Correlational Validity Evidence for the BASC-3 Behavioral and Emotional Screening System (BESS): A Meta-Analysis

We document results of validity generalization meta-analyses of the teacher, student, and parent forms of the BASC-3 Behavioral and Emotional Screening System (BESS). Effect sizes (reported here as absolute values, based on 16 studies and 428 correlation coefficients) ranged from 0.040 to 0.350 for constructs related to academics, 0.399 to 0.690 for executive functioning, 0.350 to 0.627 for externalizing problems, 0.287 to 0.815 for internalizing problems, 0.344 to 0.660 for prosocial functioning, and 0.478 to 0.875 for global risk indicators. Extracted coefficients were of the expected direction and magnitude with theoretically aligned constructs, although scores on the BESS scales showed relatively weak relationships with academic variables and results from the parent form were less consistent. Results indicate the broad utility of the BESS in identifying students for further assessment as part of the screening process and support the use of the broadband BESS Behavior and Emotional Risk Index (BERI) particularly for this purpose.