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A Comparison of Parent and Teacher Ratings of Children's Behaviors.

2005; Volume: 29; Issue: 2 Linguagem: Inglês

0196-5042

Michael W. Firmin, Elizabeth Proemmel, Chi‐en Hwang,

Behavioral and Psychological Studies

Previous studies have compared the accuracy of parent, teacher, and clinician ratings of children behavior, especially in diagnostic analysis. However, many have questioned the validity of the tests and the value of each rater. While some research has found differences among raters, few had looked at samples of non-referred children. We wanted to study normal children, and we hypothesized finding no significant difference between the two raters. In our study, we administered the Clinical Assessment of Behavior to teachers and parents of students ranging from six to eighteen years old. When comparing these ratings, we found, as hypothesized, the parent and teacher ratings of children's behavior to possess statistically significant agreement. The only domain with significant disagreement was the externalizing domain. We found several potential causes for these findings consistent with previous research and suggested areas for further research, especially regarding the importance of the various raters for children who have been clinically referred. When children are screened for mental disorders, psychologists may use several methods, including clinical evaluations, interviews, and rating forms (Achenbach, 2001; Epkins, 1995; Powers, et al., 1998). According to Lengua, Sadowski, Friedrich, and Fisher (2001) and ES-Hassan Al-Awad and Sonuga-Barke (2002), two widely-used rating forms to determine problem areas include Achenbach's Child Behavior Checklist (CBCL) and the Comers ' Rating Scales (CRS). Both of these sets of instruments allow input from different informants (child, care-giver, and teacher) before making a diagnosis, and some researchers have found the agreement between raters to be within generally acceptable psychometric parameters (El-Hassan Al-Awad & Sonuga-Barke). Other researchers have found significant variability among different raters, as child-behavior ratings produce highly divergent results in individual cases (Youngstrom, Loeber, & Stouthamer-Loeber, 2000, ρ 1046). Researchers and practitioners alike query the causes of this variance when it occurs. In a theoretical sense, the variance in ratings may be related to the underlying classifications of disorders. In their research, Hartman, et al. (1999) concluded that there is no solid evidence to support syndromes as they are currently used in an operational construct. They noted, in particular, that similar questions on different rating scales can result in divergent diagnoses. Lengua, et al., (2001) also discussed problems with the dimensions on the CBCL, including the overlap of items and items that do conceptually fit a dimension. Others have been unsatisfied with using a dichotomous diagnosis of either present or absent (e.g., Achenbach, 2001; Youngstrom, et al., 2000). This dichotomy controls processes in research and diagnosis, making variations in sources difficult to resolve. Achenbach criticized the syndromes as measuring different aspects of the (mental health, personality, ability to adapt, etc.), instead of a more consistent categorization. Towers, et al. (2000) also recommended research addressing the distinction between answering questions based on the child's personality or on any occasional actions of the child. He emphasized the utilization of methods that are more empirical in order to identify those who may be on the borderline of a diagnosis, a caution also espoused by Drotar, Stein, and Perrin (1995). Along with the dichotomy of diagnoses, the scales on rating forms (Towers, et al.) are often only three-point scales (0 for not true for child to 2 for very often true for the child) and tend to be skewed toward the better behavior, which can create a floor or ceiling effect (Hartman, et al.). In a more practical sense, the variance in ratings may be related to the unique perspectives that the raters bring to the task. The question then becomes whose perspective is more accurate for diagnosis, which is challenging to determine because therapists seldom use teacher ratings (Towers et al. …