Teacher Report Form Research Articles

Agreement Between Parent and Teacher Reports on Behavioral Problems Among Chinese Children

Research has consistently shown low to moderate correlations between parent and teacher reports on children's behavioral problems in Western samples. Little is known about the agreement between parent and teacher reports on behavioral problems among Chinese children. The authors examined the agreement on behavioral and emotional problems in a community sample of 2836 Chinese children aged 6 to 11 years from Mainland China. Children's behavioral problems were assessed by the Child Behavior Checklist (CBCL) and Teacher Report Form (TRF). Consistent with most previous studies in Western samples, our results indicated that parent-teacher agreement was low to moderate for attention, externalizing, and internalizing problems. Parent-teacher agreement was higher for attention and externalizing problems than for internalizing problems and decreased with increased behavioral problems. Child's gender, age, and academic performance and father's age were correlated with parent-teacher agreement on ratings of behavioral problems.

Working memory, psychiatric symptoms, and academic performance at school

Previous studies of the relationship among working memory function, academic performance, and behavior in children have focused mainly on clinical populations. In the present study, the associations of the performance in audio- and visuospatial working memory tasks to teacher reported academic achievement and psychiatric symptoms were evaluated in a sample of fifty-five 6–13-year-old school children. Working memory function was measured by visual and auditory n-back tasks. Information on incorrect responses, reaction times, and multiple and missed responses were collected during the tasks. The children’s academic performance and behavioral and emotional status were evaluated by the Teacher Report Form. The results showed that good spatial working memory performance was associated with academic success at school. Children with low working memory performance, especially audiospatial memory, were reported to have more academic and attentional/behavioral difficulties at school than children with good working memory performance. An increased number of multiple and missed responses in the auditory and visual tasks was associated with teacher reported attentional/behavioral problems and in visual tasks with teacher reported anxiety/depressive symptoms. The results suggest that working memory deficits may underlie some learning difficulties and behavioral problems related to impulsivity, difficulties in concentration, and hyperactivity. On the other hand, it is possible that anxiety/depressive symptoms affect working memory function, as well as the ability to concentrate, leading to a lower level of academic performance at school.

Evaluation of a classroom program of creative expression workshops for refugee and immigrant children

This evaluative study assessed the effect of a creative expression program designed to prevent emotional and behavioral problems and to enhance self-esteem in immigrant and refugee children attending multiethnic schools. The 12-week program involved 138 children, aged 7 to 13, registered in both integration classes designed for immigrant children and regular classes at two elementary schools. Pretest and posttest data were collected from the children themselves and from their teacher. Teachers used Achenbach's Teacher's Report Form to assess the emotional and behavioral symptoms of their pupils whereas children self-reported their symptoms with the Dominic, a computerized questionnaire. Self-esteem was measured with the Piers-Harris Self-Concept Scale administered by interviewers to the children. At the end of the program, the children in the experimental groups reported lower mean levels of internalizing and externalizing symptoms and higher mean levels of feelings of popularity and satisfaction than the children in the control groups, when controlling for baseline data. In integration classes, the effect on self-esteem was especially notable in boys. The intervention's effect on internalizing and externalizing symptoms was not modified by gender, age or fluency in the mainstream language. The study provides some evidence that creative workshops in the classroom can have a beneficial effect on the self-esteem and symptomatology of immigrant and refugee children from various cultures and backgrounds. These quantitative results support previous qualitative analysis showing that the workshops participate in the reconstruction of a meaningful personal world while simultaneously strengthening the link of the child to the group. They also transform the teachers' perceptions of newcomers by placing an emphasis on their strength and their resilience, while not negating their vulnerabilities.

Association of the serotonin transporter and 5HT1Dbeta receptor genes with extreme, persistent and pervasive aggressive behaviour in children.

