Australian parent and teacher ratings of the DSM-IV ADHD symptoms: Differential symptom functioning and parent-teacher agreement and differences

Objective: The aims of the study were to examine differential symptom functioning (DSF) and agreement across parent and teacher ratings for the DSM-IV ADHD inattention (IA) and hyperactivity/impulsivity (HI) symptoms, listed in the Disruptive Behavior Rating Scale (DBRS). Method: DSF was examined using a parametric technique involving ordinal logistic regression, and also a nonparametric technique known as kernel smoothing implemented in the program TestGraf. To accomplish the aims, Australian parents and teachers completed the DBRS for 213 children, between 6 and 11 years of age. Results: The results of both analytical procedures showed no DSF across all the IA and HI symptoms. Additional results indicated low parent-teacher agreement. Conclusion: The absence of DSF suggests that previous reports of low parent-teacher agreement are likely to reflect a true state of affairs and that parent and teacher ratings can be compared. In this context, the low parent-teacher agreement can be interpreted as indication that the attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) symptoms are situation specific. (J. of Att. Dis. 2007; 11(1) 17-27)