Brief Description

The Rutter’s Behavior Checklist – Parent’s Form (RBP-26) is an assessment instrument used to evaluate the behavior of school-aged children based on parental observations and judgments. It consists of 26 statements, through which parents indicate the extent to which specific behaviors describe their child, taking into account their intensity or frequency. The Greek version has been adapted to the linguistic and cultural context of Greece.

Parental assessment provides valuable information about the child’s behavior within the family and broader social environment. It may also complement evaluations made by teachers or other professionals, contributing to a more comprehensive understanding of the child’s psychosocial functioning.

Purpose

The primary purpose of the RBP-26 is to identify school-aged children who may present behavioral or developmental difficulties, as perceived by their parents. The source material specifically refers to behavior disorders, hyperactivity, developmental disorder, and mixed disorder.

The instrument may be used as a screening measure for the early detection of possible difficulties and may support decisions regarding the need for further psychological, psychiatric, or educational assessment. It should not be considered a stand-alone diagnostic instrument.

Scoring

Each statement is rated by the parent using three response options:

  • Certainly applies: 2 points
  • Applies somewhat: 1 point
  • Does not apply: 0 points

The total score is calculated by summing the responses to all 26 items and can reach a maximum of 52 points. According to the available source material, Items 3, 5, 13, 19, and 26 are indicators of hyperactivity, Items 2, 4, 10, 11, 14, 18, 22, and 25 are associated with behavior disorder, while Item 24 serves as the main indicator of developmental disorder.

Higher scores reflect a greater presence of the behaviors or difficulties assessed by the checklist. Interpretation should follow the guidance and available psychometric evidence for the specific version being used.

Validity

The discriminant validity of the Greek adaptation has been examined by comparing total scores across different groups of children. Specifically, the original sample of N = 603 children was compared with a representative sample of N = 258 and a sample of N = 28 children from a child psychiatric service. The findings reported in the source support the adequate discriminant validity of the instrument.

The ability to distinguish between general and clinical populations supports the usefulness of the RBP-26 for the preliminary identification of children who may present increased behavioral or psychosocial difficulties.

Reliability

The test-retest reliability of the RBP-26 was reported to be exceptionally high. In a sample of 27 mothers who reassessed their children after a one-month interval, the test-retest correlation coefficient was r = 0.96.

This result indicates a high degree of temporal stability when the checklist is completed by the same raters under comparable conditions.

Data Analysis and Use

The total score and the individual indices relating to hyperactivity, behavior disorder, and developmental disorder may be used to identify children at increased risk of psychosocial or behavioral difficulties. The instrument is suitable for use both in school populations and in child psychiatric settings.

In research settings, the RBP-26 may also be used to investigate associations between behavioral difficulties and variables such as academic achievement, social adjustment, family functioning, and the child’s psychosocial development.

The results are best interpreted together with information obtained from teachers, mental health professionals, and other relevant sources, particularly when they are used to guide decisions about further assessment or intervention.

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. Mental disorder and school achievement. Psychological Issues, 13(3), 211–229.

Siokou-Boda, A., & Pantelakis, S. (1992). The use and predictive value of successive tests in the child population and the development of learning abilities. Child and Adolescent, 4(2), 34–48.

Papatheodorou, R., & Dadidis, S. (1988). School achievement: Social and individual factors. Psychological Issues, 14, 44–81.