Psychometric Properties of the Weekly Assessment of Child Behavior–Negative Form (WACB-N)

Abstract

This study evaluated the psychometric properties of the Weekly Assessment of Child Behavior–Negative Form (WACB-N), a brief, nine-item caregiver-reported assessment designed for screening and progress monitoring of externalizing behavior problems in children of ages 2–10 years. The psychometric properties of the WACB-N were examined across two non-overlapping samples: a clinical population of caregiver-child dyads referred for outpatient mental health services (Sample 1; n = 164) and resource parent-foster child dyads participating in a preventive parenting program (Sample 2; n = 151). Data were analyzed using item response theory, factor analyses, test–retest reliability, convergent validity, and receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analyses. Item response theory and factor analyses supported the unidimensionality, item-level properties, and internal consistency of WACB-N subscales. Test–retest reliability was good to excellent over 3-week intervals (intraclass correlation coefficients = .82–.92). The WACB-N demonstrated strong convergent validity with established measures of child behavioral problems, socioemotional competencies, and parenting stress. The ROC analyses identified optimal WACB-N cutoff scores between 35.5 and 37.5 for detecting children with externalizing behavior problems. The WACB-N’s brief structure and strong psychometric properties support its utility for screening and monitoring progress in interventions and treatment outcome research. The measure’s public availability and simple scoring and interpretation facilitate its implementation in community settings, allowing practitioners and researchers to effectively track behavioral changes, guide clinical decision-making, and foster collaborative care with caregivers. As a brief and cost-effective measure for assessing and monitoring child behavior problems, the WACB-N has the potential to improve the quality of services for children exhibiting behavior problems and their families.