Student Risk Screening Scale for Internalizing and Externalizing Behaviors: Preliminary Cut Scores to Support Data-Informed Decision Making

We report findings of a convergent validity study examining the internalizing subscale (SRSS-15) of the newly adapted Student Risk Screening Scale for Internalizing and Externalizing (SRSS-IE12) with the internalizing subscale of the Teacher Report Form (TRF; Achenbach, 1991) conducted in 13 schools across three states with 195 kindergarten through fifth-grade elementary students. Results of logistic regression and receiver operating characteristics curves suggest the following cut scores for the SRSS-15: 0–1 low risk, 2–3 moderate risk, and 4–15 high risk for internalizing behavior patterns, relative to the internalizing subscale of the TRF subscale. Limitations and future directions are discussed, along with illustrations of how to use the SRSS-15 scores for decision making in a tiered system of supports.