Teacher Ratings of Adolescent Social Skills: Psychometric Characteristics and Factorial Replicability Across Age-Grade Ranges

Abstract

This study investigated the psychometric characteristics and factorial replicability of the factor structure of the adolescent version of the Walker-McConnell Scale of Social Competence and School Adjustment. The process used to construct the adolescent version (7–12) of the scale is described, including procedures used in revising the elementary scale version (K-6) for use with adolescent populations. Scale statistics and reliability estimates are reported for an initial wave (N = 266) of the national normative sample on the scale; the factor structure of the adolescent scale was also investigated using this sample. Finally, a new subscale measuring empathy was used to discriminate members of a longitudinal sample that was divided into antisocial and at risk control students. The statistics and reliability estimates for the adolescent scale proved to be as equally robust as for the elementary version. The factor structure of the adolescent scale partially replicated that for the elementary version; the peer relations and school adjustment subscales of the elementary version replicated strongly, while the teacher preferred social behavior subscale was only partially replicated. A new subscale, labeled empathy, emerged in the adolescent version. This subscale powerfully discriminated antisocial from at risk control students in the middle school grade range. School applications of the scale and subscales are discussed.