ARTICLE
Age Differences in the Reliability of Parent and Child Reports of Child Anxious Symptomatology Using a Structured Interview

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Abstract

Test-retest reliability of child and parent reports of anxious symptomatology, using a structured interview (The Anxiety Disorders Interview Schedule for Children; ADIS-C and ADIS-P), was examined with 50 outpatients and their parents. The test-retest interval was 10 to 14 days. Reliability was examined for three parameters: (1) an exact match on primary anxiety diagnoses; (2) symptom scale scores; and (3) clinician's agreement on severity ratings. Overall, satisfactory reliability across the three parameters was found. The results were viewed to be promising in light of previous research that parents and children tend to be unreliable in making such reports. Age differences in reliability were also examined between children 6 to 11 and 12 to 17 years old. Discrepancies between parent and child reports and age differences between samples (i.e., 6–11, 12–17) are discussed. J. Am. Acad. Child Adolesc. Psychiatry, 1992, 31, 1:117–124.

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    Special thanks are extended to Wayne Fleisig, Christopher Kearney, and Debra Salzman for their help in interviewing the children and parents in this study. The helpful comments of Peter DiNardo on an earlier draft of this manuscript are also gratefully acknowledged.

    This study was supported in part by a NIMH First Award, Grant 1R29MH4478101A1, awarded to Dr. Silverman.

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