title: An item response theory analysis of DSM-IV conduct disorder.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  We examined DSM-IV conduct disorder (CD) symptom criteria in a community sample of male and female adolescents to evaluate the extent to which DSM-IV criteria characterize the range of severity of adolescent antisocial behavior within and across sex.
  
  
  METHODS
  Interviews were conducted with 3,208 adolescents between the ages of 11 and 18 years using the Diagnostic Interview Schedule for Children. Item response theory analyses were performed to obtain severity and discrimination parameters for each of the lifetime DSM-IV CD symptom criteria. In addition, item response theory-based differential item functioning analyses were conducted to examine the extent to which the symptom criteria function similarly across sex.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The DSM-IV CD symptom criteria are useful and meaningful indicators of severe adolescent antisocial behavior. A single item ("Steal without Confrontation") was a poor indicator of severe antisocial behavior. The CD symptom criteria function similarly across sex; however, three items had significantly different severity parameters.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The DSM-IV CD criteria are informative as categorical and continuous measures of severe adolescent antisocial behavior; however, some CD criteria display sex bias.
authors.affiliation: School of Medicine at the University of Colorado, Denver, CO, USA. Heather.Gelhorn@UCHSC.edu
authors.forename: Heather
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Gelhorn
authors.forename: Christie
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Hartman
authors.forename: Joseph
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Sakai
authors.forename: Susan
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Mikulich-Gilbertson
authors.forename: Michael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Stallings
authors.forename: Susan
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Young
authors.forename: Soo
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Rhee
authors.forename: Robin
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Corley
authors.forename: John
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Hewitt
authors.forename: Christian
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Hopfer
authors.forename: Thomas
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Crowley
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000374:Aggression / Q000523:psychology; D000987:Antisocial Personality Disorder / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000523:psychology; D002648:Child; D019955:Conduct Disorder / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000523:psychology; D039721:Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders; D004200:Diseases in Twins / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000523:psychology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D010555:Personality Inventory / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D011594:Psychometrics / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012737:Sex Factors