Title: Assessing Social Competence and Conduct Problems in children: Item Response Theory analysis of the Home and Community Social Behaviour Scales (HCSBS)
Abstract: The Home and Community Social Behaviour Scales (HCSBS) is a popular screening instrument that assesses social competence and problem behaviours in children and adolescents. Previous validation studies, relying on classical test theory, indicate that the instrument has good psychometric properties. The present study evaluates the HCSBS using item response theory (IRT). The sample consisted of 551 children aged 3-12 (71% boys), assigned to interventions for emerging or present conduct problems. Parents reported on social competence and problem behaviours across 32 items using the HCSBS before treatment started. IRT was used to 1) investigate dimensionality for each of the subscales, and 2) to infer item properties using item category probability curves and item information functions. Last, we evaluate measurement precision of the subscales via test information functions and model-based reliability indices for sum scores and IRT scores.
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