Observational Assessment of Preschool Disruptive Behavior, Part I: reliability of the Disruptive Behavior Diagnostic Observation Schedule (DB-DOS).
OBJECTIVE
To examine the reliability of the Disruptive Behavior Diagnostic Observation Schedule (DB-DOS), a new observational method for assessing preschool disruptive behavior.


METHODS
The DB-DOS is a structured clinic-based assessment designed to elicit clinically salient behaviors relevant to the diagnosis of disruptive behavior in preschoolers. Child behavior is assessed in three interactional contexts that vary by partner (parent versus examiner) and level of support provided. Twenty-one disruptive behaviors are coded within two domains: problems in Behavioral Regulation and problems in Anger Modulation. A total of 364 referred and nonreferred preschoolers participated: interrater reliability and internal consistency were assessed on a primary sample (n = 335) and test-retest reliability was assessed in a separate sample (n = 29).


RESULTS
The DB-DOS demonstrated good interrater and test-retest reliability. Confirmatory factor analysis demonstrated an excellent fit of the DB-DOS multidomain model of disruptive behavior.


CONCLUSIONS
The DB-DOS is a reliable observational tool for clinic-based assessment of preschool disruptive behavior. This standardized assessment method holds promise for advancing developmentally sensitive characterization of preschool psychopathology.
Wakschlag
Lauren S
LS
Drs. Wakschlag, Hill, Danis, and Leventhal, Ms. Maskowitz, and Mr. Burns are with the Institute for Juvenile Research, Department of Psychiatry, University of Illinois at Chicago; Dr. Keenan is with the Department of Psychiatry, University of Chicago; Dr. Egger is with the Department of Psychiatry, Duke University; Dr. Cicchetti is with the Department of Psychiatry, Yale University; Dr. Briggs-Gowan is with the Department of Psychiatry, University of Connecticut; and Dr. Carter is with the Department of Psychology, University of Massachusetts.. Electronic address: lwakschlag@psych.uic.edu.
Hill
Carri
C
Drs. Wakschlag, Hill, Danis, and Leventhal, Ms. Maskowitz, and Mr. Burns are with the Institute for Juvenile Research, Department of Psychiatry, University of Illinois at Chicago; Dr. Keenan is with the Department of Psychiatry, University of Chicago; Dr. Egger is with the Department of Psychiatry, Duke University; Dr. Cicchetti is with the Department of Psychiatry, Yale University; Dr. Briggs-Gowan is with the Department of Psychiatry, University of Connecticut; and Dr. Carter is with the Department of Psychology, University of Massachusetts.
Carter
Alice S
AS
Drs. Wakschlag, Hill, Danis, and Leventhal, Ms. Maskowitz, and Mr. Burns are with the Institute for Juvenile Research, Department of Psychiatry, University of Illinois at Chicago; Dr. Keenan is with the Department of Psychiatry, University of Chicago; Dr. Egger is with the Department of Psychiatry, Duke University; Dr. Cicchetti is with the Department of Psychiatry, Yale University; Dr. Briggs-Gowan is with the Department of Psychiatry, University of Connecticut; and Dr. Carter is with the Department of Psychology, University of Massachusetts.
Danis
Barbara
B
Drs. Wakschlag, Hill, Danis, and Leventhal, Ms. Maskowitz, and Mr. Burns are with the Institute for Juvenile Research, Department of Psychiatry, University of Illinois at Chicago; Dr. Keenan is with the Department of Psychiatry, University of Chicago; Dr. Egger is with the Department of Psychiatry, Duke University; Dr. Cicchetti is with the Department of Psychiatry, Yale University; Dr. Briggs-Gowan is with the Department of Psychiatry, University of Connecticut; and Dr. Carter is with the Department of Psychology, University of Massachusetts.
Egger
Helen L
HL
Drs. Wakschlag, Hill, Danis, and Leventhal, Ms. Maskowitz, and Mr. Burns are with the Institute for Juvenile Research, Department of Psychiatry, University of Illinois at Chicago; Dr. Keenan is with the Department of Psychiatry, University of Chicago; Dr. Egger is with the Department of Psychiatry, Duke University; Dr. Cicchetti is with the Department of Psychiatry, Yale University; Dr. Briggs-Gowan is with the Department of Psychiatry, University of Connecticut; and Dr. Carter is with the Department of Psychology, University of Massachusetts.
