Adjustment Scales for Children and Adolescents ASCA

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Adjustment Scales for Children and Adolescents
(ASCA)

• Contains 156 behavioral descriptions drawn from
  the language of teachers as compiled through
  interviews. Each behavioral description is
  presented with reference to 29 specific social,
  recreational, or learning situations in which a
  students adjustment to authority, agemates,
  smaller/weaker children, and various tasks may be
  observed.

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ASCA Contexts
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U. S. Structure of the ASCA
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Frequently Endorsed ASCA Items
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Least Frequently Endorsed ASCA Items
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Structure of the ASCA in Trinidad and Tobago

• Attention-Deficit Hyperactive (ADH)
• 19 items
• Conduct Problems (CP)
• 20 items
• Underactivity (UN)
• 28 items

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T T ADH Factor

• Attention-Deficit Hyperactive Syndrome
• 15 of 19 items overlap with U.S. sample
• Reflect inattention, over-activity, impulsivity,
  and restlessness
• 46 exhibited fewer than 2 ADH behaviors
• Boys significantly higher than girls
• African ethnic background higher than East Indian
  background
• Reliability (internal consistency) of .84

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ADH Items
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T T CP Factor

• Conduct Problem Syndrome
• 20 items
• Depict irascible, aggressive, and confrontative
  behavior
• Share 16 to 25 variance with ADH items
• 64 had no CP items endorsed
• African ethnic background higher than East Indian
  background
• Reliability (internal consistency) of .83

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CP Items
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T T UN Factor

• Underactivity syndrome
• 28 items
• Describe shy, withdrawn, timid, fearful, and
  apathetic behavior
• 56 had one or fewer UN item endorsed
• No differences among gender, ethnic background,
  or grades
• Reliability (internal consistency) of .81

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UN Items
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Reliability of ASCA Syndromes
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ASCA Administration

• Completed by teacher with 30 to 40 school days
  experience with student in variety of situations
• Forms for males and females
• Completed in 10-20 minute session
• Good to let teacher examine ASCA form before
  rating

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ASCA Scoring

• Use ASCA Scoring Template
• Place transparent Scoring Template over
  teacher-scored form
• When valid ASCA item is marked, fill n
  corresponding box on ASCA Score Summary Sheet
• Sum raw scores for all three syndromes
• Convert raw scores to percentiles
• Lets practice

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ASCA Norms
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ASCA Interpretation

• Guided by overall elevation of student scores on
  syndromes
• Scores lt 85 percentile -- adjusted
• Scores of 85-94 percentile -- at risk
• Scores 95 percentile -- maladjusted
• Nature of items endorsed and syndrome
• Individual items explored to better understand
  students situation
• Some items are diagnostic alone
• Positive endorsements should also be reviewed

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ASCA Limitations

• Not a symptom checklist
• Does not list all possible types of maladaptive
  behavior
• Certain rare forms of behavior pathology require
  no confirmation across context
• Not a measure of depression or anxiety
• Only deals with problems that can be observed and
  reported by teachers

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Sample ASCA CaseJoe

• Joe - male
• Age - 7
• Grade - Infant 2