edition. Topics in Early Childhood Special Education, 23, 41-42.
• Messick, S. (1994). The interplay of evidence and consequences in the validation of performance assessments. Educational Researcher, 23(2), 13-23.
• McDonald, R. P. (1999). Test theory: A unified treatment. Mahwah, NJ: Erlbaum.
• Sawilowsky, S. S. (2003). Reliability as psychometrics versus datametrics. In B. Thompson (Ed.), Score reliability (pp. 103-121). Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage.
• Thompson, B. (Ed.). (2003). Score reliability. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage.