Skip to main content
Log in

ASSESS: Adjustment Scales for Sociometric Evaluation of Secondary-School Students

  • Published:
Journal of Abnormal Child Psychology Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

The Adjustment Scales for Sociometric Evaluation of Secondary-School Students (ASSESS) was designed to assess peer ratings of the behavior of male and female adolescents. Five scales were developed and crossvalidated: Aggression-Disruptiveness, Withdrawal, Anxiety, Social Competence, and Academic Difficulty. Evidence of adequate internal consistency and testretest reliability was presented. Evaluations by male and female classmates were highly correlated. Sex and age differences accounted for only a small proportion of the total variance.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Bower, E. M.Early identification of emotionally handicapped children in school (2nd ed.). Springfield, Ilinois: Charles C Thomas, 1969 (Originally published, 1960).

    Google Scholar 

  • Cowen, E. L., Pederson, A., Babigian, H., Izzo, L. D., & Trost, M. A. Long term follow-up of early detected vulnerable children.Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 1973,41, 438–446.

    Google Scholar 

  • Jackson, D. N. A sequential strategy for personality scale construction. In C. D. Spielberger (Ed.),Current topics in clinical and community psychology (Vol. 2). New York: Academic Press, 1970. Pp. 61–96.

    Google Scholar 

  • Minturn, M., & Lewis, M. Age differences in peer ratings of socially desirable and socially undesirable behavior.Psychology Reports, 1968,23, 783–791.

    Google Scholar 

  • Müssen, P., Conger, J., & Kagan, J.Child development and personality. New York: Harper & Row, 1974.

    Google Scholar 

  • Norman, W. T. Toward an adequate taxonomy of personlity attributes: Replicated factor structure in peer nomination personality ratings.Journal of Abnormal and Social Psychology, 1963,66, 574–583.

    Google Scholar 

  • Pekarik, E. G., Prinz, R. J., Liebert, D. E., Weintraub, S., & Neale, J. M. The Pupil Evaluation Inventory: A sociometric technique for assessing children's social behavior.Journal of Abnormal Child Psychology, 1916,4, 83–97.

    Google Scholar 

  • Prinz, R. J., & Kent, R. N. Recording parent-adolescent interactions without the use of frequency or interval-by-interval coding.Behavior Therapy, 1978,9, 602–604.

    Google Scholar 

  • Roff, M. Some problems and strategies in life history research. In M. Roff & D. F. Ricks (Eds.),Life history studies in psychopathology. Minneapolis: University of Minnesota Press, 1969.

    Google Scholar 

  • Roff, M., & Sells, S. B. Juvenile delinquency in relation to peer acceptance-rejection and socio-economic status.Psychology in the Schools, 1968,5, 3–18.

    Google Scholar 

  • Rubenstein, R., Fisher, L., & Iker, H. Peer observation of student behavior in elementary school classrooms.Developmental Psychology, 1975,6, 867–868.

    Google Scholar 

  • Sells, S. B., & Roff, M.Peer acceptance-rejection and personality development. Final report of a 5-year research program, including studies of the origins of acceptancerejection, effects on early delinquency and drop-out, and developmental dynamics. U.S. Office of Education, January 1967.

  • Smith, G. Usefulness of peer ratings of personality in educational research.Educational and Psychological Measurement, 1967,24, 967–984.

    Google Scholar 

  • Walder, L. O., Abelson, R., Eron, L. D., Banta, T. J., & Laulicht, J. H. Development of a peer-rating measure of aggression.Psychological Reports, 1961,9, 497–556. (monograph supplement 4–49).

    Google Scholar 

  • Wiggins, J. S.Personality and prediction: Principles of personality assessment. Reading, Massachusetts: Addison-Wesley, 1973.

    Google Scholar 

  • Wiggins, J. S., & Winder, C. L. The peer nomination inventory: An empirically derived sociometric measure of adjustment in preadolescent boys.Psychological Reports, 1961,9, 643–677.

    Google Scholar 

  • Winder, C. L., & Wiggins, J. S. Social reputation and behavior: A further validation of the Peer Nomination Inventory.Journal of Social Psychology, 1964,68, 681–684.

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Additional information

This research was supported by Grant MH-21145 from the National Institute of Mental Health and funds from W. T. Grant Foundation. We wish to acknowledge the assistance of Ronda Brooks, Lina Jandorf, and Jean Sullivan in conducting the data collection, as well as the many school districts that have cooperated.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Prinz, R.J., Swan, G., Liebert, D. et al. ASSESS: Adjustment Scales for Sociometric Evaluation of Secondary-School Students. J Abnorm Child Psychol 6, 493–501 (1978). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00926059

Download citation

  • Revised:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00926059

Keywords

Navigation