Development of an Instrument to Assess Problem Behavior in First-Grade Students Prenatally Exposed to Cocaine: Part I

Abstract

Teachers report that children exposed prenatally to cocaine display unique academic, social, and conduct problems in the school setting. No measure nor data exist that specifically identify these alleged behaviors. Experienced teachers (N = 24) participated in a consensus process to identify first-grade student behaviors considered specific to prenatal cocaine exposure. The Problem Behavior Scale (PROBS-14), a 14-item, visual analogue scale, was developed from the beliavior classifications generated Teachers then recalled the behaviors of students (N = 140) from the previous semester and scored the PROBS-14 and the Conners’ Teacher Rating Scale (CTRS-39). Concurrent validity was established between the PROBS-14 and the CTRS with factor analysis. The analysis yielded a hyperactivity-impulsivity factor, composed of both CTRS and PROBS items, and a central processing factor, composed of only PROBS items. Assessment of behavioral outcomes of prenatal exposure will require specialized instruments responsive to empirical data. Ongoing instrument development is addressing predictive validity of the PROBS-14 in identifying cocaine-exposed children.

Keywords

prenatal cocaine child behavior

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