title: Factor structure of the restricted academic situation scale: implications for ADHD.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  To study the factor structure of the Restricted Academic Situation Scale (RASS), a psychometric tool used to assess behavior in children with ADHD, 117 boys and 21 girls meeting Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (4th ed.; DSM-IV) criteria for ADHD and aged between 6 and 12 years were recruited. Assessments were carried out before and 65 min after the administration of either a placebo or 0.25 mg/kg of methylphenidate. Placebo and methylphenidate were each administered according to a double-blind placebo-controlled crossover design.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Principal component analysis, followed by a confirmatory maximum likelihood factor analysis, revealed two main factors for the RASS, task disengagement (TD) and motor activation (MA). Only TD was inversely correlated with age, indicating that TD and MA may be differentially modulated during development.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  MA and TD are distinct traits of ADHD. It may be important to consider them separately when conducting studies on ADHD.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, McGill University, Douglas Hospital Research Centre, Montreal, Canada.
authors.forename: Sherif
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Karama
authors.forename: Leila
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Ben Amor
authors.forename: Natalie
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Grizenko
authors.forename: Antonio
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ciampi
authors.forename: Valentin
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Mbekou
authors.forename: Marina
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ter-Stepanian
authors.forename: Philippe
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Lageix
authors.forename: Chantal
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Baron
authors.forename: George
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Schwartz
authors.forename: Ridha
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Joober
mesh_terms: D001289:Attention Deficit Disorder with Hyperactivity / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000523:psychology; D019958:Attention Deficit and Disruptive Behavior Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000523:psychology; D000697:Central Nervous System Stimulants / Q000008:administration & dosage; D019955:Conduct Disorder / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000523:psychology; D018592:Cross-Over Studies; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D004334:Drug Administration Schedule; D004519:Education, Special; D006801:Humans; D007389:Internal-External Control; D016013:Likelihood Functions; D008774:Methylphenidate / Q000008:administration & dosage; D010552:Personality Assessment / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D025341:Principal Component Analysis; D011594:Psychometrics / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D015203:Reproducibility of Results
chemical_list: D000697:Central Nervous System Stimulants; D008774:Methylphenidate