| The validity of the Quay-Peterson (1983) Revised Behavior Problem Checklist (RBPC) was examined in a juvenile delinquent diagnostic and evaluation setting. Three areas were studied: stability of the RBPC ratings, agreement between preincarceration and institutional variables and RBPC ratings, and agreement between psychologists' diagnostic impressions and RBPC scores. Selected items of demographic information related to RBPC ratings and to prior checklist research were also examined. Four RBPC ratings were completed for each of 140 male students (82 black and 58 white). Female students were excluded because of their low incidence in the population. Counselors and teachers completed ratings in the classroom and in the dormitory for each student.; Preincarceration variables included seriousness of offense, number of prior charges, school status and whether the committing offense was committed alone or with others. Institutional behavior variables were number of times in time-out and two measures based on the institution's token economy system, mean point level (over a three-week period) and final point level (at time of transfer). Demographic information included age, intellectual level (IQ), race, socioeconomic status, family atmosphere and place of residence.; Data were analyzed through the use of the MANOVA statistical procedure. Where significant differences were found, univariate analyses of variance were applied. Significant differences were found for the main effects of race, rater and setting and for the interactions of race and setting and rater and setting. Counselors rated students more stringently in the dormitory, whereas teachers rated students more severly in the classroom. Generally, combined teacher-counselor ratings were higher in the dormitory than in the classroom.; Racial differences in preincarceration and institutional variables varied by place of residence. Most black students were residents of urban areas, while most white students were from villages or rural areas. Urban blacks and rural whites tended to have worse preincarceration and institutional records than rural blacks and urban whites.; Psychologists' diagnostic impressions generally agreed with predicted RBPC scores. Only one agreement, PDI Category 2 (Socialized Aggressive/Antisocial Personality) with RBPC Conduct Disorder (CD) subscale, was statistically significant. |
