Cross Informant Agreement of Behavioral and Emotional Strengths between Finnish Students and Teachers

• Published in: Scandinavian journal of educational research Vol. 56; no. 6; pp. 625 - 636
• Main Authors: Sointu, Erkko T., Savolainen, Hannu, Lappalainen, Kristiina, Epstein, Michael H.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Abingdon Routledge 01-12-2012; Taylor & Francis Ltd
• Subjects: Agreements; Behavioral and Emotional Rating Scale; BERS-2; cross informant; Elementary education; Elementary School Students; Elementary School Teachers; Emotional Development; Emotions; Finland; Finnish language; Foreign Countries; Grade 5; Measures; Measures (Individuals); multiple informants; Rating Scales; Respondents; strength-based assessment; Student Attitudes; Student Behavior; Students; Teacher Attitudes; Teachers; Validity; Finland
• ISSN: 0031-3831; 1470-1170
• DOI: 10.1080/00313831.2011.621135

Multiple informants such as teachers, students, and parents are commonly used as sources of information when assessing students' behaviors and emotions. However, there are few studies about cross informant agreement of strength-based assessment. The purpose of this study was to extend the international research on the Behavioral and Emotional Rating Scale (BERS-2), a strength-based measure, to determine the cross informant agreement and convergent validity between student self-report and teacher report on the Finnish BERS-2 with a sample of 5th grade Finnish students (n = 275). The results of this study found that the Finnish BERS-2 possesses moderate to large cross informant agreement with coefficients ranging from .35 to .51. Consistency between student and teacher ratings shows that the Finnish BERS-2 is a reliable measure to assess students' strengths.