Development and Validation of the Classroom Behavioural and Emotional Problems Assessment Scale

Abstract

The study aims to develop and validatee of the Classroom Behavioural and Emotional Problems Assessment Scale (CB-EPAS), a culturally relevant tool intended to evaluate behavioural and emotional challenges in children, specifically within the framework of Pakistani culture. The scale was created with a mixed-methods approach, incorporating focus groups with seven middle primary school teachers, succeeded by content validation with four teachers. The initial questions were developed from themes identified in the Developmental Psychopathology Framework (Cicchetti & Cohen, 2006), which included emotional dysregulation, impulsivity, hyperactivity, defiance, low self-esteem, and associated symptoms. A preliminary set of 73 items were refined by expert evaluation, yielding a final scale of 69 items, which underwent pilot testing (N = 100) and explanatory factor analysis. Factor analysis identified four principal factors: Impulsivity and Hyperactivity, Emotional Dysregulation, Defiance and Hostility, and Low Self-Esteem and Confidence Issues, culminating in a 46-item scale. The scale exhibited exceptional reliability (Cronbach’s alpha = 0.98) and test-retest stability, affirming its efficacy as a tool for detecting children’s behavioral and emotional challenges. Moreover, evaluations of convergent and divergent validity demonstrated the scale’s precision in differentiating emotional and behavioral issues. This study emphasizes the scale’s utility for teachers and psychologists in recognizing and managing emotional and behavioral issues in children, especially in non-Western, culturally diverse contexts. Subsequent study should investigate the scale’s applicability across many people and contexts, confirming its cross-cultural validity and efficacy in establishing interventions.