CAREGIVER INTERACTION SCALE INSTRUCTIONS

(Arnett 1989)



GENERAL

Circle one score for each item after observing in the setting for at least 2 hours.
  • Be sure to note examples of behaviors on your score sheet as you see them during the observation to make rating more accurate.
  • When scoring, it may help to think of the word "true" at the end of each rating descriptor (e.g., not at all true, somewhat true).
  • Because the words "somewhat and "quite a bit" may sound very similar to some people, here's some help.
    Think of "not at all" and "very much" as representing the 2 endpoints of a continuum, with "somewhat" and "quite a bit" as points equidistant between the 2 ends.

Item 4.  Interpret this item to mean that the teacher places an overly strong focus on obedience. If the teacher values obedience a normal amount or less, the score is "1." If you believe that she values obedience more than normal, than you must decide whether it's somewhat high, quite a bit high, or very much high

Item 7.  Interpret "misbehavior" very broadly; for example, a rule can be explained if children want to take off their shoes and the caregiver says no. If there are absolutely no such incidences during the observation, you may score this item as "Not Applicable."

Item 8.  To credit the teacher for this, you must hear the teacher say something to encourage children to try something new. Just placing new, interesting materials in the classroom is not enough. "New experiences" should be interpreted broadly to include things like reading a new book, playing a new game, etc.

Item 9.   It may help to remember that this item is measuring whether the teacher is too permissive. If you believe the teacher uses a normal amount of control (or even uses too much control), then the score is "1." If you believe that the teacher is too permissive, then you must decide wither it's "somewhat," "quite a bit," or "very much" too permissive.       TOP

Item 15.  It may help to remember that this item measures the teacher's permissiveness. Although the word "reprimand" may have negative connotations, do not interpret it negatively. If the teacher intervenes when children misbehave, then the score is "1." If you do not observe any misbehavior (broadly intepreted, see clarifications to item 7), score this item "1." If you see children misbehaving without any intervention from the teacher, then you need to decide whether she "sometimes," "quite a bit," or "very much" doesn't reprimand children when they misbehave.

Item 17.   If you do not observe any punishment during the observation, you should score this item as a "1."

Item 19.  Pro-social behavior includes behavior toward adults and other children.

Item 23.   If the teacher provides the "right amount" of supervision (or even supervises them too closely), the score is "1." If the teacher does not supervise the children closely enough, then you must decide to what degree she does not supervise closely.       TOP

SCORING INSTRUCTIONS

Total Mean Score:   A higher score on the total mean item score indicates "better" (more positive, appropriate) interactions. To compute the total mean (average) item score:
(1) Reverse the scores of items 2, 4, 5, 9, 10, 12, 13, 15, 17, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24 and 26. For example, if an items is scored "4" during the observation, use a score of "1" when computing the total score; if an item is scored "2" during the observation, use a score of "3" when computing total score.
(2) Sum the scores for all items (be sure to use the "reversed" scores in the sum as directed.
(3) Divide the total sum by 26 to get the total mean item score. The total mean item score will be a number between 0 and 4.

FPG Smart Start Evaluation Team