Skip to main content
Log in

A behavioral assessment scale for attention deficit disorder in brazilian children based on DSM-IIIR criteria

  • Published:
Journal of Abnormal Child Psychology Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

A teacher scale based on DSM-III-R diagnostic criteria for attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) was developed for the behavioral assessment of children in Brazil. A total of 2, 082 children (782 males and 1,300 females) with a mean age of 11.2 years who were attending a public school in the greater Rio de Janeiro area were the subjects of this study. Two factors (Hyperactivity-Impulsivity and Inattention) were extracted from a principal-factor analysis conducted on the data, and the factor structure of the scale was found to be stable. Ratings of boys were higher than ratings of girls, and younger children had higher ratings than older children for both factors. Test-retest reliability for each item of the scale ranged from .56 to .70. The data are discussed in view of current controversies in the factor structure of teacher ratings of DSM-III-R ADHD symptoms.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Abikoff, H., Courtney, M., Pelham, W. E., Jr., & Koplewicz, H. S. (1993). Teachers ratings of disruptive behaviors: The influence of halo effects.Journal of Abnormal Child Psychology 21 519–533.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • American Psychiatric Association. (1980).Diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders, (3rd ed.). Washington, DC: Author.

    Google Scholar 

  • American Psychiatric Association. (1987).Diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders (3rd ed., rev.). Washington, DC: Author.

    Google Scholar 

  • Brito, G. N. O. (1987). The Conners Abbreviated Teacher Rating Scale: Development of norms in Brazil.Journal of Abnormal Child Psychology, 15 511–518.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Brito, G. N. O., & Lins, M. F. C. (1989). Hand preferences and hand skills in a sample of Brazilian children.Journal of Clinical and Experimental Neuropsychology, 11 366.

    Google Scholar 

  • Brito, G. N. O., Lins, M. F. C., Paumgartten, F. J. R., & Brito, L. S. O. (1992). Hand preference in 4- to 7-year old children: An analysis with the Edinburgh Inventory in Brazil.Developmental Neuropsychology, 8 59–68.

    Google Scholar 

  • Brito, G. N. O., & Pinto, R. C. A. (1991). A Composite Teacher Rating Scale: Analysis in a sample of Brazilian children.Journal of Clinical and Experimental Neuropsychology, 13 417–418.

    Google Scholar 

  • Capéraà, P., Côté, R., & Thivierge, J. (1985). Hyperactivity: Comment on Trites' article.Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry, 26 485–486.

    Google Scholar 

  • DuPaul, G. J. (1991). Parent and teacher ratings of ADHD symptoms: Psychometric properties in a community-based sample.Journal of Clinical Child Psychology, 20 245–253.

    Google Scholar 

  • Goyette, C. H., Conners, C. K., & Ulrich, R. F. (1978). Normative data on revised Conners Parent and Teacher Rating Scales.Journal of Abnormal Child Psychology, 6 221–236.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Healey, J. M., Newcorn, J. H., Halperin, J. M., Wolf, L. E., Pascualvaca, D. M., Schmeidler, J., & O'Brien, J. D. (1993). The factor structure of ADHD items in DSM-III-R: Internal consistency and external validation.Journal of Abnormal Child Psychology, 21 441–453.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Lahey, B. B., Pelham, W. E., Jr., Schaughency, E. A., Atkins, M. S., Murphy, H. A., Hynd, G., Russo, M., Hartdagen, S., & Lorys-Vernon, A. (1988). Dimensions and types of attention deficit disorder.Journal of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, 27 330–335.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Lins, M. F. C., & Brito, G. N. O. (1990). A Escala de Conners para Professores: Confiabilidade, validade e desenvolvimento de normas no Brasil.Arquivos de Neuropsiquiatria (Sao Paulo), 48B 419.

    Google Scholar 

  • Luk, S. L., Leung, P. W. L., & Lee, P. L. M. (1988). Conners Teacher Rating Scale in Chinese children in Hong Kong.Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry, 29 165–174.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Mann, E. M., Ikeda, Y., Mueller, C. W., Takahashi, A., Tao, K. T., Humris, E., Li, B. L., & Chin, D. (1992). Cross-cultural differences in rating hyperactive-disruptive behaviors in children.American Journal of Psychiatry, 149 1539–1542.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Newcorn, J., Halperin, J. M., Healey, J. M., O'Brien, J. D., Pascualvaca, D. M., Wolf, L. E., Morganstein, A., Sharma, V., & Young, J. G. (1989). Are attention deficit disorder with hyperactivity and attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder the same or different?Journal of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, 28 734–738.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Nie, N. H., Hull, C. H., Jenkins, J. G., Steinbrenner, K., & Bent, D. H. (1975).Statistical Package for the Social Sciences. New York: McGraw-Hill.

    Google Scholar 

  • SAS Institute. (1982).Statistics. Cary: Author.

    Google Scholar 

  • Schachar, R., Sandberg, S., & Rutter, M. (1986). Agreement between teacher ratings and observations of hyperactivity, inattentiveness, and defiance.Journal of Abnormal Child Psychology, 14 331–345.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Werry, J. S., & Sprague, R. L. (1974). Methylphenidate in children: Effects of dosage.Australian and New Zealand Journal of Psychiatry, 8 9–19.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Brito, G.N.O., Pinto, R.C.A. & Lins, M.F.C. A behavioral assessment scale for attention deficit disorder in brazilian children based on DSM-IIIR criteria. J Abnorm Child Psychol 23, 509–520 (1995). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01447211

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01447211

Keywords

Navigation