Psychometric Evaluation of a Brief Parent-and Teacher-Rated Screen for Children at Risk of Conduct Disorder

Abstract

This study examined the psychometric properties of the Conduct Problems Risk Screen (CPRS), a seven-item screen derived from DSM-IV-TR criteria that can be completed by parents or teachers. The sample consisted of 4,752 Australian five- to nine-year-old primary school children. The results showed the parent and teacher screens had very good internal consistency and high convergent validity with other well-established measures. The CPRS also showed good discriminant validity and moderate inter-rater reliability. The CPRS is a valid and reliable instrument and could be used effectively as a screening tool to identify those children at risk of developing conduct disorder.