Brief Description

The Rutter Behavior Checklist (Parent’s Form) consists of 26 statements and is used to assess the behavior of school-aged children as perceived by their parents. The Greek version has been adapted to align with the country’s linguistic and cultural context. Parents are asked to rate how accurately each statement describes their child, indicating the intensity or frequency of the behavior.

Purpose

The purpose of the checklist is to identify school-aged children who may present with behavioral disorders, hyperactivity, developmental disorders, or mixed difficulties, according to parental assessment.

Scoring Method

Each item is rated by the parent using three response options: applies a lot (score = 2), applies somewhat (score = 1), does not apply (score = 0). The total score is obtained by summing all responses, with a maximum score of 52. Items 3, 5, 13, 19, and 26 are indicators of hyperactivity, while items 2, 4, 10, 11, 14, 18, 22, and 25 are associated with behavioral disorders. Item 24 serves as the primary indicator for developmental disorder.

Validity

Discriminant validity was examined by comparing the total scores of the original sample (N = 603) with those of a representative sample (N = 258) and a clinical sample of children attending a child psychiatry service (N = 28). The findings support the instrument’s adequate validity.

Reliability

Test–retest reliability was found to be exceptionally high (r = 0.96) in a sample of 27 mothers who re-evaluated their children after one month.

Data Analysis and Use

The total score, along with specific subscales (hyperactivity, behavioral disorder, developmental disorder), can be used to identify children at increased risk of psychosocial difficulties. The tool is suitable for use in school settings as well as in child psychiatric evaluations.

References

Papadopoulou, R., Bada, K., Micheloyannakis, I., Makaronis, G., & Pandelakis, S. (1981). Psychiatric disorders in 6–8 year-old children in the greater Athens area. Bibliotheca Psychiatrica, 160, 92–100.
Rotsika, V., & Papatheodorou, R. Psychiatric disorders and school performance. Psychological Issues, 13(3), 211–229.
Siokou-Boda, A., & Pantelakis, S. (1992). The use and predictive value of consecutive tests in childhood and the development of learning abilities. Child and Adolescent, 4(2), 34–48.
Papatheodorou, R., & Dadidis, S. (1988). School performance: Social and individual factors. Psychological Issues, 14, 44–81.