Disruptive behavior disorders constitute the most prevalent childhood disorders in the United States, with rates in the normal population of up to 10%, and in clinic-referred populations up to 50% (McMahon & Estes, 1998). In Australia, estimates of prevalence of disruptive behavior are similarly high, with approximately 10% of the normal population of Western Australia identified as engaging in delinquent behavior (Zubrick, Silburn, Garton, Burton, Dalby, Carlton, Shepherd, & Lawrence,1995).

To enable accurate identification of children with clinically significant disruptive behavior and to provide a measure of the effectiveness of treatments for conduct-disordered behavior, it is necessary to use psychometrically sound instruments. The Eyberg Child Behavior Inventory (ECBI) is a 36-item parent report instrument that assesses the intensity of child conduct problem behavior and the extent to which parents consider these behaviors to be problematic. Many US studies have supported the reliability and validity of the ECBI.

The ECBI also is used as a screening and treatment outcome instrument in Australia. A recent comparison of enhanced, standard, and self-directed Triple P used the ECBI as the primary behavior rating scale to determine the relative effectiveness of the interventions (Sanders, Markie-Dadds, Tully, & Bor, 2000). Despite wide-spread use of the ECBI in Australia, no study has examined the psychometric properties or standardized this instrument in an Australian population.

The purposes of this study were to standardize the ECBI to provide greater confidence in its use as a screening tool for Australian preschool children and to permit greater confidence in clinical and research findings from the already wide use of the ECBI in Australia and contribute to the currently limited empirical knowledge about the nature of conduct problems in preschool children from different cultures.

STANDARDIZATION OF THE EYBERG CHILD BEHAVIOR INVENTORY WITH AUSTRALIAN PRESCHOOLERS Branlyn Werba, M.S.1, Sheila Eyberg, Ph.D.1, and Matthew Sanders, Ph.D.2

1University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, 2 University of Queensland, AU

In Australia, estimates of prevalence of conduct problems are similar to those in the United States, with approximately 10% of the normal population of children of Western Australia identified as engaging in delinquent behavior (Zubrick, Silburn, Garton, Burton, Dalby, Carlton, Shepherd, & Lawrence, 1995). The Eyberg Child Behavior Inventory (ECBI) is a brief rating scale of child disruptive behavior used extensively in Australia for child screening, treatment, and research. Despite its widespread use, this instrument has not previously been standardized for the Australian population, and no study has yet examined its psychometric properties in an Australian sample. The purpose of this study was to standardize the ECBI for use as a screening tool for preschool children in Australia. Participants were 780 Australian mothers and their children, ages 3 (n = 499) and 4 (n = 281). Means and standard deviations of the total sample (M = 107, SD=26) were similar to those reported in the US standardization sample. Internal consistency was demonstrated for the ECBI Intensity Scale within the total sample, r = .92, and separately for each age group (r s = .91 and .93 for 3- and 4-year-olds, respectively). Convergent validity was established with measures of parental tolerance (ECBI Problem Scale, r = .67, p <.01), dysfunctional discipline (O’Leary Parenting Scale; r = .32, p <.01), and parent distress (Depression Anxiety Stress Scale; r = .31, p <.01). Data from this study permit greater interpretability and confidence in clinical and research findings using the ECBI in Australia.

ABSTRACT

INTRODUCTION

Table 4. Convergent Validity of ECBI with the Parenting Scale and the Depression Anxiety Stress Scale in Australian Sample

Intensity Problem

Problem Scale .67 --

Depression Anxiety Stress Scale .31 .33

Parenting Scale .32 .31

DISCUSSIONFindings from this study allow greater confidence in the clinical and research findings from Australian studies in which the ECBI is used. • Mean ECBI Intensity Scores and Problem Scores of the total Australian sample were similar to those reported in the US standardization sample for the same preschool age range • Internal consistency was high and similar to internal consistency estimates obtained in US samples • Convergent validity was established with measures of dysfunctional parenting, maternal distress, and maternal tolerance

This study identifies both gender and age differences in ECBI Intensity and Problem Scale scores in the Australian sample.

• 3 year old Australian girls obtained significantly lower Intensity Scale scores than 3 year old boys • 3 year old Australian children obtained significantly lower Problem Scale scores than 4 year old Australian children

Future studies must examine further the cross-cultural validity and the universality of disruptive behaviors by examining differences in item endorsement and factor structures between US and Australian samples.

Table 2. Means and Standard Deviations of Australian ECBI Scores by Age

Intensity Problem

n Mean (SD) Mean (SD)

3 year olds 499 107 (25) 7 (7)

4 year olds 281 107 (29) ns 8 (7)

Total 780 107(26) 7(7)

Note. Intensity Scale differences not different by age. Problem Scale differences significant at p <.05.

Table 1. Means and Standard Deviations of ECBI Intensity and Problem Scores by Age and Gender

Intensity Scale ProblemScale

n Mean (SD) Mean (SD)3 year olds

Boys 274 112 (26) 7 (7)aGirls 225 102 (22) p<.01 6 (6)b p<.01

4 year oldsBoys 152 109 (30) 8 (7)Girls 129 103 (27) ns 7 (6) ns

Total sampleBoys 426 111 (28) 8 (7)aGirls 354 103 (24) p<.01 6 (6)b p<.01

Table 3. Internal Consistency Coefficients for ECBI Intensity and Problem Scales in Australian Sample by Age and Gender

Intensity ProblemAge

3 .91 .914 .93 .91

GenderMale 92 .92Female .91 .89

Total Sample .92 .91

Note. N = 770 for Intensity Scale and N= 756 for Problem Scale due to missing items for some participants

Table 3. ECBI Intensity and Problem Scores in US Standardization Sample

Intensity Problem

n Mean (SD) Mean (SD)

3 year olds 60 113 (37) 8(8)

4 year olds 60 105 (38) 7(8)

Note. Data extracted from data set of 1999 standardization sample by Eyberg.

Participants780 mothers Mean Age =33 (range 20-47)

Marital Status Education83% First Marriage 47% High School diploma or less10% Separated, divorced 26%Trade school or college certificate

widowed, single 19% Higher degree6% Remarried 9% Other

MeasuresEyberg Child Behavior Inventory (ECBI; Eyberg & Pincus, 1999)•36-item parent-report measure of child disruptive behaviorDepression-Anxiety Stress Scales (DASS; Lovibond & Lovibond, 1995)•42-item parent self-report of symptoms of depression, anxiety, and stress Parenting Scale (PS; Arnold, O’Leary, Wolff, & Acker, 1992)•30-item parent-report of dysfunctional parenting

Procedures•Data collection took place at preschools in primarily urban areas of Western Australia

RESULTS METHODS