# Longitudinal Changes in Preschoolers’ Self-reported Psychological and Social Problems: Feasibility, Reliability, and Cross-informant Agreement

## TL;DR

This study examines how preschoolers' self-reported psychological and social problems change over time using a puppet-based interview method.

## Contribution

The study evaluates the feasibility and reliability of preschoolers' self-reports using the Berkeley Puppet Interview over time.

## Key findings

- Reliability and cross-informant agreement for symptomatology and parenting scales were promising at both ages.
- Four-year-olds showed lower internal consistency in social scales compared to five-year-olds.

## Abstract

For decades, parental report was used to assess children’s psychological symptoms and social problems. The Berkeley Puppet Interview (BPI) utilizes hand puppets to collect questionnaire-style data from children, allowing consideration of children’s own perspective. The current longitudinal study compared the feasibility and reliability of preschoolers’ self-report with BPI at age 4 (M = 4.03, SD =0.16; 52% boy, 82% White American) and 5 (M = 5.22, SD = 0.36; 51% boy, 85% White American) as well as cross-informant agreement among children, mothers (74% above college education), alternate caregivers (>90% biological fathers), and coders. Children completed symptomatology, social, and parenting scales of BPI and their parents completed surveys assessing similar constructs. Our findings revealed both similarities and changes across ages. Specifically, the reliability and cross-informant agreement of the broad symptomatology and parenting scales were promising at both timepoints; however, 4-year-olds showed lower internal consistency in social scales.