Author(s)

Julie Q. Morrison^*

University of Cincinnati, School Psychology Program, Cincinnati, USA.

Universal screening is a critical foundation for school-based prevention and early intervention. This study examined the technical adequacy of the SPF-7, an instrument designed to assist school personnel in the early identification of students at-risk for emotional and behavioral concerns. The SPF-7 differs from other measures used in identifying emotionally and behaviorally at-risk students, as the SPF-7 focuses on protective factors rather than risk factors. The results of this study suggest that the SPF-7 has adequate test-retest reliability and criterion validity, but limited inter-rater agreement. The SPF-7 is a potentially promising tool for identifying students in need of support within a multi-tiered system of increasingly intensive interventions.

Universal Screening, Protective Factors

Morrison, J. (2015). Technical Adequacy of the Student Protective Factors Screening Scale (SPF-7) as a Universal Screening Tool. Psychology, 6, 817-832. doi: 10.4236/psych.2015.67081.