Modifying the response labels of an ADHD teacher rating scale: psychometric and epidemiologic implications.
OBJECTIVE
To evaluate the impact of changing the response labels of a teacher rating scale in a population-based study of ADHD.


METHODS
For parents, the Diagnostic Interview Schedule for Children, which asks whether each of 18 symptoms occurred "often" in the past year, was used. For teachers, most scales use a 4-point scale, with often and very often as the two highest categories. To make the two instruments more compatible, the authors created a teacher rating scale with often as the highest category. Teachers rated more than 6,000 elementary school students using this instrument. Some teachers completed ratings using both questionnaire formats.


RESULTS
The scale's internal consistency, convergent validity, and test-retest reliability are excellent. The factor structure is consistent with established DSM-IV-based instruments. Response category choices influence the proportion of children exceeding symptom and impairment thresholds.


CONCLUSIONS
Altering the response scale does not degrade the psychometric properties of the instrument but makes important differences in the sample.
Rowland
Andrew S
AS
University of New Mexico Health Sciences Center, Albuquerque, NM 87131, USA. arowland@salud.unm.edu
Umbach
David M
DM
Bohlig
E Michael
EM
Stallone
Lil
L
Sandler
Dale P
DP
D000293:Adolescent; D001289:Attention Deficit Disorder with Hyperactivity / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology*; D002648:Child; D039721:Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders; D005178:Faculty; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007406:Interview, Psychological; D008297:Male; D015588:Observer Variation; D011159:Population Surveillance / Q000379:methods; D011594:Psychometrics / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D015203:Reproducibility of Results