Education is the most significant factor related to the future possibilities for students at risk (Socialstyrelsen, 2010). Positive social behavior and good literacy skills (decoding and reading comprehension) are factors that make it easier for students to succeed in school. Contrary, early difficulties in terms of language and reading comprehension are risk factors for internalizing and externalizing behavioral disorders (Benner, et al., 2002; Gustafsson, et al., 2010; Reid, et al., 2004; Trzesniewski, et al., 2006; Undheim & Wickstrøm, 2011). Thus, early identifying students who need additional support to prevent more severe difficulties are highlighted. Screening and progress monitoring of students achievements from intervention should be a continuous process. Therefore, it is important to provide educational assessment instruments with high quality that in turn can improve the practice for students at risk.
This study target three main groups of students who face difficulties with: 1) Decoding skills, 2) Social behavior skills, and 3) Comorbidity of decoding skills and social behavior.
Three sub-studies will be carried out:
- A systematic review of psychometric properties of educational measures for social behavior and decoding skills available in Norwegian elementary schools.
- A validation of the Norwegian version of the “Elementary Social Behavior Assessment” (ESBA).
- A validation of a Norwegian version of the sub-test “Oral Reading Fluency” (ORF) of the “Dynamic Indicators of Basic Early Literacy Skills” (DIBELS).
Data from an unselected sample (N=2200) of students (grades 2-5) will be analyzed.