Using the Santa Barbara Assets and Risks Assessment to Examine the Ecology of Youths Experiencing Behavior Problems

Following a review of important factors and considerations among youths displaying behavior problems, this study examined the predictive validity of the Santa Barbara Assets and Risks Assessment (SB ARA) with a population of European American and Mexican American highrisk adolescents (n = 566). The results of this study provide evidence that the SB ARA has adequate predictive validity of recidivism. Notably, the SB ARA provided prediction of recidivism, 12 months following assessment, for both females and males. The analyses also revealed different sets of indicators that predicted recidivism for females and males, thus, providing evidence supporting the position that there are some unique and some common indicators predicting recidivism for females and males. It is proposed that the SB ARA provides an exemplar for assessing both assets and risks among many salient developmental dimensions, is appropriate to use with males and females, and provides a comprehensive understanding of youths displaying behavior problems. Implications for the provision of services are also discussed. The number of students with emotional and behavioral disorders served by schools is approximately 2% of the student population; moreover, the number of students needing support for emotional and behavioral problems is estimated to be as high as 10% (Sawka, McCurdy, & Mannella, 2002). Students with behavioral difficulties are diverse, including those with traumatic brain injury, cognitive deficits, and psychiatric mental disorders with symptoms including hyperactivity, impulsivity, inattention, aggression, and low frustration tolerance (Gaoni, Black, & Baldwin, 1998) with patterns of behavioral difficulty likely to emerge in preschool years and pervade home, school, peer, and community environments. Without appropriate intervention, behavior disorders tend to escalate throughout the elementary school years and children are at-risk for dropping out of school (Digest of Education Statistics, 2002), developing adult psychopathology, and leading antisocial lifestyles (Kauffman, 1989). There is a clear need to identify and intervene with children displaying behavioral difficulties at an early age in order to ensure that identification of needs leads appropriate services to children. ASSESSMENT OF STUDENTS DISPLAYING BEHAVIORAL PROBLEMS Though behavioral difficulties are one of the most common forms of referral to school psychologists, educational professionals remain uncertain of how to assess such problems. Forming a concise but comprehensive definition of behavior disorders is difficult due to the multitude and diversity of disorders that are involved. This may be due in part to a lack of common understanding in the diagnosis and treatment of behavioral disorders. The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) definition of emotional disturbance provides little guidance in the identification and treatment of this population of children. The definition is vague and contains controversial language (Rosenblatt & Furlong, 1997) in addition to including children with a variety of internalizing, externalizing, and comorbid behavior problems (Stinnett, Bull, Koonce, & Aldridge, 1999).