A-258 A Comparison of Parent and Teacher Reports on the Connors 3 Rating Scale

Abstract

Abstract Objectives: To examine differences in reporting children’s symptoms between parents and teachers on the Conners 3 Rating scale. Methods: Children (N=194, Mage=10.75, Medu=4.87, 41.3% white, and 62.8% male) with corresponding parents and teachers were selected from a deidentified clinical outpatient database. Respondents included mothers (n=287), fathers (n=194), math teachers (n=58), and reading teachers (n=26). Within subjects ANOVAs were used to compare mother and father ratings, math teacher and reading teacher ratings, and parents and teacher ratings on the Conners 3 Rating Scale. Results: Mothers and fathers did not differ significantly on their reports of the Conners 3. Math teachers and reading teachers did not differ significantly on their reports of the Conners 3. Parents and teachers differed significantly on inattention F(1,84)= 7.957, p=.005, learning problems F(1,84= 4.603, p=.033, and executive functioning F(1,84)= 3.987, p=.047 with teachers reporting lower scores across indicators. Conclusion: This analysis demonstrated that parents report similarly, teachers report similarly but teachers and parents report differently on measures of executive function, inattention, and learning problems. Teachers reported lower scores across all three indicators, suggesting that these areas are less problematic. Being that these measures are directly relevant to school performance, the explanation for these differences is unclear. Future research should explore the reasons behind the differences in parent and teacher reporting, whether parent or teacher reports are more consistent with diagnostic conclusions, and whether similar discrepancies exist across other report measures. Limitations of this study include the relatively small sample of teachers and the lack of reporter demographic information.