The ability of YSR scales to predict DSM/DISC-C psychiatric disorders among incarcerated male adolescents.
OBJECTIVE
To investigate whether the empirical or DSM-oriented scales of the Youth Self-Report (YSR) can be used to screen for DSM psychiatric disorders among incarcerated boys. DSM-oriented scales have recently been developed by Achenbach to enhance comparability of YSR results with DSM diagnostic categories.


METHODS
A representative sample (N = 196) of incarcerated boys aged 12-18 was assessed with the child version of the Diagnostic Interview Schedule for Children (DISC-C) to diagnose DSM psychiatric disorders, and with the Youth Self-Report (YSR).


RESULTS
Only 22% had YSR total problem scores in the clinical range, whereas 90 % met criteria of at least one DSM/DISC-C psychiatric disorder. Weak associations between both empirical and DSM-oriented YSR scale scores and DSM/DISC-C diagnoses were found.


CONCLUSIONS
Neither the empirical nor the DSM-oriented YSR scales adequately screen for DSM/DISC-C psychiatric disorders among incarcerated boys. The use of the YSR and the DISC-C to assess DSM constructs results in, at least partially, different diagnostic information.
Vreugdenhil
C
C
Valeriusstraat 248b, 1075 GL, Amsterdam, The Netherlands. postbus@vreugd.demon.nl
van den Brink
W
W
Ferdinand
R
R
Wouters
L
L
Doreleijers
T
T
D000293:Adolescent; D002648:Child; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008403:Mass Screening / Q000379:methods; D001523:Mental Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology*; D009426:Netherlands / Q000453:epidemiology; D015995:Prevalence; D011329:Prisoners / Q000523:psychology* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires