LAB 5: INTERPRETING T-SCORES 1

Lab 5: Interpreting T-Scores

Rachel Dodds

Michigan State University

LAB 5: INTERPRETING T-SCORES 2

Lab 5: Interpreting T-Scores

Introduction

Alex is a 28-month old female in my Head Start Program classroom. The purpose of this

assessment is to determine whether the child should follow-up with a child study team, based on

concerns about the childs challenging socio-emotional behavior. The childs parents have given

permission to assess Alexs socio-emotional behavior.

The ASEBA Child Behavior Checklist for Preschoolers (C-TRF Ages 11/2 to 5) was

chosen to assess the child because the assessment clearly shows certain problems that are

reported for the childdetermined by a rating of 0 to 2 for each behavior, with 0 meaning not

present and 2 meaning frequently demonstrated by the childand allows for examiners to create

a profile for a child compared to the normative sample. A child is assessed in various subscales:

emotional reactivity, anxious and/or depressed, somatic complaints, withdrawn behavior,

attention problems, and aggressive behavior. Based on the reported scores, the assessments show

results for a child in each subscale according to the determined range on the clinical cut-off

(normal, borderline clinical range, or clinical range).

Data Summary
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Figure 1: C-TRF Scoring Sheet for Alex

Interpretation

The data in Table 1 and Figure 1 indicate Child As development in the socio-emotional

domain, compared to children who also took the same assessmentchildren ages 1 to 5 years.

The raw scores shown in Table 1 are a total number of the ratings that the assessor gave a child

in each category (e.g. emotionally reactive or somatic complaints)the breakdown of these

scores can be found by looking at each category in Figure 1. Child As scores were then used to

find percentile scores and T scores for each subscale. Scores that fall between the dashed or

broken lines in Figure 1 indicate that the childs score is in the Borderline Clinical Range cut-

off. Scores below these lines are within the Normal Range; scores above the broken lines

indicate that a childs behavior is in the Clinical Range. When a childs score is determined to be

in the Borderline Clinical Range or the Clinical Range, there is cause to be concerned about

certain aspects of a childs socio-emotional development.

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A percentile score tells how many children in the normative sample children who had

not been referred for mental health services in the preceding 12 months before taking the

assessment (Achenbach & Rescorla, 2001, p. 11)scored equal to or less than Child As score.

T scores are values that express test performance. T scores have a mean of 50, with a [Standard

Deviation] SD of 10. Therefore, if a student has a T score of 40, she is 1 SD below the mean,

whereas if she has a T score of 60, she would be 1 SD above the mean (Pierangelo & Giuliani,

Figure 2. Normal Bell-shaped Curve (Brunan, 2017)

2015, p. 72). Test creators use each score from the normative sample to determine a value called

standard deviation (SD)which is a quantity that determines how scores vary and are dispersed.

Generally, the greatest number of scores are found one standard deviation above and below the

mean scorethis range area is the middle two sections of the normative curve colored green in

Figure 2. Typically developing children may also score two standard deviations above the mean,

which account for the second greatest amount of scores on the assessment. For this assessment,
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the ASEBA Child Behavior Checklist for Preschoolers (C-TRF Ages 11/2 to 5), scores of for

children in the normal range cut-off fall within 2 standard deviations of the meanwhich is the

entire area colored green in Figure 2. In the normative sample about two-thirds of the scores are

within one SD above and below the average (mean) score, and about 95 percent of scores are

within 2 SDs of the mean (Pierangelo & Giuliani, 2015, p. 69) This means that a T score of 50

is the mean of the C-TRF assessment, so scores that are between T scores of 50 to 60 (1 SD from

the mean) and scores between 60 and 70 (2 SD from the mean) are scores that indicate that

subscales on the assessment do not warrant concern, as the childs score is in the normal cut-off

range. A T score greater than 60or similarly, a percentile score at the 93rd percentile or

abovedetermines when there may be cause for clinical concern regarding the childs socio-

emotional development. Though, for Total Internalizing Behaviors, Total Externalizing

Behaviors, and Total Problems reported, the borderline range included T scores of 60 to 63 (83rd

to 90th percentile) since there are more values included in the score (Achenbach & Rescorla,

2001, p. 14). In addition, the value of a clinical cut-off range (Normal Range, Borderline Clinical

Range, or Clinical Range) alone cannot tell the varying degrees that a childs score has. For

example, simply knowing that a score falls in the Clinical Range does not provide insight to

whether or not the childs score is in the lower, intermediate, or high clinical range. This is why

percentiles, T scores, and clinical cut-off scores are used together to interpret results to provide a

greater picture of the childs results.

