OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the impact of changing the response labels of a teacher rating scale in a population-based study of ADHD. METHOD: For parents, the Diagnostic Interview Schedule for Children, which asks whether each of 18 symptoms occurred "often" in the past year, was used. For teachers, most scales use a 4-point scale, with often and very often as the two highest categories. To make the two instruments more compatible, the authors created a teacher rating scale with often as the highest category. Teachers rated more than 6,000 elementary school students using this instrument. Some teachers completed ratings using both questionnaire formats. RESULTS: The scale's internal consistency, convergent validity, and test-retest reliability are excellent. The factor structure is consistent with established DSM-IV-based instruments. Response category choices influence the proportion of children exceeding symptom and impairment thresholds. CONCLUSION: Altering the response scale does not degrade the psychometric properties of the instrument but makes important differences in the sample.
OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the impact of changing the response labels of a teacher rating scale in a population-based study of ADHD. METHOD: For parents, the Diagnostic Interview Schedule for Children, which asks whether each of 18 symptoms occurred "often" in the past year, was used. For teachers, most scales use a 4-point scale, with often and very often as the two highest categories. To make the two instruments more compatible, the authors created a teacher rating scale with often as the highest category. Teachers rated more than 6,000 elementary school students using this instrument. Some teachers completed ratings using both questionnaire formats. RESULTS: The scale's internal consistency, convergent validity, and test-retest reliability are excellent. The factor structure is consistent with established DSM-IV-based instruments. Response category choices influence the proportion of children exceeding symptom and impairment thresholds. CONCLUSION: Altering the response scale does not degrade the psychometric properties of the instrument but makes important differences in the sample.
Authors: Andrew S Rowland; Betty Skipper; David L Rabiner; David M Umbach; Lil Stallone; Richard A Campbell; Richard L Hough; A J Naftel; Dale P Sandler Journal: J Abnorm Child Psychol Date: 2008-03-18
Authors: Andrew S Rowland; Betty J Skipper; David L Rabiner; Fares Qeadan; Richard A Campbell; A Jack Naftel; David M Umbach Journal: J Child Psychol Psychiatry Date: 2017-08-12 Impact factor: 8.982
Authors: Andrew S Rowland; Betty J Skipper; David M Umbach; David L Rabiner; Richard A Campbell; Albert J Naftel; Dale P Sandler Journal: J Atten Disord Date: 2013-12-11 Impact factor: 3.256