Rochester Institute of Technology

RIT Scholar Works Theses

Thesis/Dissertation Collections

1-1-1996

Is one parent rating scale enough: A Comparison of three ADHD parent rating scales Nicole Lesiak

Follow this and additional works at: http://scholarworks.rit.edu/theses Recommended Citation Lesiak, Nicole, "Is one parent rating scale enough: A Comparison of three ADHD parent rating scales" (1996). Thesis. Rochester Institute of Technology. Accessed from

This Thesis is brought to you for free and open access by the Thesis/Dissertation Collections at RIT Scholar Works. It has been accepted for inclusion in Theses by an authorized administrator of RIT Scholar Works. For more information, please contact [email protected].

Parent

Running Head:

Rating

PARENT RATING SCALES COMPARISON

Is One Parent A Comparison

Rating

of Three

Scale Enough:

ADHD Parent

Rating

Nicole M. Lesiak Rochester Institute

of

Technology

Scales

Scales Comparison 1

R·I·T

Rochester Institute of Technology School Psychology Program College of l.iberal Arts George Eastman Building 18 l.omb Memorial Drive Rochester, New York 14623·5604 716-475·2765 716·475·6701

Thesis accepted in partial fulfillment of Master1s of Science degree in School Psychology. Student

------------------------

Fi rst Reader

V. Costiuliadek

Dat~/P9~

PERMISSION GRANTED Title of Thesis:

"A comparison of three ADHD parent rating scales."

t, Nicole M. Lesiak hereby grant permission to the Wallace Memorial Library of the Rochester Institute of Technology to reproduce my thesis in whole or part. Any reproduction will not be for commercial use or profit. Date: 9/30/96

Signature of Author:

_

Parent

Abstract: This study

examined

the accuracy

of three parent

Rating

rating

Scales Comparison 2

scales

in

identifying Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) in children who had been diagnosed previously with this disorder. If the all previous

positive.

diagnoses

The rating

were

accurate, then

scales selected were

Evaluation Scales Second Edition

-

all

diagnoses

scales

fifty elementary age children.

correctly indicated 100%

of the

Accuracy rates ranged from 39% to within

the schools

were considered.

made

on all scales should

(ADDES) (1995),

Abbreviated Symptom Questionnaire, Parent Version

parents of

is

that

be

The Attention Deficit Disorders

Home Version

Revised Home Situations Questionnaire

assumption

Conners'

(ASQ-P) (1990),

(HSQ-R) (1990).

Subjects

Results indicated that

and

consisted of

none of the

previously identified ADHD

the

three

students.

74%. Implications for ADHD identification

Parent

Attention Deficit affect

4-10 %

a

Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) is a behavioral condition estimated to in the United States

of all children

depending on the

cutoff scores used

study by Shapiro & Garfinkel (as

5-8% found of 23%

may

in

a

underlies

in

cited

study by Shaywitz ADHD

and

(Pennington,

These

studies.

Shaywitz (1988).

ADHD (characterized

child.

approximately 40%

of referrals made

in

depending

ADHD is

frequent before

crying.

often visible

Therefore,

school enrollment.

impulsive,

and more

of

individuals famihar

disorder is present

(A) is

is typically

report

in Reid & Maag,

every

one

(Barkley,

a

low

vary

of 3%

1994) to

a

high

general education classroom

and

ADHD

1990).

(general population) to

nine

hyperactivity) occurs more

to one

symptoms such as restlessness and

the behavior associated

with

ADHD for

years

that their affected children are less attentive, more "non-ADHD"

children.

a

variety

of situations

Rating

scales are

frequently used to

depending on the

degree to

which an

individual deviates from the

for

of ADHD.

the child.