In reference to Child As scores for Internalizing Behaviors, the scores for the subscales

Emotional Reactivity and Withdrawn Behaviors, fell within the Normal Range clinical cut-off

meaning that these behaviors are not demonstrated to a degree that may warrant concern. For

Emotional Reactivity and Withdrawn Behaviors, Child As score was in the 90th percentile for
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both categories, meaning that 90% of children in the normative sample scored equal to or less

than Child As score. This percentile rank also correlates to a T score of 64, which is 2 standard

deviations from the mean scorewhich indicates typical development for children taking this

assessment. In regards to the subscale, Anxious/Depressed, Child A scored in the 96th percentile,

meaning that Child As score is equal to or greater than 96% of the children in normative

sampleresulting in a T score of 68. This score was between the 93rd and the 97th percentile

shown in between the dashed lines in Figure 1, indicating that a score is in the Borderline

Clinical Range. Child As score on the Somatic Complaints scale corresponded the 99th

percentile, with a T score of 85. Because this T score is above 70 and greater than 2 SD above

the mean, Child As score for Somatic Complaints is in the Clinical Range which warrants

concern for a follow-up assessment to verify if these scores are found again to this degree. The

Total Internalizing Behaviors score is in the 98th percentile, meaning that 98% of the normative

sample had scores equal to or less than Child A. This also corresponds to a T score of 71,

determining that the childs internalizing behaviors are in the Clinical Rangemeaning that

there is reasonable cause for concern based on the problems reported for the child.

For Externalizing Behaviors, Child As scores for Aggressive Behavior indicate that this

aspect of the childs socio-emotional development is in the Normal Rangea score in the 81st

percentile with a T score of 59. 81% of children who took this assessment scored equal to or

lower than Child A. Also, a T score of 59 falls within 1 SD of the meanmeaning that the

childs behavior indicates typical development. In regards to Attention Problems, the child

scored in the 98th percentile, which means that the number of behaviors reported for Child A

were equal to or greater than 98% of the normative sample. This correlates to a T score of 70,

which means that the score is in the Clinical Range. The child scored in the 90th percentile for
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total Externalizing Behaviors with a T score of 63, corresponding to a result that is within the

Borderline Clinical Rangemeaning that there may be cause for clinical concern for the child.

Overall, the Total Problems Reported scored in the 90th percentile, meaning that 90% of children

who took this assessment scored lower than or equal to Child As score. This percentile score

determined that the T score for Total Problems Reported was 69which is in the Clinical Range

cut-off. The overall score being in the Clinical Range is definitely cause for clinical concern for

the childs socio-emotional development.

Recommendation

The ASEBA Child Behavior Checklist for Preschoolers (C-TRF Ages 11/2 to 5) was used

to determine if there should be cause for concern based on the behaviors reported for the child in

the socio-emotional development domain. The results of this assessment indicate that Child As

score was within the 90th percentilemeaning 90% of the normative sample reported the same

number or fewer problems regarding socio-emotional development compared to Child As

scoreand this score corresponds to a T score of 69. The child scored in the Clinical Range

overall, therefore these findings indicate that the childs socio-emotional development should be

further evaluated and assessed based on cause for clinical concern. In order to determine if these

assessment results are in fact accurate, more testing will be needed; one cannot base a

recommendation for a follow-up solely based on one set of data. Though based on these findings

and that data that I have interpreted, I recommend that the child should follow-up with a child

study team to further investigate the childs development in the socio-emotional domain to verify

the results of this assessmentand to determine the best possible plan of action for the childs

needs and development.

Reflection
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By doing this lab, I learned how to interpret standardized assessment scores on a deeper level. It

is so crucial that educators understand the variance of scores that result from assessments and

know how to interpret assessment results for each childs development. This lab helped me to

become more familiar with completing an investigation related to concern regarding

development and creating a report to share with colleagues or parents. Since I have chosen to

pursue a career in education, it is likely that I will be a part of a team of educators and experts

working to determine if a certain child should be considered for further evaluation. This lab

provided useful practice for writing reports to parents and colleagues, summarizing my findings.

Im very glad that I was able to have this sort of experience so that I am more prepared for what I

may encounter in my own classroom one day by completing each lab assignment.
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References

Achenbach, T. M., & Rescorla, L. A. (2001). Chapter 2: Hand-Scored Profiles for ASEBA

Preschool Forms. In Manual for the ASEBA Preschool Forms & Profiles (pp. 11-18).

ASEBA.

Brunan, L. (2017, January 13). [NWEA Normal, Bell-shaped Curve]. Retrieved from

https://www.nwea.org/blog/2017/please-dont-misunderstand-me-a-follow-up-to-our-first-

best-of-fusion-webinar/

Pierangelo, R., & Giuliani, G. A. (2015). Understanding Assessment in the Special Education

Process: A Step-by-Step Guide for Educators. NY: Skyhorse Publishing.

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Appendix A

Caregiver-Teacher Report Form for Ages 1 to 5

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Appendix B

Figure 1: C-TRF Scoring Sheet for Alex