There is an inverse correlation between central nervous system serotonergic activity and human aggression, and aggressive traits are at least partially heritable. The present study sought to investigate the relationship between childhood aggression and polymorphisms of two serotonin system genes: the 5HT1Dbeta receptor gene and the serotonin transporter (5HTT) gene. Fifty children with a minimum 2-year history of aggression and scores above the 90th percentile on the Aggression subscales of both the Child Behaviour Checklist and the Teacher's Report Form were included in the study. All probands and locally recruited ethnically matched controls were genotyped for the 5HT1Dbeta G861C, 5HTTLPR (promoter) and 5HTT variable number of tandem repeats (VNTR) polymorphisms. Chi-square tests revealed a significantly reduced frequency of the 5HTT VNTR 10R allele in children displaying the high-aggression phenotype compared with normal controls (P=0.039). After correction for multiple comparisons, this association reached the level of a trend but was no longer significant. Probands also demonstrated an increased 5HT1Dbeta 861C allele frequency, but this was not statistically significant (P=0.156). 5HTTLPR was not found to be significantly associated with aggression, but our data support previous findings of an association between this polymorphism and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (P=0.025). While these preliminary findings should be interpreted cautiously, our data suggest that the 5HTT VNTR polymorphism is associated with measures of aggressive behaviour in a sample of children displaying extreme, persistent and pervasive aggression.

Intelligence and achievement of children referred following sexual abuse.

Little is known about the prevalence of intellectual and academic problems in sexually abused children. Such problems may have significant implications for their management. This study examined the prevalence of such problems in a population of Australian children referred for sexual abuse evaluation. The study also assessed the clinical utility of the Parents' Evaluation of Developmental Status (PEDS) questionnaire as a screening tool for learning and developmental problems in this population. Over a 12-month period, children referred for sexual abuse evaluation to the Mater Children's Hospital Child Protection Unit were enrolled and background demographic and abuse related data collected. The children then completed standardized psychometric assessments. Their parents completed Child Behavior Checklists (CBCL) and PEDS questionnaires. Day care providers and schoolteachers completed the corresponding Caregiver or Teacher Report Forms (TRF). A total of 21 of the 35 eligible children completed the assessment during the study period. Mean scores for intelligence and academic achievement were within the average range. However, three (14%) of the tested children were intellectually impaired and three (14%) showed academic underachievement. Sixty-two per cent of children had problems in the clinical range on the CBCL and 33% on the TRF. The PEDS showed a sensitivity of 64%, specificity of 60% with a positive predictive value of 77%. In this population of referred children, over one quarter showed problems with intellectual impairment or academic under achievement. Most of these children were not receiving learning support at school. A high index of suspicion is therefore required when assessing sexually abused children for comorbid intellectual and learning problems.

Symptoms defined by parents' and teachers' ratings in attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder: changes with age.

To determine whether Child Behavior Checklist/4-18 (CBCL) and Teacher Report Form (TRF) scores of children and adolescents with a first-time diagnosis of attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) are different and whether there is a similar difference in normal control subjects. We analyzed the CBCL and TRF scores of 146 patients (124 boys and 22 girls, aged 6 to 18 years; mean age 11.0 years, SD 3.6). We analyzed the same scores for 274 age and sex-matched control subjects recruited from a nationally representative sample. Subjects with ADHD had significantly higher CBCL and TRF scores than control subjects. Age was significantly correlated with scores on the CBCL and TRF subscales Social Withdrawal, Somatic Complaints, and Internalization Problems; with scores on the CBCL subscale Attention Problems; and with scores on the TRF subscale Anxiety-Depression. In the group with ADHD, age was negatively correlated with scores on the CBCL and TRF subscale Externalizing Problems and with scores on the TRF subscale Aggressive Behavior. In the control group, the only significant correlation was between age and the CBCL subscale Somatic Complaints score. These results indicate that underdiagnosis of ADHD in childhood may cause the emergence of greater internalization problems in adolescence.

