Parent ratings of the ADHD items of the disruptive behavior rating scale: Analyses of their IRT properties based on the generalized partial credit model

doi:10.1016/j.paid.2008.04.001

Personality and Individual Differences

Volume 45, Issue 2, July 2008, Pages 181-186

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.paid.2008.04.001 Get rights and content

Abstract

Generalized partial credit model (GPCM), which is based on item response theory (IRT), was used to evaluate the psychometric properties for the DSM-IV inattention (IA) and hyperactivity/impulsivity (HI) items for boys and girls. To accomplish this, parents completed the disruptive behavior rating scale (DBRS; Barkley & Murphy, 1998) for 403 boys and 380 girls, between 6 and 11 years of age. The results for the slope parameters showed that for both groups, all items were generally good for discriminating their respective latent traits. The results for the location parameters in both groups showed that endorsement of higher ratings of all the items in the DBRS would require a considerable amount of the relevant latent traits (IA or HI) to be present. Thus there was good support for the psychometric properties for the ADHD items in the DBRS. These findings extend existing data on the psychometric properties of ADHD rating scales.

Section snippets

Participants

The participants were Australian parents of 783 children. All participants were from the State of Victoria, Australia. In all, 55% of the sample resided in metropolitan Melbourne, 42% resided in regional areas (e.g., Geelong), and 3% resided in rural areas (e.g., Horsham). The parents provided ratings for 403 boys and 380 girls. The children were from fourteen randomly selected schools. All children were between 6 and 11 years of age. The mean age (SD) for boys was 8.88 (1.96) years, and this

Testing for IRT assumptions

The results of the PA analyses for unidimensionality for the IA and HI scales for ratings of boys and girls are presented in Table 1. As shown, in all cases, the PA indicated only one component, and the ratios of the eigenvalues of the first and second factors were high. These findings support the unidimensionality of the IA scale and HI scale for boys and for girls.

In relation to the 1-factor CFA models for IA scale and HI scale for boys and for girls, the RMSEA and CFI values, shown in Table 2

Discussion

The aim of this study was to use GPCM to evaluate the IRT properties and invariance of parent ratings of the DBRS for boys and girls. It needs to be stressed at the outset that the results for the analyses for the IA and HI scales for boys and girls are not directly comparable. In IRT, the responses to the items are used to obtain continuous scaled estimates of the underlying trait, called theta (θ). In most computer programs, the trait value is set at a mean of zero and a standard deviation of

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Parent ratings of the ADHD items of the disruptive behavior rating scale: Analyses of their IRT properties based on the generalized partial credit model

Abstract

Section snippets

Participants

Testing for IRT assumptions

Discussion

Attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder: A handbook for diagnosis and treatment

Attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder: A clinical workbook

Teacher ratings of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder symptoms: Factor structure and normative data

Psychological Assessment

Item response theory for psychologists

DSM-IV AD/HD: Confirmatory factor models, prevalence, and gender and age differences based on parent and teacher ratings of Australian primary school children

Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry