J Biederman1, S V Faraone, W J Chen. 1. Pediatric Psychopharmacology Unit, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston 02114.
Abstract
OBJECTIVE: The assessment of children's adaptive functioning has broad-range implications for clinical practice, research, and public health, and relatively few well-developed assessment instruments are available. The validity of the Social Adjustment Inventory for Children and Adolescents (SAICA), a semistructured interview schedule that assesses adaptive functioning in children and adolescents, was examined. METHOD: Two groups of index children were examined: 140 attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) children (both psychiatric and pediatric referrals) and 120 normal comparisons. RESULTS: Concurrent validity was found for the SAICA in its significant association with the social competence scales of the Child Behavior Checklist and DSM-III-R's Global Assessment of Functioning. It was also found that among ADHD children, psychiatric comorbidity conferred an increased risk for worse adaptive functioning. CONCLUSIONS: These findings suggest the SAICA is an effective way to assess adaptive functioning. Moreover, its ability to discriminate ADHD from control children and its association with psychiatric comorbidity indicate the SAICA measures adaptive functioning within a range relevant for studies of psychopathology.
OBJECTIVE: The assessment of children's adaptive functioning has broad-range implications for clinical practice, research, and public health, and relatively few well-developed assessment instruments are available. The validity of the Social Adjustment Inventory for Children and Adolescents (SAICA), a semistructured interview schedule that assesses adaptive functioning in children and adolescents, was examined. METHOD: Two groups of index children were examined: 140 attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) children (both psychiatric and pediatric referrals) and 120 normal comparisons. RESULTS: Concurrent validity was found for the SAICA in its significant association with the social competence scales of the Child Behavior Checklist and DSM-III-R's Global Assessment of Functioning. It was also found that among ADHDchildren, psychiatric comorbidity conferred an increased risk for worse adaptive functioning. CONCLUSIONS: These findings suggest the SAICA is an effective way to assess adaptive functioning. Moreover, its ability to discriminate ADHD from control children and its association with psychiatric comorbidity indicate the SAICA measures adaptive functioning within a range relevant for studies of psychopathology.
Authors: Denise A Chavira; Ann Garland; May Yeh; Kristen McCabe; Richard L Hough Journal: J Behav Health Serv Res Date: 2008-08-08 Impact factor: 1.505