[ADHD Rating Scale-IV in a sample of Spanish schoolchildren: normative data and internal consistency for teachers and parents].

INTRODUCTION: The ADHD Rating Scale-IV (ADHD RS-IV) is one of the most use scales for attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), because has cut-off point regarding age, gender and setting, but the normalization data is based on American school samples. AIM: Evaluation of cut-off point of ADHD-RS-IV for parents and teachers in a Spanish sample. SUBJECTS AND METHODS: The study used the score of ADHD-RS-IV from a prevalence study of ADHD in school children of 6-12 years. Using an intrasubject design between the three evaluators (parents and teachers) and the results of each subscale (IN, H/I, and TOT) according to gender and age factors. Then, we analyzed the reliability and internal consistency for each subscale and evaluator.
RESULTS: There are no significant differences between the father and the mother; but there are between teachers, and father and/or mother scores. In relation to gender factor, boys' score is higher on inattention and hyperactivity-impulsivity than girls'. Our results show a reversal tendency in comparison with the American samples, in our case parents' scores were significantly higher than teachers'.
CONCLUSION: The use and normalization of the ADHD RS-IV will need to account not only for age, gender and setting but also for socio-cultural aspects.