Development and validation of the Youth Externalizing Behavior Screener: A brief and effective measure of behavioral problems

Universal screening is a useful way to identify emotional and behavioral problems and develop prevention or intervention strategies for adolescents at-risk in schools. The purpose of the present study is to report the preliminary development and validation of a brief and effective instrument—the Youth Externalizing Behavior Screener (YEBS)—aimed at measuring youths’ externalizing behavior problems. Findings from exploratory factor analyses (N = 229) showed that responses to the scale yielded a three-factor latent structure, which consisted of 12 items, targeting core symptoms of conduct problems, hyperactivity, and attention problems. Thereafter, confirmatory factor analysis (N = 243) confirmed the three-factor measurement model providing a good data–model fit. Three constructs were characterized by adequate-to-strong latent construct and internal reliability coefficients. The concurrent validity outcomes provided further evidence, indicating the small-to-strong associations between the YEBS and criterion variables. Latent variables path model showed the second-order measurement model had moderate-to-large predictive effect on the school-specific well-being structures, self-report academic achievement, and happiness. Taken together, these results suggested that the YEBS was a structurally reliable and valid instrument for assessing externalizing behavior problems among adolescents.