Skip to main content

Advertisement

SpringerLink
Log in

Predictors of Informant Discrepancies Between Mother and Middle School Teacher ADHD Ratings

  • Original Paper
  • Published:
School Mental Health Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

A diagnosis of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) according to the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual, 5th Edition (DSM-5) is assessed in youth using ratings from both a parent and a teacher. However, individual and contextual differences between informants may lead to discrepancies in these ratings (De Los Reyes and Kazdin in Psychol Bull 131(4):483, 2005). The purpose of this study was to examine predictors of discrepancies between mother and middle school teacher reports of ADHD symptoms and related impairment. In an ethnically diverse sample of middle school students with well-diagnosed DSM-IV-TR ADHD (N = 112), we examined a range of mother and school setting characteristics that may contribute to informant discrepancies in this population. Hierarchical multiple regression analyses suggested that mothers with higher levels of education and psychopathology (i.e., ADHD symptom severity, parenting stress) may be most likely to report adolescent ADHD symptom severity that is higher than reported by teachers. Reports from general education teachers (vs. special education) were associated with lower symptom severity compared to mothers. Finally, a documented diagnosis of ADHD in the school was predictive of more severe reports from mothers. We discuss explanations for these findings and implications for assessment of middle school students with ADHD.

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

Access this article

Log in via an institution

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(5), 519–533.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Achenbach, T. M., McConaughy, S. H., & Howell, C. T. (1987). Child/adolescent behavioral and emotional problems: Implications of cross- informant correlations for situational specificity. Psychological Bulletin, 101(2), 213–232.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Adler, L. A., Spencer, T., Faraone, S. V., Kessler, R. C., Howes, M. J., Biederman, J., et al. (2006). Validity of pilot Adult ADHD Self-Report Scale (ASRS) to Rate Adult ADHD symptoms. Annals of Clinical Psychiatry, 18(3), 145–148.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry. (2007). Practice parameter for the assessment and treatment of children and adolescents with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder. Journal of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, 46(7), 894–921.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • American Academy of Pediatrics. (2011). ADHD: Clinical practice guideline for the diagnosis, evaluation, and treatment of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder in children and adolescents. (2011). Pediatrics, 128(5), 1007–1022.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • American Psychiatric Association. (2000). Diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders (4th ed-TR). Washington, DC: Author.

  • American Psychiatric Association. (2013). Diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders (5th ed.). Washington, DC: Author.

    Book  Google Scholar 

  • Barkley, R. A. (2006). Attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder: A handbook for diagnosis and treatment (3rd ed.). New York: Guilford.

    Google Scholar 

  • Barkley, R. A., Fischer, M., Smallish, L., & Fletcher, K. (2006). Young adult outcome of hyperactive children: Adaptive functioning in major life activities. Journal of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, 45(2), 192–202.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Brannan, A. M., Heflinger, C. A., & Bickman, L. (1997). The caregiver strain questionnaire measuring the impact on the family of living with a child with serious emotional disturbance. Journal of Emotional and Behavioral Disorders, 5(4), 212–222.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Chi, T. C., & Hinshaw, S. P. (2002). Mother-child relationships of children with ADHD: The role of maternal depressive symptoms and depression-related distortions. Journal of Abnormal Child Psychology, 30(4), 387–400.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Chronis, A. M., Lahey, B. B., Pelham, W. E., Kipp, H. L., Baumann, B. L., & Lee, S. S. (2003). Psychopathology and substance abuse in parents of young children with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder. Journal of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, 42(12), 1424–1432.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Chronis-Tuscano, A., Raggi, V. L., Clarke, T. L., Rooney, M. E., Diaz, Y., & Pian, J. (2008). Associations between maternal attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder symptoms and parenting. Journal of Abnormal Child Psychology, 36(8), 1237–1250.

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  • Collins, W. A., & Steinberg, L. (2006). Adolescent development in interpersonal context. In N. Eisenberg, W. Damon, & R. M. Lerner (Eds.), Handbook of child psychology: Vol. 3, Social, emotional, and personality development (6th ed., pp. 1003–1067). Hoboken, NJ: John Wiley & Sons Inc.

    Google Scholar 

  • Davis-Kean, P. E. (2005). The influence of parent education and family income on child achievement: The indirect role of parental expectations and the home environment. Journal of Family Psychology, 19(2), 294.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • De Los Reyes, A. (2011). Introduction to the special section. More than measurement error: Discovering meaning behind informant discrepancies in clinical assessments of children and adolescents. Journal of Clinical Child and Adolescent Psychology, 40(1), 1–9.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • De Los Reyes, A., Augenstein, T. M., Wang, M., Thomas, S. A., Drabick, D. A. G., & Burgers, D. (2015). The validity of the multi-informant approach to assessing child and adolescent mental health. Psychological Bulletin, 141(4), 858–900.

