Behavioral Challenges

These screening tools may be used by healthcare, mental health, and other qualified professionals to identify children and adolescents who may be experiencing emotional or behavioral concerns. They are screening tools only and do not establish a diagnosis. A positive result or ongoing concern should be followed by further assessment from an appropriately qualified professional.

Brief Early Childhood Screening Assessment (Brief ECSA)
A brief caregiver-report screening tool used to identify emotional and behavioral concerns in young children and caregiver distress.
Ages: 18–60 months
Completed by: Parent/caregiver
Time: approximately 2–5 minutes
Languages: English and Spanish are available.

Pediatric Symptom Checklist-17 (PSC-17)
English | Spanish
A 17-item caregiver-report screening tool that identifies possible emotional and behavioral concerns across three areas: attention, internalizing symptoms, and externalizing symptoms.
Ages: 4–18
Completed by: Parent/caregiver
Time: approximately 5 minutes

Youth Pediatric Symptom Checklist-17 (PSC-Y-17)
English | Spanish
A brief youth self-report screening tool used to identify emotional and behavioral concerns, including attention, internalizing, and externalizing symptoms.
Ages: 11–18
Completed by: Youth
Time: approximately 5 minutes

Preschool Pediatric Symptom Checklist (PPSC)
A caregiver-report social-emotional and behavioral screener that assesses concerns related to externalizing behavior, internalizing symptoms, attention, and parenting challenges.
Ages: 18–60 months
Completed by: Parent/caregiver
Time: approximately 5 minutes
Languages: English, Spanish, and additional translations are available through the SWYC.

AACAP – Outbursts, Irritability & Emotional Dysregulation Resource Center
Current information for families and professionals about severe outbursts, irritability, emotional dysregulation, and when further mental health assessment may be helpful.

AACAP – Oppositional Defiant Disorder Resource Center
Information about persistent oppositional and defiant behavior, evaluation, treatment, and support for children, adolescents, and families.

HealthyChildren.org – Emotional & Behavioral Problems
Parent-friendly information from the American Academy of Pediatrics about emotional and behavioral concerns in children and adolescents and when to seek additional help.

Child Mind Institute – Behavior Problems
Practical information for families about tantrums, aggression, defiance, emotional regulation, and other behavior concerns, including strategies and treatment information.

Lives in the Balance – Collaborative & Proactive Solutions (CPS) Resources
Practical tools for understanding challenging behavior, identifying unsolved problems, and working collaboratively with children and adolescents to solve them.

Plan B Cheat Sheet – Lives in the Balance
A quick-reference guide to the three steps of Collaborative & Proactive Solutions: Empathy, defining the adult concern, and Invitation.

Drilling Cheat Sheet – Lives in the Balance
Strategies for helping children explain what is making a situation difficult when the source of the problem is not immediately clear.

AACAP – Oppositional Defiant Disorder: Facts for Families
Family-friendly information about persistent oppositional behavior, evaluation, treatment, and approaches that can help children and caregivers.

CDC – Parent Training in Behavior Management
Information about parent-focused behavior therapy and how caregivers can learn strategies to strengthen positive behavior and reduce challenging behavior.