title: Attentional Control Scale for Children: Factor Structure and Concurrent Validity Among Children and Adolescents Referred for Anxiety Disorders.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The present study examined the factor structure and concurrent validity of the Attentional Control Scale for Children (ACS-C; Muris, de Jong, & Engelen, 2004), a youth self-rating scale of attentional control.
  
  
  METHODS
  A multisource assessment approach was used with 186 children and adolescents referred to an anxiety disorders specialty clinic.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Exploratory factor analysis yielded a 2-factor structure with internally consistent and moderately correlated subscales of Attentional Focusing and Attentional Shifting. Total ACS-C and subscale scores demonstrated significant associations with youth and parent ratings of youth anxiety symptoms, youth self ratings of depressive symptoms, and youth diagnosis of attention deficit-hyperactivity disorder.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  These findings support use of the ACS-C as a self-rating scale of attentional control among referred youth. Future research is encouraged to examine retest reliability of the ACS-C and to evaluate whether its internal structure could be enhanced by removing or modifying items that performed poorly.
authors.affiliation: Florida International University.
authors.forename: Raquel
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Melendez
authors.affiliation: Florida International University.
authors.forename: Michele
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Bechor
authors.affiliation: Florida International University.
authors.forename: Yasmin
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Rey
authors.affiliation: Florida International University.
authors.forename: Jeremy W
authors.initials: JW
authors.lastname: Pettit
authors.affiliation: Yale Child Study Center, Yale University.
authors.forename: Wendy K
authors.initials: WK
authors.lastname: Silverman
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D001008:Anxiety Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000503:physiopathology*; D001288:Attention / Q000502:physiology*; D002648:Child; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales / Q000592:standards*; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D000068356:Self-Control
keywords: adolescent; anxiety; attentional control; children; factor analysis