Student Risk Screening Scale –
Internalizing & Externalizing
What is the SRSS-IE?
The Student Risk Screening Scale – Internalizing and Externalizing (SRSS-IE; Lane & Menzies, 2009; Drummond, 1994) is an adapted version of the SRSS (Drummond, 1994) and is free to access. The SRSS-IE modifies the original seven-item SRSS with the inclusion of five items characteristic of internalizing behaviors.
How Is the SRSS-IE Scored?
All items are rated on the same four-point Likert-type scale: 0 = never, 1 = occasionally, 2 = sometimes, 3 = frequently.
Cut scores for externalizing and internalizing behaviors are available for elementary and secondary schools. Please note that the item peer rejection is included in the SRSS-E7 and SRSS-I6 when used at the middle and high school level. The two subscale scores are used for decision-making, not a combined score.
| Student Risk Screening Scale — Internalizing and Externalizing (SRSS-IE) | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School | Middle and High School | |||
| SRSS-E7 | SRSS-I5 | SRSS-E7 | SRSS-I6 | |
| (1) steal; (2) lie, cheat, sneak; (3) behavior problem; (4) peer rejection; (5) low academic achievement; (6) negative attitude; (7) aggressive behavior | (8) emotionally flat; (9) shy, withdrawn; (10) sad, depressed; (11) anxious; (12) lonely | (1) steal; (2) lie, cheat, sneak; (3) behavior problem; (4) peer rejection; (5) low academic achievement; (6) negative attitude; (7) aggressive behavior | (4) peer rejection; (8) emotionally flat; (9) shy, withdrawn; (10) sad, depressed; (11) anxious; (12) lonely |
|
| 0-3 = low risk 4-8 = moderate risk 9-21 = high risk | 0-1 = low risk 2-3 = moderate risk 4-15 = high risk | 0-3 = low risk 4-8 = moderate risk 9-21 = high risk | 0-3 = low risk 4-5 = moderate risk 6-18 = high risk |
|
SRSS-IE Research
Several studies have been conducted to examine the psychometric properties of the SRSS-IE.
- Read the systematic review of behavior screeners by Pelton and Colleagues (2025) and check out the database on LDbase summarizing psychometric studies
- A detailed listing of published articles can be found in References.
Accessing the SRSS-IE
The SRSS-IE is free for educators and school leaders to access and use, with downloadable templates available on this page. If a school, district, or company seeks to use the SRSS-IE in a commercially operated system—such as a schoolwide information system—a licensing agreement is needed. Please contact Kathleen Lane (kathleen.lane@ku.edu) with inquiries.
It is critical to be aware of federal, state, and local guidelines prior to screening. Be certain to use the downloadable templates in accordance with federal, state, and local guidelines
SRSS-IE Resources
We have a wide range of resources to support the installation and use of the SRSS-IE.
For more information about launching and conducting systematic behavior screening efforts with the SRSS-IE, you can read the Screening Coordinator Training Manual: A Guide for Installing the SRSS-IE in your School or District and the Ci3T Module on the SRSS-IE.
- Explore the Screening Coordinator Training Manual: A Guide for Installing the SRSS-IE in your School or District PDF | eBook
- Explore the Ci3T Module, Selecting and Installing Behavior Screeners: Student Risk Screening Scale – Internalizing and Externalizing (SRSS-IE)
For guidance on implementing the SRSS-IE, we offer two screening protocols. One focuses on preparing the screener for use (e.g., by district leaders) and the second focuses on assisting school-site personnel in completing the SRSS-IE on the day of screening.
Educators can use a printable results summary to create actionable items from screening results on the day of screening.
After screening, Ci3T Leadership Teams may wish to create screening reports to facilitate the use of data and for sharing information in an aggregate format. The SRSS-IE Screening Report Template provides a customizable structure in PowerPoint to assist in reporting this data.
Below is an archive of materials created by the MiMTSS Technical Assistance Center. MiMTSS worked with SRSS-IE authors and researchers from 2012 to 2020 to develop companion resources to the SRSS-IE for Michigan schools. These archival materials are posted here to support schools using the SRSS-IE.
References
Drummond T. (1994). The Student Risk Screening Scale (SRSS). Grants Pass, OR: Josephine County Mental Health Program.
Gregory, C., Graybill, E., Barger, B., Roach, A., & Lane, K. (2020). Predictive Validity of the Student Risk Screening Scale-Internalizing and Externalizing (SRSS-IE) Scores. Journal of Emotional and Behavioral Disorders, 29, 105-112. https://doi.org/10.1177/1063426620967283.
Lane, K., Oakes, W., Harris, P., Menzies, H., Cox, M., & Lambert, W. (2012). Initial Evidence for the Reliability and Validity of the Student Risk Screening Scale for Internalizing and Externalizing Behaviors at the Elementary Level. Behavioral Disorders, 37, 122-99. https://doi.org/10.1177/019874291203700204.
Lane, K., Menzies, H., Oakes, W., Lambert, W., Cox, M., & Hankins, K. (2012). A Validation of the Student Risk Screening Scale for Internalizing and Externalizing Behaviors: Patterns in Rural and Urban Elementary Schools. Behavioral Disorders, 37, 244-270. https://doi.org/10.1177/019874291203700405.
Lane, K., Oakes, W., Carter, E., Lambert, W., & Jenkins, A. (2013). Initial Evidence for the Reliability and Validity of the Student Risk Screening Scale for Internalizing and Externalizing Behaviors at the Middle School Level. Assessment for Effective Intervention, 39, 24-38. https://doi.org/10.1177/1534508413489336.
Lane, L., Oakes, W., Cantwell, E., Schatschneider, C., Menzies, H., Crittenden, M., & Messenger, M. (2016). Student Risk Screening Scale for Internalizing and Externalizing Behaviors: Preliminary Cut Scores to Support Data-Informed Decision Making in Middle and High Schools. Behavioral Disorders, 42, 271-284. https://doi.org/10.17988/bd-16-115.1.
Lane, K., Oakes, W., Cantwell, E., Menzies, H., Schatschneider, C., Lambert, W., & Common, E. (2017). Psychometric Evidence of SRSS-IE Scores in Middle and High Schools. Journal of Emotional and Behavioral Disorders, 25, 233-245. https://doi.org/10.1177/1063426616670862.
Lane, K., Oakes, W., Swogger, E., Schatschneider, C., Menzies, H., & Sanchez, J. (2015). Student Risk Screening Scale for Internalizing and Externalizing Behaviors: Preliminary Cut Scores to Support Data-Informed Decision Making. Behavioral Disorders, 40, 159-170. https://doi.org/10.17988/0198-7429-40.3.159.
Lane, K., Oakes, W., Cantwell, E., Common, E., Royer, D., Leko, M., Schatschneider, C., Menzies, H., Buckman, M., & Allen, G. (2018). Predictive Validity of Student Risk Screening Scale—Internalizing and Externalizing (SRSS-IE) Scores in Elementary Schools. Journal of Emotional and Behavioral Disorders, 27, 221-234. https://doi.org/10.1177/1063426618795443.
Lane, K., Lane, N., Buckman, M., Pelton, K., Fleming, K., & Romine, R. (2024). An Analysis of SRSS-IE Externalizing Cut Scores to Facilitate Data-Informed Decision-Making in K–12 Schools. Behavioral Disorders, 50, 87-96. https://doi.org/10.1177/01987429241269519.
Lane, K., Pelton, K., Lane, N., Oakes, W., Buckman, M., Fleming, K., Romine, R., & Cantwell, E. (2025). A Reanalysis: SRSS-IE Internalizing Cut Scores to Support Data-Informed Decision-Making in Secondary Schools. Behavioral Disorders, 51, 18-27. https://doi.org/10.1177/01987429251349127.
Lane, K., Oakes, W., Buckman, M., Lane, N., Lane, K., Fleming, K., Romine, R., Sherod, R., Chang, C., & Cantwell, E. (2024). Additional Evidence of Predictive Validity of SRSS-IE Scores With Elementary Students. Behavioral Disorders, 49, 189-204. https://doi.org/10.1177/01987429231222890.
Lane, K., Oakes, W., Cantwell, E., Royer, D., Leko, M., Schatschneider, C., & Menzies, H. (2019). Predictive Validity of Student Risk Screening Scale for Internalizing and Externalizing Scores in Secondary Schools. Journal of Emotional and Behavioral Disorders, 27, 100-86. https://doi.org/10.1177/1063426617744746.
Lane, K., Oakes, W., Buckman, M., Lane, N., Lane, K., Fleming, K., Romine, R., Sherod, R., Cantwell, E., & Chang, C. (2024). New evidence of predictive validity of SRSS-IE scores with middle and high school students. Frontiers in Education. https://doi.org/10.3389/feduc.2023.1251063.
Looking for Other Resources?
Find more resources in our Screening Resource Library.