PROBLEM-BEHAVIOR FACTOR CORRELATES OF PERSONALITY-INVENTORY FOR CHILDREN PROFILE SCALES

Investigated the relationships between empirically determined dimensions of problem behaviors and the profile scales of the Personality Inventory for Children, a multidimensional objective personality inventory. Behavior problems and family characteristics of 430 children and adolescents (ages 2-17 yrs) tapping a variety of content areas were obtained on a 100-item checklist. Responses on the checklist were submitted to a principle components factor analysis with varimax rotation. Factor scores were generated for each S on the 16 interpretable factors. T scores of the 16 profile scales were correlated with the problem-behavior factor scores separately for male children, male adolescents, female children, and female adolescents. The resulting correlation matrices allowed identification of scale to correlates and their variation by age or sex and facilitated the estimate of generalizability of the data analysis. Results provide substantial evidence of scale convergent and discriminant validity and suggest the potential utility of this instrument. Further research is necessary to determine specific correlates suggested by scale elevation, setting, age-specific or sex-specific correlates, and development of profile classification rules. (10 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2006 APA, all rights reserved). © 1979 American Psychological Association.