title: Measuring symptoms and functioning of youth with ADHD in middle schools.
abstract: The identification of reliable and valid means for evaluating the effectiveness of school-based treatments and completing diagnostic evaluations of middle school aged students are needed. The present study examined the inter-rater agreement of teacher ratings and the relationship between ratings and observational data in a middle school setting. The data are interpreted in the context of differences between a secondary and elementary school setting. Teacher ratings and observational data were collected regularly over the course of two academic years for middle school students diagnosed with ADHD. The results indicate low rates of inter-rater agreement as well as low rates of agreement between teachers and observational data, and between observational data collected in different classrooms. Inter-rater agreement was lowest in late fall and gradually increased over the second half of the year. Implications for conducting treatment outcome evaluations of school-based treatment programs and diagnostic evaluations are discussed.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, MSC 9013, James Madison University, Harrisonburg, VA 22807, USA. evanssw@jmu.edu
authors.forename: Steven W
authors.initials: SW
authors.lastname: Evans
authors.forename: Jessica
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Allen
authors.forename: Sheryle
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Moore
authors.forename: Victoria
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Strauss
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000294:Adolescent Behavior / Q000523:psychology*; D001289:Attention Deficit Disorder with Hyperactivity / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000523:psychology*; D002648:Child; D004522:Educational Status; D005178:Faculty; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007398:Interpersonal Relations; D008297:Male; D015588:Observer Variation; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012572:School Health Services; D012649:Self Concept; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D012919:Social Behavior; D013997:Time Factors; D014768:Virginia