This study aims to document the process of translation, adaptation and some psychometric studies of the Portuguese version of the Preschool and Kindergarten Behavior Scales - Second Edition (PKBS-2; Merrell, 2002Merrell, K. W. (1994). Preschool and Kindergarten Behavior Scales. Austin, TX: PRO-ED.), a behavior rating scale with 76 items on the original version, specifically developed to assess social skills and problem behaviors in preschool children. The normative sample comprises 1000 preschoolers rated by their parents and teachers. Studies of translation/adaptation and inclusion of other relevant items were done. After item analyses, exploratory factor analysis and internal consistency studies the Portuguese version with 80 items was developed. Exploratory factor analysis studies identified three subscales for the Social Skills Scale and two subscales for the Problem Behaviors Scale. The scales showed good internal consistency, and moderate to high correlations between subscales and the total score were observed. Results from the test-retest study are congruent with results from the original version, with moderate to high values (r = .65 to .90). In spite of the presented limitations, it is made available a useful and valid tool for the assessment of social skills and problem behaviors of preschool Portuguese children.
Assessment; preschoolers; social skills; behavior problems