Location
LeBuffe, P.A., Shapiro, V.B ., & Naglieri, J.A. (2009). The Devereux Student Strengths Assessment (DESSA),
Technical Manual, and User’s Guide. Lewisville, NC: Kaplan.
Results and Comments
The DESSA is limited in not identifying risk factors or maladaptive behaviors, although low scores on
strengths do suggest problem areas. Further, because this measure requires time-consuming information from
multiple informants, this may act as a barrier when attempting to gather data from a school or school district.
DESSA SAMPLE ITEMS
Sample items are shown below and are responded to on a 5-point Likert-type scale ranging from ‘ Never toVery
Frequently’ .
During the past 4 weeks, how often did the child ...
give an opinion when asked? (Self-Awareness)
get along with different types of people? (Social-Awareness)
adjust well to changes in plans? (Self-Management)
keep trying when unsuccessful? (Goal-Directed Behavior)
express concern for another person? (Relationship Skills)
remember important information? (Personal Responsibility)
accept responsibility for what he/she did? (Decision Making)
say good things about herself/himself? (Optimistic Thinking)
Notes : Items are rated on a 5-point Likert-type scale ranging from: Never toVery Frequently.
The DESSA may be obtained from the Devereux Foundation at the Devereux Center for Resilient Children www.
centerforresilientchildren.org (Retrieved January 6, 2014).
The DESSA has also been published recently by Kaplan Early Learning Company.
www.kaplanco.com (Retrieved May 31, 2014). Reproduced with permission.
ClassMaps Survey (CMS)
(Doll et al., 2004; Doll et al., 2009 ).
Variable
Doll et al. (2009) ,Doll et al. (2010) , as well as Doll, Spies, LeClair, Kurien, and Foley (2010) using a unique eco-
logical perspective, have aimed to assess the resilience of individual classrooms from the perspective of students
attending a class.
Description
The ClassMaps Survey (Doll et al., 2004, 2009 ) is a 55-item student rating scale that provides a brief, relevant
and conceptually-simple evaluation of important classroom or student characteristics related to students’ aca-
demic engagement. The survey’s originally described the correlates of students’ school success ( Doll et al., 2004 ),
and it was refined in a series of studies with elementary and middle-aged students so that items were written in
clear and straightforward language and scale reliability was strengthened ( Doll et al., 2009 ). Each ClassMaps
Survey item describes a characteristic of the classroom or its students, and students respond using a 4-point scale.
Negatively worded items are reverse coded. There are eight subscales. Five subscales describe relational aspects
of the classroom, including teacher-student relationships (My teacher, 7 items), peer friendships (My classmates,
7 items), peer conflict (Kids in this class, 5 items), worries about peer aggression (I worry that, 8 items), and
home-school relationships (Talking with my parents 7 items.) Three of the subscales describe autonomy charac-
teristics including academic self-efficacy (Believing in me, 8 items), self-determination (Taking charge, 8 items),
and behavioral self-control (Following class rules, 6 items.)314 11. MEASURES OF RESILIENCY
III. EMOTION REGULATION