Keenan
Kate
K
Drs. Wakschlag, Hill, Danis, and Leventhal, Ms. Maskowitz, and Mr. Burns are with the Institute for Juvenile Research, Department of Psychiatry, University of Illinois at Chicago; Dr. Keenan is with the Department of Psychiatry, University of Chicago; Dr. Egger is with the Department of Psychiatry, Duke University; Dr. Cicchetti is with the Department of Psychiatry, Yale University; Dr. Briggs-Gowan is with the Department of Psychiatry, University of Connecticut; and Dr. Carter is with the Department of Psychology, University of Massachusetts.
Leventhal
Bennett L
BL
Drs. Wakschlag, Hill, Danis, and Leventhal, Ms. Maskowitz, and Mr. Burns are with the Institute for Juvenile Research, Department of Psychiatry, University of Illinois at Chicago; Dr. Keenan is with the Department of Psychiatry, University of Chicago; Dr. Egger is with the Department of Psychiatry, Duke University; Dr. Cicchetti is with the Department of Psychiatry, Yale University; Dr. Briggs-Gowan is with the Department of Psychiatry, University of Connecticut; and Dr. Carter is with the Department of Psychology, University of Massachusetts.
Cicchetti
Domenic
D
Drs. Wakschlag, Hill, Danis, and Leventhal, Ms. Maskowitz, and Mr. Burns are with the Institute for Juvenile Research, Department of Psychiatry, University of Illinois at Chicago; Dr. Keenan is with the Department of Psychiatry, University of Chicago; Dr. Egger is with the Department of Psychiatry, Duke University; Dr. Cicchetti is with the Department of Psychiatry, Yale University; Dr. Briggs-Gowan is with the Department of Psychiatry, University of Connecticut; and Dr. Carter is with the Department of Psychology, University of Massachusetts.
Maskowitz
Katie
K
Drs. Wakschlag, Hill, Danis, and Leventhal, Ms. Maskowitz, and Mr. Burns are with the Institute for Juvenile Research, Department of Psychiatry, University of Illinois at Chicago; Dr. Keenan is with the Department of Psychiatry, University of Chicago; Dr. Egger is with the Department of Psychiatry, Duke University; Dr. Cicchetti is with the Department of Psychiatry, Yale University; Dr. Briggs-Gowan is with the Department of Psychiatry, University of Connecticut; and Dr. Carter is with the Department of Psychology, University of Massachusetts.
Burns
James
J
Drs. Wakschlag, Hill, Danis, and Leventhal, Ms. Maskowitz, and Mr. Burns are with the Institute for Juvenile Research, Department of Psychiatry, University of Illinois at Chicago; Dr. Keenan is with the Department of Psychiatry, University of Chicago; Dr. Egger is with the Department of Psychiatry, Duke University; Dr. Cicchetti is with the Department of Psychiatry, Yale University; Dr. Briggs-Gowan is with the Department of Psychiatry, University of Connecticut; and Dr. Carter is with the Department of Psychology, University of Massachusetts.
Briggs-Gowan
Margaret J
MJ
Drs. Wakschlag, Hill, Danis, and Leventhal, Ms. Maskowitz, and Mr. Burns are with the Institute for Juvenile Research, Department of Psychiatry, University of Illinois at Chicago; Dr. Keenan is with the Department of Psychiatry, University of Chicago; Dr. Egger is with the Department of Psychiatry, Duke University; Dr. Cicchetti is with the Department of Psychiatry, Yale University; Dr. Briggs-Gowan is with the Department of Psychiatry, University of Connecticut; and Dr. Carter is with the Department of Psychology, University of Massachusetts.
D019958:Attention Deficit and Disruptive Behavior Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis*; D002653:Child Behavior Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000523:psychology; D002675:Child, Preschool; D006801:Humans; D010552:Personality Assessment / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D011594:Psychometrics / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D012017:Referral and Consultation; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012931:Social Environment