A Hierarchical Three-Factor Model of Inattention-Hyperactivity-Impulsivity Derived From the Attention Problems Syndrome of the Teacher's Report Form

Confirmatory factor analysis was used to test three plausible conceptualizations of Inattention-Hyperactivity-Impulsivity (Ina-H-I) derived from the Attention Problems syndrome of the Teacher's Report Form (TRF): (a) a one-factor model representing a general Ina-H-I factor; (b) a correlated two-factor model representing the Inattention (Ina) and Hyperactivity-Impulsivity (H-I) factors; and (c) a hierarchical three-factor model representing a general Ina-H-I factor and two specific factors of Ina and H-I. Results supported the hierarchical 3-factor model across age and gender groups in both general population and clinical samples. Nationally normed empirically based and DSM-oriented scales enable school psychologists to evaluate students in terms of Ina, H-I, and the dimension that they have in common.

Goodness-of-fit in center day care: relations of temperament, stability, and quality of care with the child’s adjustment

In this study, the concept of ‘goodness-of-fit’ between the child’s temperament and the environment, introduced by Thomas and Chess [Temperament and Development, Brunner/Mazel, New York, 1977], is applied within the setting of center day care. Mothers and primary professional caregivers of 186 children, aged 6–30 months, participated in this study. The child’s problem behaviors were assessed with the CBCL Teacher Report Form [Achenbach, T.M., Guide for the Caregiver–Teacher Report Form for Ages 2–5, Department of Psychiatry, University of Vermont, Burlington, VT, 1997]. The child’s socio-emotional well-being in day care was measured with the Leiden Inventory for the Child’s Well-Being in Day Care. The Infant Characteristics Questionnaire measured the child’s temperament. Children with an easier temperament showed less internalizing and total problem behavior and more well-being. The results suggest that for children with a more difficult temperament, several parallel care arrangements interfere with the process of adapting to the day care setting. Also, our results indicate that in the group of children with greater availability of trusted caregivers, a more easy-going temperament was associated with more well-being. The association between temperament and well-being was not found in the group of children with less access to trusted caregivers.

Are foster parents reliable informants of children's behaviour problems?

Clinicians and researchers primarily measure behavioural and emotional problems of children in foster care from carer-report checklists. Yet the reliability of these reports is not adequately established. The present study examines one indicator of reliability for foster parent checklist reports: interrater agreement between foster parents and teachers. Estimates of interrater agreement of foster parent and teacher responses on the cross-informant scales of the Child Behaviour Checklist (CBCL) and the Teacher Report Form (TRF) were obtained for 47 children in long-term foster care, aged 5-11 years. The estimates included calculations of agreement for continuous measures of problem behaviour, as well as for categorical determinations of clinically significant behaviour. Correlations of CBCL and TRF mean raw scores for the total problems (r = 0.71) and externalizing (r = 0.78) scales exceeded those described in prior studies of parent-teacher agreement, while correlation for internalizing scores (r = 0.23) was similar to that found previously. Teachers and foster parents demonstrated moderate to good agreement (kappa = 0.70-0.79) in identifying clinically significant total problems and externalizing problems, but poor agreement in identifying internalizing problems. Discrepancies between these and prior findings are discussed. For children in long-term foster care, foster parents or teachers may be used as informants for total problems, externalizing problems, and social-attention-thought problems. The reliability of data on internalizing symptoms is less certain.

Familial influences on sustained attention and inhibition in preschoolers.

In this study several aspects of attention were studied in 237 nearly 6-year-old twin pairs. Specifically, the ability to sustain attention and inhibition were investigated using a computerized test battery (Amsterdam Neuropsychological Tasks). Furthermore, the Teacher's Report Form (TRF) was filled out by the teacher of the child and the attention subscale of this questionnaire was analyzed. The variance in performance on the different tasks of the test battery and the score on the attention scale of the TRF were decomposed into a contribution of the additive effects of many genes (A), environmental effects that are shared by twins (C) and unique environmental influences not shared by twins (E) by using data from MZ and DZ twins. The genetic model fitting results showed an effect of A and E for the attention scale of the TRF, and for some of the inhibition and sustained attention measures. For most of the attention variables, however, it was not possible to decide between a model with A and E or a model with C and E. Time-on-task effects on reaction time or number of errors and the delay after making an error did not show familial resemblances. A remarkable finding was that the heritability of the attention scale of the TRF was found to be higher than the heritability of indices that can be considered to be more direct measures of attention, such as mean tempo in the sustained attention task and response speed in the Go-NoGo task. In preschoolers, familial resemblances on sustained attention and inhibition were observed.

