Social, emotional, and behavioral (SEB) screening occurs in only two percent of our schools. This is unfortunate because universal screening is linked to prevention and early intervention with emotional and behavioral disorders (EBD) in children and youth, a population who continues to experience a plethora of poor outcomes. The social acceptability (often characterized incompletely as social validity) of SEB screening tools is suggested to contribute to their adoption and use; thus we need a better understanding of the social acceptability of universal SEB screening. In this review, five relevant screening instruments, or “screeners,” for school age children were evaluated using a rubric of six characteristics and 21 indicators of social acceptability as determined via a comprehensive search of the literature. Results indicate a range of characteristics that could affect adoption and use. The discussion proposes applications for this information.
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