Factor Structure of the Preschool Behavior Questionnaire in a Normal Population

Abstract
The multivariate structure of the Preschool Behavior Questionnaire was investigated in a normal population of preschool children living in the northeastern U.S. Girls ( N = 349) and boys ( N = 352) attending kindergarten in a middle-size urban community were rated by their teachers on a shortened form of the questionnaire for 28 behavioral characteristics. Separate principal component and maximum likelihood factor analyses for each sex indicated the presence of two dimensions: the first combining traits of aggressiveness, attention span problems, and elevated activity level; the second being defined by traits of anxiety, fearfulness, and emotional lability. Both the principal component and maximum likelihood methods produced comparable results for girls and boys. The divergence of the present results from those reported earlier by Behar (1977) was interpreted to be a function of the classroom context and differing sample characteristics.