Behavioral and Emotional Problems Among Italian Children and Adolescents Aged 4 to 18 Years as Reported by Parents and Teachers

The aims of this study were the Italian standardization of the Child Behavior Checklist (CBCL/4-18) and the Teacher's Report Form (TRF), the analysis of the internal consistency of the two instruments, and the evaluation of the agreement between parents' and teachers' ratings. A group of 1423 parents and 1464 teachers of children and adolescents aged 4 to 18 years, from three different provinces of Northern Italy, were randomly recruited. Boys scored higher than girls on the Externalizing scales on both CBCL and TRF, while there were no significant differences between the two sexes on the Internalizing scales. In general, internalizing problems increased with age, whereas externalizing behaviors decreased, mainly through a reduction of aggressive problems in older subjects. For most scales, low socioeconomic status was associated with high problem scores. Most scales of the CBCL and the TRF showed a satisfactory internal consistency, with higher α coefficients for overt behaviors. A low - to - moderate parents' and teachers' agreement was found, with the higher correlation found for the Attention Problems scale. Overall, the figures of this first standardization are in line with the results of most studies carried out in Western and Eastern countries, evidencing a good applicability of Achenbach's instruments in Italy.

Do children with multiple patterns of problem behavior improve? The effectiveness of an intensive bio-behaviorally oriented school-based behavioral health program.

Over the last thirty years, children's behavioral health services in the school have witnessed drastic progress. Over this time, medications for mental health problems have improved. In addition, empirically validated treatments, most of which have come from behavioral psychology, have made their way into Best Practice guidelines for the treatment of children with emotional and behavioral disorders. In 1999, the U.S. Surgeon General reported on many of these practices and suggested their use to enhance treatment outcomes for children. The President's New Freedom Commission on Mental Health (2003) suggested the need for evidence-based practices to become a regular part of behavioral health care practice and suggested setting up and evaluating the effectiveness of such practices in demonstration projects. In addition, in the 2003-year school year, Children Crisis Treatment Center participated in a new school based program, which focused on the treatment of children with emotional and behavioral disorders in the school. Twenty-four children entered into the program over the course of the first year. Each child received a functional behavioral assessment and an individualized behavioral intervention plan. The treatments in these plans represented evidence based, best practices such as contingency management procedures like token systems with response cost, behavioral skills training, and problem solving training. The system functioned as a revolving entry program providing behavioral consultation to teachers, behavior therapy to children and direct care support to implement non-technical behavioral interventions. Of the eleven staff in the program, three had a masters' degree in counseling or a related field, who served as both behavior therapists and behavioral consultants to the teachers. Seven staff had bachelors degree in psychology related fields and one-year experience. Bachelor level staff provided direct care to the children on a rotating basis across the children's school day. The program never had more than twenty-two children at any one time. The pre-post scores represent the scores at the child's entrance and exits from the program, or entrance to the end of the school year. The average length of time represented in these scores for a child in the program was approximately 6 months. Of the original group, 18 received pre-post scores on the Achenbach: Teacher Report Form. One child's pre-post scoring pattern was in the normal range for both instruments, so we excluded his scores from the analysis. This paper represents an outcome analysis of the effectiveness of this program. Using the Jacobson and Truax's (1997) reliable change index score, we rated large behavioral response classes (or what some would refer to as psychiatric symptoms) to determine if clinically significant improvement resulted from the program. Using these measures, enhanced functioning occurred for twelve out of seventeen scores or 70% of the children. In addition, five out of the 17 or approximately 30% showed enough improvement to score as partially recovered. INTRODUCTION The last thirty years have witnessed incredible gains for children with emotional and behavioral disorders in both medical and psychosocial interventions (Department of Health and Human Services, 1999). Science has led the change in revolutionizing intervention practices. This work officially culminated with the release of the Surgeon General's report in 1999 (U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, 1999). This document reviewed state of the science advances in the understanding and treatment of a host of behavioral health issues and had an implied offer of an age in which new treatments would revolutionize clinical practice. It drew on the work began by the clinical psychology division of the American Psychological Association (Chamberless, Baker, Baucom, Beutler, Calhoun, Crits-Christoph, et al., 1998). Unfortunately, many children with behavioral health problems still wait for the day for these interventions to arrive (Chamberless & Ollendick, 2001; Wang, Demler, & Kessler, 2002). …

Early motherhood and disruptive behaviour in the school‐age child

To determine the significance of young maternal age, family adversity and maternal behaviour during mother-toddler interaction in the prediction of child disruptive behaviour at age eight. From an ongoing longitudinal study of infants at risk for later psychopathology (n = 362), 72 young mothers aged between 15 and 24 y (median 22 y) at first birth were compared with 197 primiparous older mothers ranging in age from 25 to 41 y (median 29 y). Family adversity at childbirth was assessed using a modified version of Rutter's Family Adversity Index (FAI) and measures of child disruptive behaviour at age eight were obtained using Achenbach's Teacher Report Form (TRF). An observational procedure was used to assess maternal behaviour during mother-child interaction at the age of 2 y. Young mothers encountered more adverse family characteristics and were more inadequate, restrictive and more negative during interaction with their toddlers. Their school-aged children showed higher scores on all disruptive behaviour scales of the TRF. Hierarchical regression analyses revealed that family adversity and maternal behaviour during toddler interaction could account for most of the association between early motherhood and child disruptive behaviour. The impact of young motherhood on child mental health is not confined to teenage mothers and is mainly attributed to psychosocial and interactional factors.

Arterial switch with full-flow cardiopulmonary bypass and limited circulatory arrest: Neurodevelopmental outcome

Objectives Neonatal cardiac surgery has been associated with unfavorable neurodevelopmental events. We investigated a patient cohort operated on predominantly with full-flow cardiopulmonary bypass (150 mL · kg −1 · min −1, α-stat, α-blockade, median arrest = 6 minutes, temperature of 22°C) as the major support strategy for neonatal arterial switch operations (transposition of the great arteries and intact ventricular septum). Methods Seventy-four patients and “best-friend” control subjects were assessed 109 months (range, 48-166 months) postoperatively with general medical and neurologic evaluation, IQ testing, formal movement scores, and detailed parent-teacher behavioral-social reports. Fetal, neonatal, and perioperative data were collated. Results The prevalence of perioperative seizures was 6.8% (4/5 cases occurring preoperatively). The incidence of all perioperative neurologic abnormalities was 20%. Patients who had a neurologic event were (as a group) older at the time of operation and had a lower arterial blood pH before the operation. Selected perioperative factors (not related directly to cardiopulmonary bypass variables) predicted early (before discharge) neurologic outcome in a multivariate model. At late assessment, patients were more likely than control subjects to have a mild neurologic abnormality ( P = 0.002). Full-scale IQ scores (Wechsler Preschool and Primary Scale of Intelligence and Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children—Third Edition) were higher in control subjects (101.9 [SD = 13] vs 108.6 [SD = 12], P = .0007), with both groups having scores greater than the population-based test means. Full-scale IQ scores related most significantly to years of paternal education (β = 1.51, P = .0078) but were also influenced by perioperative neurologic abnormalities, birth weight, and circulatory arrest time. Patients had higher motor impairment scores (Movement Assessment Battery) than control subjects ( P = .0004). Parents (Achenbach Child Development Checklist) assigned higher total social-behavioral competence scores to control subjects ( P = .05). Teachers (Achenbach Teacher Report Form) suggested that patients were more likely to be perceived as having various speech and expressive language problems, as well as minor behavioral problems. Conclusion With the perioperative strategies used, not all survivors can be considered (neurodevelopmentally) normal at late follow-up, although the risk of important impairment is low. Perioperative events might have long-term prognostic value. On the basis of this study and published data regarding other strategies, continued application of full-flow cardiopulmonary bypass is justified, with the proviso that further investigation is required.

