Reliability and Validity of Teacher Diagnostic Ratings for Children with Behavioral and Emotional Disorders

This study documents the interrater reliability and construct validity of rating scale observations by teachers of 69 students in special public school classrooms for children with serious behavioral/emotional problems (SED group). These certified teachers and their aides completed the Conners Teacher Rating Scale (CTRS) and the Clinical Global Impression Scale. Ratings were obtained simultaneously from certified teachers and aides for 76 children in learning disability classrooms (LD group). Interrater reliability indicated similar patterns of significant agreement for both groups of teachers and aides. Construct validity of SED teacher ratings also was supported; mean factor and global scores significantly distinguished the more severe disorders of the SED children compared to the LD children. The value of rating scale observations by SED teachers is discussed.