The DSM-IV

in individuals

gfves

five

at a comparable

The DSM-IV

(Criterion B). The third

states

criterion

in

levels ranging from

by inattention, impulsivity,

criterion

persistent pattern of inattention and/or

1994).

fact,

moderate

ADHD involves collecting behavioral data from

or absent

observed

Association, seven

"a

cited

beginning in infancy through

Parents

have varied from

estimates

(American Psychiatric Association, 1994).

parents experience

with

mean of the norm group.

criterion

the setting

hyperactive than their

The diagnosis

and

on

In

schools

frequently in males with ratios ranging from four to (clinical settings),

estimates

& Milich (as

Prevalence

1991).

in Reid & Maag, 1994) to

by Pellhem, Gnagy, Greenslade,

enroll one

Scales Comparison 3

Rating

level

a

diagnosis

accomplish

A

The first

hyperactivity that is more frequent than

of

development"

(American Psychiatric

that some symptoms must have been present

(C) is that the

this.

symptoms must

be

present

in

at

before

age

least two

Parent settings such as at

home

developmentalfy appropriate (American Psychiatric

does not other

occur

only

during the

and cannot

be

78). The final

for

accounted

symptoms and

fulfilled. Many

are

behavior

areas of Inattention and

questions asked on a

in the best

position

to have consistent

Diagnosis

mental

scale

of ADHD

retardation,

conduct

for diagnostic

discriminate among known

or

another mental

lists, inattention and hyperactive-

associated with

and

ADHD. Three

Attention Deficit

scales should

determine

help

subtypes are

various settings outside

scales

disorders

the

classroom

capable of categorizing

in

a

Criterion C is

is frequently with the

throughout the

setting

day and

outside school.

for assessing ADHD have been developed.

reliability

and

particularly

such as

learning disabilities,

disorders. Therefore, before using validity

reliability

studies must

of

.80

(Salvia & Ysseldyke, 1991). Studies groups are

be

the extent to which

observational opportunities

or other mental

thorough

Hyperactivity Disorder,

scale require a respondent who

should possess a minimum

purposes

(E) is that the disturbance

appropriately by

is difficult due to confounding variables

for diagnostic purposes,

Assessment instruments

.90

rating

to

rating

the child in

several parent

D)

Hyperactive-Impulsive.

scales often are used

are with

Knowing this,

(Criterion

with

Hyperactivity Disorder, Combined; Attention Deficit

Parents

child.

functioning"

criterion

more

Predominantly Hyperactive-Impulsive. Therefore, rating

Parent rating

"of interference

clear evidence

the need for two separate

Hyperactivity Disorder, Predominantly Inattentive;

behavior into the

be

Pervasive Developmental Disorder, Schizophrenia,

course of a

Attention Deficit

must also

academic or occupational

criteria recognize

impulsive, which describe now recognized:

social,

Association, 1994, p.

Psychotic Disorder

disorder. The new

There

and at school.

Scales Comparison 4

Rating

necessary.

be

a

conducted.

for screening purposes

of the

Rating

scales1

rating

and

ability to

scales must

be

effective

in

Parent

Rating

Scales Comparison 5

discriminating between children with and without Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder to reduce the

likelihood

With the

scales

of false positives and

recent

has increased.

increase

with

disability,

official

Health Impaired

diagnosed

as

both

ADHD

are recognized as

as published

in the Individuals

increasingly

eligible

for

entitled

behavior

to

occur

under

in

more

of these

One

the current

Home Version

support services under

the Other

of the

ADHD in

it is found

that

Rehabilitation Act

(1991)

.

Children

are

ADHD is negatively

School Psychologists may feel

order

for them to

special education criteria.

receive services

Since diagnosis

they would

requires that the

than one environment, both parents and teachers need to provide

of the child.

Unfortunately, scales

is

research

assessing reliability

and

scant.

is The Attention Deficit Disorders Evaluation Scale Second Edition,

(ADDES) by

Stephen B.

provide a measure of the characteristics

McCarney, EdD (1995).

