Assessing internalizing, externalizing, and attention problems in young children: validation of the MacArthur HBQ.
OBJECTIVE
To test the validity of the MacArthur Health and Behavior Questionnaire (HBQ) using receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis to determine optimal thresholds for the HBQ in predicting Diagnostic Interview Schedule for Children Version-IV (DISC-IV) diagnoses. The roles of child sex, level of impairment, and physical health in understanding of psychopathology were also considered.


METHODS
A sample of 814 8-year-old twin children was recruited from birth records. Mothers were interviewed over the telephone using the HBQ and were also interviewed in person using the DISC-IV. Fathers also completed the HBQ; children completed the parallel module of the Berkeley Puppet Interview.


RESULTS
The HBQ identified more cases overall than the DISC-IV. Sex did not contribute to prediction of diagnosis. Impairment, DISC-IV symptom counts, father HBQ, child Berkeley Puppet Interview, and physical health significantly distinguished the HBQ low and high symptom groups.


CONCLUSIONS
The HBQ is a valid new screening measure of psychopathology for use with children under 9 years of age. It is sensitive to internalizing disorders, which may aid the understanding of depression and anxiety disorders that are often underappreciated in young children.
Lemery-Chalfant
Kathryn
K
Dr. Lemery-Chalfant is with Arizona State University, Tempe; Drs. Essex and Goldsmith and Ms. Schrieber and Ms. Schmidt are with University of Wisconsin-Madison; and Dr. Van Hulle is with the University of Chicago. Electronic address: klemery@asu.edu.
Schreiber
Jane E
JE
Dr. Lemery-Chalfant is with Arizona State University, Tempe; Drs. Essex and Goldsmith and Ms. Schrieber and Ms. Schmidt are with University of Wisconsin-Madison; and Dr. Van Hulle is with the University of Chicago.
Schmidt
Nicole L
NL
Dr. Lemery-Chalfant is with Arizona State University, Tempe; Drs. Essex and Goldsmith and Ms. Schrieber and Ms. Schmidt are with University of Wisconsin-Madison; and Dr. Van Hulle is with the University of Chicago.
VAN Hulle
Carol A
CA
Dr. Lemery-Chalfant is with Arizona State University, Tempe; Drs. Essex and Goldsmith and Ms. Schrieber and Ms. Schmidt are with University of Wisconsin-Madison; and Dr. Van Hulle is with the University of Chicago.
Essex
Marilyn J
MJ
Dr. Lemery-Chalfant is with Arizona State University, Tempe; Drs. Essex and Goldsmith and Ms. Schrieber and Ms. Schmidt are with University of Wisconsin-Madison; and Dr. Van Hulle is with the University of Chicago.
Goldsmith
H H
HH
Dr. Lemery-Chalfant is with Arizona State University, Tempe; Drs. Essex and Goldsmith and Ms. Schrieber and Ms. Schmidt are with University of Wisconsin-Madison; and Dr. Van Hulle is with the University of Chicago.
D001289:Attention Deficit Disorder with Hyperactivity / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology*; D002648:Child; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D015995:Prevalence; D012372:ROC Curve; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires