Measuring Behavior Problems in Children from Low-Income Families: A Rasch Analysis of the Child Behavior Checklist for Ages 1½–5.

This article focuses on examining the psychometric properties of the Child Behavior Checklist for Ages 1½–5 (CBCL/1½–5) internalizing and externalizing behavior subscales using Rasch analysis in a sample of 244 preschool children from low-income families enrolled in Head Start programs. After removing misfitting items, both subscales demonstrated unidimensionality, local independence, and high item reliability, though person reliability was lower for the internalizing subscale, indicating limited ability to distinguish mild problem behaviors. Differential item functioning (DIF) analyses revealed a few items with gender-related response biases, but overall, the subscale scores are appropriate for comparing behavior problems between boys and girls. The study recommends converting ordinal raw scores into Rasch-based interval scores for more accurate statistical analysis and notes limitations related to the sample's demographic homogeneity.