SSIS-RS Factor Analysis Latino Preschoolers

One popular multi-rater social skill instrument is the Social Skills Improvement System Rating Scales (SSIS-RS). The SSIS-RS is designed to evaluate social skills, problem behaviors, and academic competence in children. While previous versions of the SSIS have been widely used in research and practice, including use with multiple translations across languages, few studies have examined the psychometric properties of the most recent iteration of the SSIS-RS with diverse populations. The current study aims to evaluate the construct validity of SSIS-RS with a Mexican-American population using the Spanish Parent and English Teacher versions. Confirmatory factor analysis was conducted with data from 624 parents and 135 teachers rating in total 761 Mexican-American children’s social skills and problem behaviors. Results revealed adequate psychometric properties but varied somewhat from the proposed scale models of the SSIS-RS. It is possible that the differences were due to the cultural uniqueness of Mexican origin compared to the norming sample. Similarities and discrepancies were found in comparing the factor structures between parent and teacher ratings. These results suggest that while parents and teachers share views on the children, environmental factors and the language of the SSIS-RS might influence their responses.