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  • De Los Reyes, A., & Kazdin, A. E. (2004). Measuring informant discrepancies in clinical child research. Psychological Assessment, 16(3), 330.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • De Los Reyes, A., & Kazdin, A. E. (2005). Informant discrepancies in the assessment of childhood psychopathology: A critical review, theoretical framework, and recommendations for further study. Psychological Bulletin, 131(4), 483.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Derogatis, L. R. (1996). SCL-90-R: Symptom Checklist-90-R: Administration, scoring, and procedures manual. Bloomington: NCS Pearson.

    Google Scholar 

  • Derogatis, L. R., & Cleary, P. A. (1977). Confirmation of the dimensional structure of the SCL-90: A study in construct validation. Journal Clinical Psychology, 33(4), 981–989.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Dirks, M. A., De Los Reyes, A., Briggs-Gowan, M., Cella, D., & Wakschlag, L. S. (2012). Annual Research Review: Embracing not erasing contextual variability in children’s behavior–theory and utility in the selection and use of methods and informants in developmental psychopathology. Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry, 53(5), 558–574.

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  • Eccles, J. (2004). Schools, academic motivation, and stage-environment fit. In R. M. Lerner & L. Steinberg (Eds.), Handbook of adolescent psychology (2nd ed., pp. 125–152). Hoboken, NJ: Wiley.

    Google Scholar 

  • Evans, S. W., Allen, J., Moore, S., & Strauss, V. (2005). Measuring symptoms and functioning of youth with ADHD in middle schools. Journal of Abnormal Child Psychology, 33(6), 695–706.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Evans, S. W., Brady, C. E., Harrison, J. R., Bunford, N., Kern, L., State, T., et al. (2013). Measuring ADHD and ODD symptoms and impairment using high school teachers’ ratings. Journal of Clinical Child & Adolescent Psychology, 42(2), 197–207.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Faraone, S. V., Monuteaux, M. C., Biederman, J., Cohan, S. L., & Mick, E. (2003). Does parental ADHD bias maternal reports of ADHD symptoms in children? Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 71(1), 168–175.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Fischer, M., Barkley, R., Fletcher, K., & Smallish, L. (1993). The stability of dimensions of behavior in ADHD and normal children over an 8-year followup. Journal of Abnormal Child Psychology, 21(3), 315–337.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Guryan, J., Hurst, E., & Kearney, M. (2008). Parental education and parental time with children. Journal of Economic Perspectives, 22(3), 23–46.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hunsley, J., & Mash, E. J. (2007). Evidence-based assessment. Annual Review of Clinical Psychology, 3, 29–51.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Johnson, J., & Duffett, A. (2002). When it’s your own child: A report on special education from the families who use it. New York, NY: Public Agenda.

    Google Scholar 

  • Johnston, C., & Mash, E. J. (2001). Families of children with attention- deficit/hyperactivity disorder: Review and recommendations for future research. Clinical Child and Family Psychology Review, 4(3), 183–207.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Kraemer, H. C., Measelle, J. R., Ablow, J. C., Exxes, M. J., Boyce, W. T., & Kupfer, D. J. (2003). A new approach to integrating data from multiple informants in psychiatric assessments and research: Mixing and matching contexts and perspectives. American Journal of Psychiatry, 160(9), 1566–1577.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Laird, R. D., & LaFleur, L. K. (2016). Disclosure and monitoring as predictors of mother-adolescent agreement in reports of early adolescent rule-breaking behavior. Journal of Clinical Child & Adolescent Psychology, 45(2), 188–200.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Langberg, J. M., Epstein, J. N., Simon, J. O., Loren, R. A., Arnold, L. E., Hechtman, L., et al. (2010). Parent agreement on ratings of children’s Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder and broadband externalizing behaviors. Journal Of Emotional And Behavioral Disorders, 18(1), 41–50.

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  • Miami-Dade County Public Schools (2015). Statistical highlights. Miami-Dade County Public Schools. Retrieved December 2015.

  • Narad, M. E., Garner, A. A., Peugh, J. L., Tamm, L., Antonini, T. N., Kingery, K. M., et al. (2015). Parent–teacher agreement on ADHD symptoms across development. Psychological Assessment, 27(1), 239.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Ohan, J. L., Cormier, N., Hepp, S. L., Visser, T. A., & Strain, M. C. (2008). Does knowledge about attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder impact teachers’ reported behaviors and perceptions? School Psychology Quarterly, 23(3), 436–449.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ohan, J. L., Visser, T. A., Strain, M. C., & Allen, L. (2011). Teachers’ and education students’ perceptions of and reactions to children with and without the diagnostic label “ADHD”. Journal of School Psychology, 49(1), 81–105.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Pelham, W. E., Fabiano, G. A., & Massetti, G. M. (2005). Evidence-based assessment of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder in children and adolescents. Journal of Clinical Child and Adolescent Psychology, 34(3), 449–476.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Pelham, W., Gnagy, E., Greenslade, K., & Milich, R. (1992). Teacher ratings of DSM-III-R symptoms for the disruptive behavior disorders. Journal of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, 31(2), 210–218.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Richters, J. E. (1992). Depressed mothers as informants about their children: A critical review of the evidence for distortion. Psychological Bulletin, 112(3), 485.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Sauver, J. L. S., Barbaresi, W. J., Katusic, S. K., Colligan, R. C., Weaver, A. L., & Jacobsen, S. J. (2004). Early life risk factors for attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder: A population-based cohort study. Mayo Clinic Proceedings, 79(9), 1124–1131.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Shaffer, D., Fisher, P., Lucas, C. P., Dulcan, M., & Schwab-Stone, M. (2000). NIMH diagnostic interview schedule for children version IV (NIMH DISC-IV): Description, differences from pervious versions, and reliability of some common diagnoses. Journal of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, 39(1), 28–38.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Sibley, M. H., Altszuler, A. R., Morrow, A., & Merrill, B. (2014). Mapping the academic problem behaviors of adolescents with ADHD. School Psychology Quarterly, 29(4), 422–437.

