Informativeness of maternal reports on the diagnosis of ADHD: an analysis of mother and youth reports.
OBJECTIVE
We evaluated correlates of the diagnosis of ADHD in youth by informant source.


METHODS
Ninety-four pairs of mother reports and youth self-reports on ADHD were independently assessed, using diagnostic interviews from a large study of youth of both genders with and without ADHD. Comparisons were made on measures of interpersonal, school, and family functioning; treatment history; and parental psychopathology by informant source.


RESULTS
With the exception of higher rates of ADHD-associated impairment and higher frequency of treatment for ADHD in the combined youth-mother group. There were no other differences in any other clinical or familial correlates by informant source; both informant groups had higher levels of impairment in multiple nonoverlapping measures of dysfunction than controls. Males were overrepresented among the mother-only group.


CONCLUSIONS
Maternal reports of ADHD result in a meaningful diagnosis of ADHD with high levels of impairment, regardless of endorsement by the affected youth.
Biederman
Joseph
J
Massachusetts General Hospital, 55 Fruit Street, Boston, MA 02114, USA. jbiederman@partners.org
Ball
Sarah W
SW
Mick
Eric
E
Monuteaux
Michael C
MC
Kaiser
Roselinde
R
Bristol
Elyssa
E
Faraone
Stephen V
SV
D000293:Adolescent; D001289:Attention Deficit Disorder with Hyperactivity / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000523:psychology; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D002648:Child; D039721:Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007406:Interview, Psychological; D008297:Male; D009035:Mothers / Q000523:psychology*; D010552:Personality Assessment / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D011594:Psychometrics / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012650:Self Disclosure; D012737:Sex Factors