School-Age Kids Behavior & Emotions The Child Behavior Checklist By Amy Morin, LCSW facebook twitter instagram Amy Morin, LCSW, is the Editor-in-Chief of Verywell Mind. She's also a psychotherapist, international bestselling author and host of the Mentally Strong People podcast. Learn about our editorial process Amy Morin, LCSW Medically reviewed by Medically reviewed by Steven Gans, MD on September 25, 2018 Steven Gans, MD is board-certified in psychiatry and is an active supervisor, teacher, and mentor at Massachusetts General Hospital. Learn about our Review Board Steven Gans, MD Updated on September 27, 2019 Print John Fedele / Blend Images / Getty Images Table of Contents View All Why the CBCL Is Used The Assessment Tool Scores Pros and Cons The child behavior checklist (CBCL) is the most commonly used tool for assessing emotional and behavioral problems in children. The checklist provides a fast and efficient way for a treatment provider to gather information about a child’s mood and behavior. The CBCL consists of a series of questions that usually a parent or caregiver completes. The answers are then scored by the professional and the results can help guide the assessment or treatment (if it is warranted). Why the CBCL Is Used The information gleaned from the CBCL may be used in a variety of ways. A physician may use the tool to determine if a child should be referred to a mental health treatment provider. Or, a mental health treatment provider may use the CBCL to assess specific areas of concern. The CBCL doesn’t provide a mental health diagnosis but it can provide a treatment provider with information that helps in the diagnostic process. For example, the scores may reveal that a child with behavior issues has an underlying mental health issue, like anxiety. Treating the anxiety may be a key component to improving the behavior. Sometimes the CBCL assists with managed care. The scores can help a physician or mental health treatment provider show a health insurance company that a particular treatment is warranted. It may also be administered at intervals to check on a child’s progress. A therapist may use it to see if therapy is helping a child’s depression or anxiety, or a psychiatrist may administer it to see if ADHD medication is reducing a child’s symptoms. The Assessment Tool The CBCL is most commonly given to a child’s parent or caregiver to complete. There’s also a teacher report form that may be given to a child’s teachers. The questions assess a child’s behavior, social competence and academic functioning (when a child attends school). The person answering the questions documents how true various statements are using a Likert scale: 0 = Not True, 1 = Somewhat or Sometimes True, and 2 = Very True or Often True. There are two different versions of the CBCL: Preschool: This version is appropriate for children ages 18 months to 5 years. Parents or close caregivers (such as daycare providers) report how often a specific behavior has occurred during the previous two months. It contains 100 problem behavior questions.School-age: This version is used for children from 6 to 18. It contains 118 problem behavior questions. The checklist only takes about 15 minutes to complete and it can be scored in about 10 minutes. Scores A trained professional scores the test. The answers are scored and problem areas are broken down into the following eight categories: Aggressive BehaviorAnxious/DepressedAttention ProblemsRule-Breaking BehaviorSomatic ComplaintsSocial ProblemsThought ProblemsWithdrawn/Depressed There are two broadband scales that combine several of the scales. The internalizing problems score assesses the anxious/depressed, withdrawn/depressed, and somatic complaints score. Externalizing problems cover the rule-breaking and aggressive behavior domains. The CBCL scores can be compared to the normal scores for children in the same age range. Higher scores indicate greater problems. Scores are considered either normal, borderline, or clinical. Pros and Cons The CBCL is well-researched and widely used. It’s updated from time to time to reflect changes in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual. It’s also inexpensive to administer and easy to score, making it a simple way to gather data. Computer-generated reports are available with feedback and the assessment shares a child’s strengths. A potential drawback of the CBCL is the issue of self-report bias. A parent who is really frustrated by a child’s behavior may over-report symptoms. Similarly, a teacher who really likes a child may underreport symptoms. Additionally, some caregivers see the forms as time-consuming to complete. An already overwhelmed parent or teacher may be reluctant to complete the forms in a timely manner. A Word From Verywell If someone asks you to complete a CBCL on a child, it's important to complete the checklist as accurately as possible. If you have any questions, don't hesitate to ask. Whether you're a parent, teacher, or another caregiver, your feedback will likely be an integral part of the assessment of a child. Your responses can help shape any interventions that may be necessary to help a child manage her mood or behaviors better. Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! Get diet and wellness tips to help your kids stay healthy and happy. Sign Up You're in! Thank you, {{form.email}}, for signing up. There was an error. Please try again. What are your concerns? Other Inaccurate Hard to Understand Submit Article Sources Verywell Family uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read our editorial process to learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy. Mazefsky CA, Anderson R, Conner CM, Minshew N. Child Behavior Checklist Scores for School-Aged Children with Autism: Preliminary Evidence of Patterns Suggesting the Need for Referral. J Psychopathol Behav Assess. 2011;33(1):31–37. doi:10.1007/s10862-010-9198-1 Van Meter A, Youngstrom E, Youngstrom JK, Ollendick T, Demeter C, Findling RL. Clinical decision making about child and adolescent anxiety disorders using the Achenbach system of empirically based assessment. J Clin Child Adolesc Psychol. 2014;43(4):552–565. doi:10.1080/15374416.2014.883930 Kaminski JW, Claussen AH. Evidence Base Update for Psychosocial Treatments for Disruptive Behaviors in Children. J Clin Child Adolesc Psychol. 2017;46(4):477–499. doi:10.1080/15374416.2017.1310044 El Nokali NE, Bachman HJ, Votruba-Drzal E. Parent involvement and children's academic and social development in elementary school. Child Dev. 2010;81(3):988–1005. doi:10.1111/j.1467-8624.2010.01447.x Kim J, Carlson GA, Meyer SE, et al. Correlates of the CBCL-dysregulation profile in preschool-aged children. J Child Psychol Psychiatry. 2012;53(9):918–926. doi:10.1111/j.1469-7610.2012.02546.x Rosenman R, Tennekoon V, Hill LG. Measuring bias in self-reported data. Int J Behav Healthc Res. 2011;2(4):320–332. doi:10.1504/IJBHR.2011.043414 Additional Reading Hoffmann W, Weber L, König U, Becker K, Kamp-Becker I. The Role of the CBCL in the Assessment of Autism Spectrum Disorders: An Evaluation of Symptom Profiles and Screening Characteristics. Research in Autism Spectrum Disorders. 2016;27:44-53. doi:10.1016/j.rasd.2016.04.002. Masi G, Pisano S, Milone A, Muratori P. Child Behavior Checklist Dysregulation Profile in Children With Disruptive Behavior Disorders: A Longitudinal Study. Journal of Affective Disorders. 2015;186:249-253. doi:10.1016/j.jad.2015.05.069.