Agreement between telephone and in-person delivery of a structured interview for anxiety disorders in children.
OBJECTIVE
The current study determined the viability of using the telephone to facilitate assessment of children using the Anxiety Disorders Interview Schedule for children for DSM-IV (ADIS-C-IV).


METHODS
Diagnoses established during telephone administration of the ADIS-C-IV-Parent version were compared with diagnoses obtained during standard administration of the ADIS-C-IV using both Child and Parent versions. Seventy-three children and their parents participated in counterbalanced, repeated assessments.


RESULTS
The level of agreement between telephone and standard administration for principal diagnosis (kappa=0.86), individual anxiety disorders (kappa=0.63-0.86), and other disorders (kappa=0.79-0.91) were in the good to excellent range. Additionally, agreement on overall suitability for an anxiety treatment program was excellent (kappa=0.97).


CONCLUSIONS
The data indicate that telephone administration of the ADIS-C-IV is a valid way to differentiate children who have anxiety disorders from those who have no disorder or other disorders, providing a less resource-demanding alternative to face-to-face assessment.
Lyneham
Heidi J
HJ
Department of Psychology, Macquarie University, Sydney, Australia.
Rapee
Ronald M
RM
D001008:Anxiety Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis*; D002648:Child; D039721:Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007406:Interview, Psychological; D008297:Male; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D013689:Telephone