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Rutter's Behaviour Scale (B2) for Children (Teacher's Scale): Validation and Standardization for Use on Nigerian Children
Department of Paediatrics, University of Nigeria Teaching Hospital Enugu, Nigeria
Nigerian teacbers were asked to place the chitdren in their classes in either of two groups: Group I, comprising children of normal behaviom, and Group II, children who, in their opinion, had significant behavioural problems. Validity of the teachers' grouping was confirmed, using as reference measure the findings from traditional psychological assessment of the children. The teachers then completed the Rutter Child Behaviour Questionnaire (Teachers' Scale) for the same children. The children's scores on the Rutter Scale were matched against the teacher's grouping, the aim being to identify the Rutter Score that separates the children into two behaviour groups that agree most closely with tbe teachers' own grouping. Results sbow that this was achieved at the Rutter Score of 10 (k = 0.66). Children scoring 10 or more w the Rutter scale appeared mostly in Group II, while those scoriag less than 10 were mostly in Group I. Rutter's scale was also found to be a highly valid instrument for identifying Nigerian children with behaviour problems. It is recommended that Nigerian children scoring
10 on Rutter's Behavioural Questioanaire (Teacher's Scale), should be regarded as childrcn with behavioural disorder. This is one point higher than tbe score of
9 recommended for British children.