Measurement and Population Miss-Fits: A Case Study on the Importance of Using Appropriate Measures to Evaluate Early Childhood Interventions

This study explored the importance of using relevant measures when evaluating the effectiveness of early childhood interventions. Data from the federally-funded evaluation of the Comprehensive Child Development Program were used to examine whether the behavior measure, the Child Behavior Checklist (CBCL), was an appropriate tool for the diverse community-based sample of young, low-income children. Results demonstrated no confirmation of the CBCL syndromes composing the Externalizing and Internalizing behavioral dimensions used to determine program impacts. Exploratory analyses revealed that two-thirds of the clinical behavior problems included in the CBCL were of very low prevalence in this community-based sample. These findings stress the importance of measurement fit in national evaluations of early childhood programs serving these vulnerable children.