Devereux Student Strengths Assessment (DESSA)

The Devereux Student Strengths Assessment (DESSA) is a behavior rating scale that assess eight social-emotional competencies in children in kindergarten through eighth grade. Additionally, a new high school assessment is also available.DESSA is completed by parents/guardians, teachers, or staff members at schools and similar institutions such as after-school, social service and mental health programs. The assessment can be administered via computer or paper and pencil and is available in both English and Spanish.

Content

Domains
Self Awareness,
Self Management,
Social Awareness,
Relationship Skills,
Responsible Decision Making
Grades
Kindergarten,
1st Grade,
2nd Grade,
3rd Grade,
4th Grade,
5th Grade,
6th Grade,
7th Grade,
8th Grade,
9th Grade,
10th Grade,
11th Grade,
12th Grade
Languages
English,
Spanish
Respondent
Student,
Teacher,
Parent,
Examiner

Administration Information

Length
72 items
Administration
Computer,
Paper
Timed
No

Access and Use

Price

$120.00

Contact

Email: plebuffe@Devereux.org

Phone: 866-872-4687

Open Access
No
Use in Research

Nagileri, J. A., Goldstien, S., & LeBuffe P. (2010). Resilience and impairment: An exploratory study of resilience factors and situational impairment. Journal of Psychoeducational Assessment 28(4), 349-356. https://doi.org/10.1177/0734282910366845

Shapiro, V. B., Accomazzo, S., & Robitaille, J. L. (2017). In the same ballpark of a whole new ball game? Staff as raters of youth behavior. Journal of Child and Family Studies 26,1051-1055. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10826-016-0632-1

Psychometrics

Scoring
Computer scoring
Referencing
Norm-referenced
Psychometric References

Doromal, J. B., Cottone, E. A., & Kim H. (2019). Preliminary validation of the teacher-rated DESSA in a low-income, kindergarten sample. Journal of Psychoeducational Assessment 37(1), 40-54. https://doi.org/10.1177/0734282917731460

LeBuffe, P. A., Shapiro, V. B., & Robitaille, J. L. (2018). The Devereux Student Strengths Assessment (DESSA) comprehensive system: Screening, assessing, planning, and monitoring. Journal of Applied Developmental Psychology55, 62-70. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.appdev.2017.05.002    

LeBuffe, P.A., Shapiro, V.B., & Naglieri, J.A. (2012/2014). The Devereux Student Strengths Assessment (DESSA): Assessment, technical manual, and user’s guide. Aperture Education.   

Nickerson, A. B., & Fishman, C. (2009). Convergent and divergent validity of the Devereux Student Strengths Assessment. School Psychology Quarterly24(1), 48.  https://doi.org/10.1037/a0015147

National Comparison
Yes
Item Type
Likert

Psychometric Considerations

Psychometrics is the science of psychological assessment. A primary goal of EdInstruments is to provide information on crucial psychometric topics including Validity and Reliability – essential concepts of evaluation, which indicate how well an instrument measures a construct - as well as additional properties that are worthy of consideration when selecting an instrument of measurement.

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