What is the difference between the MISA and BERS?

BERS Designed for use in schools, mental health clinics, juvenile justice settings, and child welfare agencies, the Behavioral and Emotional Rating Scale, Second Edition (BERS-2) helps to measure the personal strengths and competencies of children ages 5-0 through 18-11. The BERS-2 is a multi-modal assessment system that measures the child's behavior from three perspectives: the child (Youth Rating Scale), parent (Parent Rating Scale), and teacher or other professional (Teacher Rating Scale). The BERS-2 measures several aspects of a child's strength: interpersonal strength, involvement with family, intrapersonal strength, school functioning, affective strength, and career strength. The scale can be completed in approximately 10 minutes. MISA The McGhee-Mangrum Inventory of School Adjustment (MISA) is a 50-item rating scale designed to measure a student's behavior in the classroom setting. It is appropriate for use by Counselors, Psychologists, and others who want to assess a student's social adjustment. *Aggressive Behavior Scale - measures physical aggression and hostility. Students who score high on this scale will frequently engage in physical fights, have low frustration tolerance, and are characteristically angry or hostile in interactions with others. *Anxiety Scale - measures symptoms of anxiety and lack of self-confidence. High scores on this scale are associated with frequent worry, physical complaints, nervousness, and feelings of inferiority. *Attention and Academic Problems Scale

• assesses attention span and difficulties with basic academic

tasks. Students with high scores on this scale have difficulty maintaining focus on tasks, are easily distractible, frequently do not complete assignments, and avoid academic tasks that require sustained attention. *Hyperactivity and Impulsivity Scale - assesses excessive motor behavior and impulsive acts. Students who score high on this scale have difficulty remaining seated and frequently engage in off-task behavior. *Oppositional Behavior Scale - measures a student's noncompliance with authority and rules. Students with high scores on this scale are likely to have frequent conflicts with teachers and often will violate school regulations. ====== This answer represents a broad overview of both assessment instruments and does not describe aspects of reliability, or validity. It is best to refer to the examiner manual of each inventory to obtain such technical information. Updated Answer: Both of these rating scales are appropriate for use in mental health and educational settings.