Brief Description

The Rutter’s Behavior Checklist – Teacher’s Form (RBT-26) is a behavioral assessment instrument designed to evaluate the behavior of school-aged children based on teachers’ observations within the school environment. It consists of 26 statements describing different aspects of the child’s behavior and functioning. Teachers are asked to indicate how well each statement describes the student using three response categories: “a lot” = 2, “a little” = 1, and “not at all” = 0.

The teacher form is complementary to the corresponding parent version and allows the child’s behavior to be evaluated across different settings. Teacher-based assessment is particularly valuable because the school environment provides a structured social context in which behaviors related to adaptation, peer interaction, rule-following, attention, and responses to everyday demands can be observed systematically.

Purpose

The primary purpose of the RBT-26 is to identify school-aged children who may present behavioral or emotional difficulties, as these are manifested within the school environment and perceived by teachers. The instrument focuses on problems such as behavioral disturbance, hyperactivity, and other categories described in the original material, including neurotic, developmental, and mixed disturbances.

The checklist may support the early identification of children who could benefit from further assessment, psychological support, counseling, or appropriate educational intervention. It should not be regarded as a stand-alone diagnostic instrument but rather as a screening and preliminary assessment tool.

Scoring

The total score is calculated by summing the responses to all 26 items, producing a maximum possible score of 52. According to the source material, specific items are grouped into the following indices:

  • Behavior disorder: Items 1, 6, 10, 17, and 23.
  • Hyperactivity: Items 4, 8, 13, and 16.
  • Developmental disorder: Item 24.

The source further indicates that a child may be considered to present significant disturbance when the sum of the relevant indices exceeds a specified threshold.

Interpretation of the total and subscale scores should follow the scoring guidance of the particular version being used and should be considered alongside broader information about the child’s behavior and functioning.

Validity

The validity of the Greek adaptation has been examined by comparing scores across different groups of children. Specifically, the scores of the original sample of N = 603 children were compared with those of a representative sample of N = 255 and a clinical sample of N = 28 children from a child guidance service. The results reported in the source support the discriminant validity of the instrument.

This ability to distinguish between community and clinical samples supports the usefulness of the RBT-26 as a screening measure for behavioral and emotional difficulties in school settings.

Reliability

The RBT-26 demonstrates high test-retest reliability. When the same children were reassessed by the same teachers after a one-month interval, the reported Pearson correlation coefficient was r = 0.94.

This finding indicates a high degree of temporal stability in the ratings when the same assessors and comparable assessment conditions are maintained.

Data Analysis and Use

The total score and the individual indices of the RBT-26 can be used for the early identification of students with emotional, behavioral, or psychosocial difficulties and may support decisions regarding the need for further assessment or intervention.

The instrument may be especially useful in school psychology, educational assessment, special education, and intervention planning. It may also be used in research examining associations between behavioral difficulties and variables such as academic achievement, social adjustment, classroom functioning, and psychosocial development.

Results should ideally be interpreted together with information obtained from parents, teachers, interviews, and other appropriate assessment procedures in order to provide a more comprehensive understanding of the child’s needs.

References

Roussou, A. (Ed.). (2002). Topics in Psychology in Education and in Psychological Practice and Research. Athens: Ellinika Grammata.

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., Pechlivanidou, A., & Sinti, T. (2002). Mental disorder and school achievement. Psychological Issues, 13, 211–229.

Rutter, M., Tizard, J., & Whitmore, K. (1970). Education, Health and Behaviour. London: Longmans.