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  • Sibley, M. H., Graziano, P. A., Kuriyan, A. B., Coxe, S., Pelham, W. E., Rodriguez, L. M. et al. (2016). Parent-teen behavior therapy + motivational interviewing for adolescents with ADHD. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology. doi:10.1037/ccp0000106.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Sibley, M. H., Pelham, W. E., Jr., Derefinko, K. J., Kuriyan, A. B., Sanchez, F., & Graziano, P. A. (2013). A pilot trial of supporting teens’ academic needs daily (STAND): A parent-adolescent collaborative intervention for ADHD. Journal of Psychopathology and Behavioral Assessment, 35(4), 436–449.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Sibley, M. H., Pelham, W. E., Molina, B. S. G., Gnagy, E. M., Waschbusch, D. A., Garefino, A., et al. (2012). Diagnosing ADHD in adolescence. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 80(1), 139–150.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • U.S. Department of Education, National Center for Education Statistics. (2014). The condition of education 2014 (NCES 2014-083), Public School Expenditures.

  • U.S. Department of Labor. (2014). Occupational outlook handbook. Lanham, MD: Bernan.

    Google Scholar 

  • Wechsler, D. (1999). Wechsler abbreviated scale of intelligence (WASI-I). San Antonio: Harcourt Assessment.

    Google Scholar 

  • Wechsler, D. (2002). Wechsler individual achievement tests—Second edition. San Antonio: Psychological.

    Google Scholar 

  • Wechsler, D. (2011a). Wechsler abbreviated scale of intelligence-II (WASI-II). San Antonio, TX: Harcourt Assessment.

    Google Scholar 

  • Wechsler, D. (2011b). Wechsler individual achievement tests—Third edition. San Antonio, TX: Harcourt Assessment.

    Google Scholar 

  • Wolraich, M. L., Wibbelsman, C. J., Brown, T. E., Evans, S. W., Gotlieb, E. M., Knight, J. R., et al. (2005). Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder among adolescents: A review of the diagnosis, treatment, and clinical implications. Pediatrics, 115(6), 1734–1746.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Wymbs, B. T., Pelham, W. E., Gnagy, E. M., & Molina, B. S. G. (2008). Mother and adolescent reports of interparental discord among adolescents with and without Attention-Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder. Journal of Emotional and Behavioral Disorders, 16(1), 29–41.

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  • Youngstrom, E., Loeber, R., & Stouthamer-Loeber, M. (2000). Patterns and correlates of agreement between parent, teacher, and male adolescent ratings of externalizing and internalizing problems. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 68(6), 1038.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgments

This research was supported in part by grants from the National Institute of Mental Health (R34 MH092466, R01 MH097819), and the Institute of Education Sciences (R324A120169) as well as a Fellowship from the Klingenstein Third Generation Foundation awarded to Margaret H. Sibley and a Student Achievement Award from the Society of Clinical Child and Adolescent Psychology awarded to Carlos E. Yeguez.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Psychiatry, University of Michigan, Rachel Upjohn Building, Room 2107, 4250 Plymouth Road, Ann Arbor, MI, 48109, USA

    Carlos E. Yeguez

  2. Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Health, Florida International University, Miami, FL, USA

    Margaret H. Sibley

  3. Center for Children and Families, Florida International University, AHC-1 Room 146, 11200 SW 8th Street, Miami, FL, 33199, USA

    Carlos E. Yeguez & Margaret H. Sibley

Authors
  1. Carlos E. Yeguez
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Margaret H. Sibley
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Carlos E. Yeguez.

Ethics declarations

Conflict of interest

The authors declare that they have no conflict of interest.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Yeguez, C.E., Sibley, M.H. Predictors of Informant Discrepancies Between Mother and Middle School Teacher ADHD Ratings. School Mental Health 8, 452–460 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12310-016-9192-1

Download citation

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12310-016-9192-1

Keywords

Search

Navigation