Article

Reliability and validity of self- and other-ratings of symptoms of ADHD in adults.

Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC 27710, USA.
Journal of Attention Disorders (impact factor: 2.45). 04/2011; 15(3):224-34. DOI:10.1177/1087054709356163 pp.224-34
Source: PubMed

ABSTRACT Few studies have examined concordance between raters of ADHD symptoms in adults; there is less information on how well rating scales function in distinguishing adult ADHD from other disorders. This study examined these variables using the Conners Adult ADHD Rating Scales (CAARS).
The sample included 349 adults evaluated for attention problems. Correlations and kappa values were calculated using self- and observer-ratings of item-level symptoms; sensitivity, specificity, and discriminant validity of cluster scores in predicting clinician diagnoses were computed for 269 participants.
Item-level concordance rates ranged from slight to fair. Cluster scores demonstrated a poor balance of sensitivity and specificity in predicting ADHD diagnosis; a high percentage of participants with internalizing disorders had scores in the clinical range.
Self-and observer- ratings on the CAARS provide clinically relevant data about attention problems in adults, but the instrument does not effectively distinguish between ADHD and other adult psychiatric disorders.

0 0
 · 
0 Bookmarks
 · 
45 Views
Data provided are for informational purposes only. Although carefully collected, accuracy cannot be guaranteed. The impact factor represents a rough estimation of the journal's impact factor and does not reflect the actual current impact factor. Publisher conditions are provided by RoMEO. Differing provisions from the publisher's actual policy or licence agreement may be applicable.

Keywords

ADHD
 
ADHD diagnosis
 
ADHD symptoms
 
adult psychiatric disorders
 
attention problems
 
clinical range
 
clinically relevant data
 
clinician diagnoses
 
Conners Adult ADHD Rating Scales
 
discriminant validity
 
distinguishing adult ADHD
 
fair
 
internalizing disorders
 
Item-level concordance rates
 
item-level symptoms
 
kappa values
 
observer-ratings
 
poor balance
 
raters
 
Self-and observer- ratings