Rating scales in attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder: use in assessment and treatment monitoring

J Clin Psychiatry. 1998:59 Suppl 7:24-30.

Abstract

Rating scales are valuable tools in both assessment and treatment monitoring. However, caution in their use is indicated because of several types of rater errors. Recent large-scale normative studies provide a set of instruments that cover child, adolescent, and adult ages, with separate gender norms and large representative samples. By including DSM-IV symptoms for ADHD in a proposed nationwide standardization of parent, teacher, and self-report scales, it is apparent that the proposed subtypes of ADHD are reasonable; however, item content in this standardization is somewhat broader than that proposed by DSM-IV. Empirical indexes were created and cross-validated, providing powerful discrimination between ADHD and non-ADHD samples. Separate scoring for the traditional DSM subtypes of ADHD allows both categorical and dimensional measures to be used in assessment and treatment monitoring.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
  • Review

MeSH terms

  • Adolescent
  • Adult
  • Age Factors
  • Attention Deficit Disorder with Hyperactivity / diagnosis*
  • Attention Deficit Disorder with Hyperactivity / drug therapy*
  • Child
  • Clinical Trials as Topic
  • Factor Analysis, Statistical
  • Humans
  • Personality Inventory / standards
  • Personality Inventory / statistics & numerical data
  • Psychiatric Status Rating Scales / standards*
  • Psychiatric Status Rating Scales / statistics & numerical data
  • Psychometrics
  • Terminology as Topic
  • Treatment Outcome