Psychometric properties and reference point data for the revised edition of the school observation coding system

The psychometric properties of a new observation coding system for children's disruptive classroom behavior were evaluated. The Revised Edition of the School Observation Coding System (REDSOCS) was used to observe 51 young children clinic-referred for conduct-disordered behavior and 182 nonreferred children from the classrooms of the referred children. Reference point data for the REDSOCS categories with preschoolers were obtained from the sample of nonreferred children. Interobserver reliability and concurrent validity of the three REDSOCS categories with teacher rating scales of oppositional behavior and hyperactivity were demonstrated. Initial evidence of convergent and discriminant validity was established through correlations of the REDSOCS categories with the subscales of the Revised Conners Teacher Rating Scale. Differences in REDSOCS scores between the nonreferred children and children referred for school behavior problems provided