Universal Screening in Middle School

Universal screening is a promising approach for identifying students at risk for behavioral and emotional problems. Due to the frequent adolescent onset of behavioral and emotional problems, middle school is an important time for early identification. This study explored the ability of the Behavioral and Emotional Screening System (BESS) to predict behavioral outcomes (i.e., behavioral grades, suspensions, and office disciplinary referrals) in a sample of 694 middle-school students. Both the teacher and student rated BESS forms were able to significantly predict behavioral outcomes. Findings suggest that the BESS can be an effective tool for identifying students at risk of experiencing behavior problems.