Interrater Agreement of the Adjustment Scales for Children and Adolescents

Standardized behavior raring scales and checklists offer unobtrusive evaluations of students' behavior in natural social environments. This study investigated the interrater agreement of the Adjustment Scales for Chil~ dren and Adolescents (ASCA), a behavior rating scale used in school settings. Participants were 71 students enrolled in a variety of special programs who were rated by 29 observers in 24 classrooms. Resulting interrarer reliability coefficients were substantial, and level differences, although significant, were not clinically meaningful. It was concluded that the ASCA produced acceptable levels of interrater agreement when educational professionals and paraprofessionals observed exceptional stu~ dents within a common environment.