Previous research suggests that discrepant ratings of symptoms, behaviors, and competencies may have important implications for childhood adjustment. Consequently, several theoretical explanations regarding the meanings and implications of inter-rater discrepancies have been proposed. The current study examined several largely unexplored issues regarding the statistical and conceptual properties of discrepant ratings; these include heterogeneity of agreement, shared method variance, and direction-specific effects. In a sample of 384 seventh and eighth-grade adolescents, it was found that each of the issues is integral in the interpretation of significant relationships between discrepant ratings of social rejection and childhood adjustment variables. More specifically, results demonstrated that the influence of shared method variance appears to be largely related to heterogeneity of agreement, and that accounting for shared method variance can increase, decrease, or even change the direction of the relationship between discrepancy scores and other variables. Also, results showed that the magnitude of discrepancies can be unrelated, equally related, or differentially related to the adjustment variables for the different forms of bias. Altogether, the findings of this study have implications for the theoretical conceptualization and statistical analysis of inter-rater discrepancy scores.

abstract: This two-study investigation examined the social behavior competencies of a sample of students ages 8 to 18 who identified themselves as either bullies or non-bullies based on ratings of items on a comprehensive behavior rating scale. Specifically, the purpose of Study 1 was to establish criteria using the Social Skills Improvement System – Student Rating Scale (SSIS-S) to identify students from a nationally representative standardization sample who displayed high frequencies of bullying behaviors. The social behavior ratings for these self-identified bullies were then compared with all other students in the national sample and analyzed to determine differences among various domains of social skills and problem behaviors. In Study 2, the same students’ social behaviors were rated by adult informants to determine if there was added value in including parents and teachers in the assessment of the self-identified bullies. Finally, the extent of concurrent agreement was examined for all students among the teachers, parents, and students’ ratings of social skills and problem behavior domains. Study 1 revealed that self-identified bullies are not a homogeneous group. The main findings from Study 2 showed parents and teachers may add to the overall predictive validity of the student self-report assessment, but not the accuracy of classifying the students as bullies. Study 2 showed differences and similarities exist across the ratings provided by each rater. The relative value of including adult reports in the self-assessment likely lies in the reported differences from each rater, as they provide a more complete social behavior profile for each student. These findings are discussed in terms of existing research and theories regarding children and youths’ bullying behavior. Limitations and recommendations for future research conclude the report. / Dissertation/Thesis / Doctoral Dissertation Family and Human Development 2020

Purpose: This study utilized the ABCX Model of Family Stress and Coping to examine the role of interparental conflict (IPC) on child adjustment in military families. We investigated how IPC as a stressor (A) relates to the meaning adolescent children assigned to the conflict (C), and how this meaning predicts adjustment outcomes among siblings in the family, reflecting a crisis (X). Methods: Data were collected from 116 families composed of an active-duty military parent, civilian parent, and two adolescent siblings. Parents and both adolescents reported their perception of IPC, and adolescents reported on their own positive adjustment. Results: Only civilian parent reports were related to adolescent sibling perceptions of IPC, and adolescent perceptions of IPC inversely predicted their own adjustment. Discussion: Findings support the importance of adolescent perceptions as a factor in their own outcomes. Results highlight the importance of at-home-caregivers as a potential point of intervention in fostering adjustment.

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The present study aimed to investigate the predictors of conduct problems and callous-unemotional (CU) traits in a non-clinic sample of children from different socioeconomic levels. It was hypothesized that conduct problems and CU traits will be associated with different risk factors. Regression analyses were conducted in order to find out the predictors of conduct problems/hyperactivity and CU traits. Results showed some significant differences between risk factors of conduct problems/hyperactivity and CU traits. Predictors according to mothers&rsquo / and teachers&rsquo / ratings were not the same, except for some overlapping variables. The findings indicated that teachers could not differentiate conduct problems/hyperactivity symptoms and CU traits appropriately from each other. However, they could make more reliable comparisons between two groups of children with conduct problems who differ on severity of CU levels as compared to mothers. The results were discussed in terms of using of multiple informants forassessing different problem areas in children. In addition, the study aimed to investigate the differences between three groups of children, namely, children with conduct problems and high CU traits, children with conduct problems and low CU traits, and children without conduct problems and low CU traits were compared on child-related, parenting-related, and other family measures by using multiple factorial analyses of variances. Although significant differences were found between the control group and the two conduct group, the significant differences between the two conduct groups were limited. The results were discussed in terms of treatment needs and possible differences in cultural expression of CU traits.