The Achenbach Child Behavior ChecklistLast Updated: Aug 16, 2013| ByEd DonnerThe Achenbach Child Behavior Checklist evaluates a variety of childhood problems.Photo Creditchild image by Cora Reed from Fotolia.comPsychologist Thomas Achenbach developed a series of questionnaires that evaluate childrens behavioral and emotional functioning, social problems and competencies. The most commonly used questionnaire, the Child Behavior Check List, CBCL, is used for children from ages six to 18. Teachers or parents rate the child, or the child rates himself, and several standardized scores are calculated that identify if the child manifests clinically significant problems. Versions of the CBCL are also available for children ages 1.5 to five years, for youth between the ages of 11 and 18 and for young adults ages 18 to 30. The varied forms of these questionnaires list 100 to 113 problem behaviors.ValidityThe CBCL and its variants are widely used around the world for clinical and research purposes and have been translated into over 75 languages. They have been used in over 6,000 professional publications and are considered to be valid and reliable indicators of childrens behavioral and emotional functioning. One of the useful features of the CBCL questionnaires and their scoring system is they allow for the comparison of ratings by different observers, such as mother, father, teacher and child.You Might Also LikeChild Behavior Checklist (CBCL)The Abberant Child Behavior ChecklistThe Pros and Cons of Child Behavior ChecklistsHow to Diagnose Common Behavioral Problems in ChildrenWhat Are the Techniques of the Total Transformation Program?What Do Child Care Workers Know About Behavior Management?How to Observe and Record a Child's BehaviorEarly Signs of Aggression and Antisocial Behavior in ChildrenADHD Behavior Modification TechniquesHow to Teach Social Skills to Children With Behavior ProblemsChild Social Behavior ChecklistHow to Stop a Special Needs Child From Playing With Spit in Her HandCommon Behavioral Problems of Children Placed in Foster CareTheories Used to Deal With Children With Emotional IssuesHow Does Parental Emotional Withdrawal Affect a Child?Internalizing Behavior Checklist for ChildrenInternalizing BehaviorJust under one-third of the CBCL questions evaluate internalizing behavior: behaviors where children direct emotions and feelings inward. Three kinds of internalizing behaviors measured by the CBCL include somatic complaints, anxious/depressed behavior and withdrawn behavior. Somatic problems include tired, aches, nausea, vomiting, headaches, dizziness and complaints about skin, stomach or eye problems. Children with significant medical issues, including for example, lung disease, tend to score high on the internalizing subscale and particularly on the somatic problems subscale of the CBCL, reports PsychosomaticMedicine.org. Withdrawn behaviors are addressed by questions regarding social withdrawal, shyness, staring, sulking and sadness. Problems with anxiety/depression are identified by questions regarding crying, fear, loneliness, nervousness, worthlessness, suspiciousness, guilt, fear and worries. Children who obtain clinically high scores on the anxious/depressed scale are likely to have depression or anxiety disorders, notes the Archives of Disease in Childhood.Externalizing BehaviorSome children tend to direct emotional problems outward into aggressive or delinquent behavior. These are considered externalizing behaviors. Delinquent externalizing behaviors assessed by the CBCL include cheating, lying, setting fires, swearing, truancy, stealing and vandalism. The CBCL assesses several types of aggressive behaviors, including bragging, arguing, screaming, showing off, attention-seeking, teasing, being demanding, threatening behavior and displaying a temper. Children who obtain high scores on the externalizing behavior subscale of the CBCL tend to be diagnosed with conduct disorder or oppositional defiant disorder as defined in the American Psychiatric Associations Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, or DSM-IV.Social, Attention and Thought ProblemsAchenbachs CBCL also assesses social, thought and attention problems. Social problems include acting young, being clingy, not getting along with peers, clumsiness and preferring to play with younger children. Thought problems include seeing or hearing things, repeating acts and strange ideas and behavior. Children displaying these problems may have thought disorders such as schizophrenia or may have obsessive compulsive disorder. The CBCL assesses attention problems potentially indicative of the DSM-IV diagnosis of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, including concentration difficulties, problems sitting still, impulsivity, day dreaming, nervousness and poor performance in school.Additional Problem BehaviorsThe CBCL also assesses several other behavioral problems, such as nightmares, sleep problems, eating problems, accidents and talking about suicide. Additional problems assessed include nail-biting, whining, speech problems, sexual problems, picking at skin and more. These behavioral problems may not indicate any specific diagnosis but are worthy treatment problems and can be symptomatic of a variety of psychiatric, behavioral or emotional maladies, including developmental or emotional disorders.LimitsAlthough considered useful as a screening and research tool, the CBCL does not substitute for a proper diagnosis by a trained clinician.