The ADDES

found in the DSM-IV definition

Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder. The ADDES produces two factors diagnosis: Inattention

Although

(Reid & Maag, 1994). Also, individuals

classroom.

newly developed parent rating

such scale

for

handicapped under Section 504

students as

information regarding the behavior validity

eligible

categories

in the

of the

(IDEA) (1990) does not recognize ADHD as an

Disabilities Educational Law Report

successful

increasing pressure to identify be

with

rating

because

behavior problems.

and school

special education services when

impacting their ability to be

not

difficulties

ADHD may be

Physically Impaired

use of parent

school

a more prominent educational concern

Disabilities Education Act

students with

or

academic

psychologists'

diagnoses,

ADHD is becoming

association of ADHD with

The Individuals

of ADHD

false negatives.

and

Hyperactive-Impulsive. The 46 items

was

of Attention-

associated with

were

designed to

ADHD

developed by using

the

Parent DSM-IV

criteria and the

1995). Descriptors

indicative

"Does not

to

engage

be

from the volunteers concerning The

children and youth.

in the behavior", "One to

several

times per

an excellent scale

date there is no A

in

and parents of ADHD children

original

item

day",

and

several

"One to

in the diagnosis

of

published scientific research on

scale, the Conner

s'

second

times

per

behavior

are rated on a

was most

five-part

month", "One to

times

several

what

(McCarney,

sample of 53 questions was tested

to the 46 items through item analysis. The items

week", "One to

prove

were gathered

of ADHD

and reduced

input from diagnosticians

Scales Comparison 6

Rating

per

hour."

scale:

several

times

per

The ADDES may

ADHD; however, due to its recent publication

its merits.

Abbreviated Symptom Questionnaire, Parent Version

(ASQ-P) (1990), is composed of the ten items most frequently endorsed by parents of hyperactive children.

The ASQ-P

was

effectiveness of various

1990). These items

Rating Scales,

originally developed in 1973

drugs used to treat

were extracted

and are called the

as a

device for measuring

hyperactivity in children and adolescents (Conners,

from the full version

Hyperactivity Index.

Conners'

Since the ASQ-P

Hyperactivity Index is an alpha

The validity researchers.

Deficit

on the

Parent

was

.55.

In

correlation

a

study

between

studies cited

The

in the

Conners'

coefficient of

studies

.92

and

shown

the original

on

specifically for the

ratings on

Shaffer (as

is reported,

Rating Scale Manual were

Hyperactivity Index has been

Hyperactivity Disorder in

and

Teacher

Hyperactivity Index itself

fathers'

mothers'

by Sandberg, Wieselberg,

internal consistency reliability

and

based

Rating Scale Manual (1990) provides reliability and validity data

ASQ-P. The Product-moment

1990)

Conners'

of the

full scales, technical data has not been investigated thoroughly The

the

the

cited

corrected

conducted

in

Conners,

for length.

by outside

to be an effective screener for Attention

by Boyle & Jones and

Satin

et al.

(as

cited

in

Conners,

Parent

1990),

and to

discriminate behavior disordered

Conners, 1990)

and

Goyette, Conners, labeled

conduct

children

Learning Disabled peers by Wynne

and

Ulrich

Rating

Scales Comparison 7

from normal by Margalit (as and

Brown (as

item

(1978) found that the original 93

cited

scale

in

in

cited

Conners,

1990).

factored into five

disorder, discrete attention, psychosomatic, hyperactivity,

and anxiety.

scales

Cohen

(1988) attempted to replicate these findings using a varimax rotation and produced four factors: conduct

disorders,

complaints.

on

attention

deficit disorder with hyperactivity, anxiety,

Cohen found that This

the second subscale.

preservation,

children

subscale

is

questionnaire uses a

much."

four point

significantly higher

Elevated

publication

by Multi-Health

scores on

the scale

suggest an

the abbreviated

form

all", "just

increased of this

a

Services. The ten item

little", "pretty much",

chance of pathology.

rating

scale.

drug-induced behavioral for the ten items

on the

effects.

An inter-rater parent

ASQ-P. The

determinants in the

agreement of

authors reported that

child's score:

.55

Few

children and

and

assessing

(p

scales

in Rosenthal, R. & Rosnow, R (1991). Essentials

Analysis. (2nd edition),

pp.

A112-tailedp_'s>.05

Mother N=35, Father N=15

513-545.

of behavioral research:

Methods

and

Data

Parent

Rating

Scales Comparison 22

Figure 2

Age trends

g H

stoe

M

13 to 16

9to12

by

ADDES-ln

parent

rating

ADDES-Hy ADDES-Comb rating

ASQ-P

scales

scales

HSQ-R

Comp

HSQ-R Leis