Reliability and validity of parent and teacher ratings of attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder symptoms

The reliability and criterion-related validity of the Home and School versions of the AD/HD Rating Scale-IV were evaluated in a nonreferred sample of 71 students. Parent and teacher ratings were obtained 4 weeks apart at a time contemporaneous with observations of classroom behavior and academic productivity. Results indicated adequate levels of internal consistency, test-retest reliability, and cross-informant agreement for both parent and teacher ratings. Teacher ratings were significantly correlated with classroom observational data, and parent ratings were primarily related to behavior ratings. The discriminant validity of these scales also vias examined in a sample of 92 clinic-referred children. Both the Home and School versions of the AD/HD Rating Scale-IV were found to discriminate significantly between children with and without AD/HD. The AD/HD Rating Scale-IV appears to have adequate psychometric properties for the screening and assessment of AD/HD.