Australian parent and teacher ratings of the DSM-IV ADHD symptoms: differential symptom functioning and parent-teacher agreement and differences.
OBJECTIVE
The aims of the study were to examine differential symptom functioning (DSF) and agreement across parent and teacher ratings for the DSM-IV ADHD inattention (IA) and hyperactivity/impulsivity (HI) symptoms, listed in the Disruptive Behavior Rating Scale (DBRS).


METHODS
DSF was examined using a parametric technique involving ordinal logistic regression, and also a nonparametric technique known as kernel smoothing implemented in the program TestGraf. To accomplish the aims, Australian parents and teachers completed the DBRS for 213 children, between 6 and 11 years of age.


RESULTS
The results of both analytical procedures showed no DSF across all the IA and HI symptoms. Additional results indicated low parent-teacher agreement.


CONCLUSIONS
The absence of DSF suggests that previous reports of low parent-teacher agreement are likely to reflect a true state of affairs and that parent and teacher ratings can be compared. In this context, the low parent-teacher agreement can be interpreted as indication that the attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) symptoms are situation specific.
Gomez
Rapson
R
University of Ballarat, Australia.
D001289:Attention Deficit Disorder with Hyperactivity / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000523:psychology; D019958:Attention Deficit and Disruptive Behavior Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000523:psychology; D002648:Child; D039721:Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders; D005178:Faculty; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D016015:Logistic Models; D008297:Male; D015588:Observer Variation; D010290:Parents / Q000523:psychology; D010552:Personality Assessment / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D011594:Psychometrics