Differential Performance of the MacArthur HBQ and DISC-IV in Identifying DSM-IV Internalizing Psychopathology in Young Children

Abstract

Three sites collaborated to evaluate the differential performance of the MacArthur Health and Behavior Questionnaire (HBQ) and the Diagnostic Interview Schedule for Children Version IV (DISC-IV) in identifying DSM-IV psychopathology in young children. A sample of 120 four- to eight-year-old nonreferred (community) (n = 67) and referred (clinical) (n = 53) children was examined. Mothers reported on their child's mental health symptoms using the HBQ (a dimensional measure with a clinical cutoff score) and the DISC-IV. Teachers independently reported on the child's symptoms and impairment in school using the teacher HBQ. Children self-reported on their symptoms using the companion Berkeley Puppet Interview. On the basis of its derived clinical cutoff scores, the HBQ identified significantly more children with clinical symptoms of DSM-IVinternalizing psychopathology than the DISC-IV in both referred and nonreferred groups. There was a high level of agreement between the two measures in the identification of externalizing psychopathology. Children identified as having internalizing psychopathology by the HBQ were also rated as highly symptomatic and impaired by teachers. The findings support the general validity of the parent HBQ for the assessment of young child psychopathology and the hypothesis that it captures more internalizing psychopathology than the DISC-IV in this population.