The standardization of an inventory of child conduct problem behaviors

TLDR

Conduct problem behavior is thought to arise from parent–child interaction. The study standardizes a brief inventory of child conduct problem behaviors. Parents of 512 children aged 2–12 completed the 36‑item Eyberg Child Behavior Inventory. The ECBI proved reliable (α .86–.98) and valid, with normally distributed scores sensitive to conduct problem variability, higher scores for boys and mothers, age‑independent consistency, and utility as a psychometrically sound parent‑report adjunct to observational methods.

Abstract

Abstract This study presents the standardization data for a brief behavioral inventory of child conduct problem behaviors. The 36 item Eyberg Child Behavior Inventory (ECBI) was completed by the parents of 512 children (56% boys) ages 2 to 12. The psychometric characteristics of ECBI indicated that it is a reliable (.86 to .98) and valid instrument whose normally distributed scale is sensitive to a broad range of behavioral variability on the conduct problem dimension. Boys were reported to evidence more conduct problems than girls (p < .001; and mothers consistently reported more problem behaviors than fathers (p < .001). The relative consistency of ECBI scores across ages suggested that a conduct disorder is independent of stages in the child's development. It was suggested that conduct problem behavior is a manifestation of the interaction between the parent and child. The ECBI provides a psycho‐metrically sound parent‐report instrument to be used as an adjunct to observational methods in the treatment and study of conduct problem behaviors.