Preschool Behaviour Checklist [PBC-22]

Description

The Preschool Behaviour Checklist (PBC-22) is a brief screening questionnaire designed to help preschool teachers identify children who may present emotional needs or behavioural difficulties. It is completed by the teacher and consists of 22 items addressing conduct, emotional difficulties, social relationships, and attention.

Purpose

The PBC-22 is intended for the early identification of emotional and behavioural problems in children aged 2 to 5 years. It provides a structured assessment of five key dimensions: aggression, social isolation, emotional disorders, psychosomatic disorders, and difficulties in concentration and attention.

Scoring

Items are scored on a 3-point scale, where 0 = no problem, 1 = possible problem, and 2 = definite problem. The total score ranges from 0 to 44, with the available material reporting a cut-off score of ≥12 for identifying problematic behaviour.

Reliability and Validity

The PBC-22 demonstrates evidence of face validity, while its scores are significantly associated with teachers’ assessments of children’s behavioural and emotional adjustment.

Cronbach’s alpha coefficients were 0.82 for aggression, 0.73 for social isolation, 0.65 for emotional disorders, 0.73 for psychosomatic disorders, and 0.56 for concentration and attention difficulties. Factor analysis supported a five-factor structure.

References

Zafeiropoulou M, Argyroukoulis E, Rousi Ch, Angelosopoulou A, Georgiou E, Menegatou M. Evaluation of emotional difficulties and behavioral problems in kindergarten: The Preschool Behaviour Checklist. 9th Panhellenic Conference of Psychological Research. University of the Aegean, Rhodes; 2003.

McGuire J, Richman R. Preschool Behaviour Checklist. Windsor: NFER-Nelson; 1988.

St James-Roberts I, Singh G, Lynn R, Jackson S. Assessing emotional and behavioural problems in reception class school-children: Factor structure, convergence and prevalence using the PBCL. British Journal of Educational Psychology. 1994;64:105–118.

Tags: PBC-22, Preschool Behaviour Checklist, Preschool Children, Behavioural Problems, Emotional Difficulties, Aggression, Social Isolation, Attention Difficulties, Child Development, Psychometric Assessment