Investigating and Cross-Validating Alternative Factor Structures of the BASC-3 BESS TRA-C/A

Universal screening of students’ social, emotional, and behavioral needs requires psychometrically sound tools to support timely intervention. The BASC-3 BESS Teacher Form–Child/Adolescent is widely used for this purpose, yet independent evaluations of the form are limited and often do not test alternative factor structures beyond those stated in the manual. This study examined four factorial models using data from 5,150 K–5 students rated by 278 teachers across 10 elementary schools in two Southeastern states. The sample was randomly divided into a development ( n = 2,727) and validation ( n = 2,423) group. Model fit was tested in the development sample and cross-validated in the second. Results showed the bifactor model, with two correlated residual pairs, provided the best fit in both samples. Reliability indicators supported well-defined constructs in the bifactor model, though Externalizing Risk and Adaptive Skills Risk subscales explained only marginal variance. Implications for improving these subscales and future practice are discussed.