Clinical Course of Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder From Childhood Toward Early Adolescence

To study the course of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) in late childhood to adolescence using a multi-informant and multi-assessment procedure. Subjects were 35 children with ADHD and 35 matched controls with a mean age of 10 years at first assessment. DSM-III-R-based structured diagnostic interviews and behavioral questionnaires based on parents, teachers, and youth informants were used. Cross-informant behavioral syndromes were obtained by use of the Child Behavior Checklist, the Teacher's Report Form, and the Youth Self-Report. Subjects were reassessed after 1.5 and 2.6 years. Behavioral differences between the two groups were significant for the majority of scales for all three informants at all three times. Diagnostic interviews revealed a persistence rate of 46% over 2.6 years. However, there were only few significant behavioral differences across informants between the nonpersistent and the persistent groups. The fit between interview-derived syndrome scores reflecting subtypes of ADHD and both parents and youth questionnaire data was good, whereas for the teacher ratings it was poor. A high rate of 89% correct classification of the outcome diagnoses was possible based on behavioral data at time 1. The study of the course of ADHD should be based both on interview and questionnaire data and should include several informants. Operationally defined diagnoses alone may lead to an underestimation of persistent behavioral problems.

The role of the clinician: three-year predictive value of parents', teachers' and clinicians' judgment of childhood psychopathology.

The present study investigated the differential predictive value of parents', teachers', and clinicians' reports of psychopathology for poor outcome in children referred to a child psychiatric outpatient clinic. A referred sample (N = 96), aged 6 to 12 years at initial assessment, was followed up after a mean interval of 3.2 years. Data on parent- and teacher-reported problem behavior (Child Behavior Checklist and Teacher's Report Form), and clinician-reported observations and self-reports during a semi-structured clinical interview (SCICA), were linked to outcome measures assessed with a parent questionnaire, including outpatient and inpatient treatment at Time 2, parent's wish for professional help for the child, school problems, and police/judicial contacts. Information from all three informants (clinicians, parents, and teachers) predicted measures of poor outcome after three years. Clinicians' ratings on the SCICA predicted all five outcome measures. Independent of CBCL and TRF scores, SCICA scores predicted parental wish for help and inpatient treatment. The present study was the first to report that clinician's ratings of self-reported and observed behaviors in a semi-structured interview (SCICA) make an important unique contribution to the multiaxial assessment of problem behaviors.

An Investigation of the Types of Problem Behaviors Exhibited by K–12 Students with Emotional or Behavioral Disorders in Public School Settings

This cross-sectional study used random sampling procedures to (a) establish proportions of K–12 students meeting borderline and clinical cut scores on the Teacher Report Form (TRF) of the Child Behavior Checklist, (b) examine age and gender differences in distributions of students meeting borderline or clinical levels of problem behavior, and (c) determine proportions of students displaying comorbid problem behaviors. Overall, our findings indicate that (a) more students met borderline or clinical cut scores on the Total and Externalizing broad band scales than on the Internalizing scale, (b) larger proportions of children met the cut scores on the TRF Total, Externalizing, and Internalizing broad bands and a majority of narrow band scales than adolescents, (c) larger proportions of girls than boys met cut scores on the three broad band and four narrow band scales (i.e., Aggressive Behavior, Withdrawn, Social Problems, Attention Problems), and (d) larger proportions of children exhibited clinical levels of comorbidity on the TRF broad and narrow bands than adolescents. The results, limitations, and implications are discussed.

A Review of the Behaviour Assessment System for Children

This article is a review of the Behaviour Assessment System for Children (BASC), a broadband assessment tool, which is of potential interest to psychologists practicing within education, clinical/counselling and research settings. Designed to measure the behaviours and self perceptions of children from two and a half to 18 years, across both maladaptive and adaptive behaviour, the BASC has several features which makes it the test of choice in particular clinical and research situations. Each of the five main BASC components, including the Structured Developmental History, Parent Rating Scale, Teacher Rating Scale, Self Report of Personality and Student Observation System, is described and evaluated with reference made to the strengths and limitations of each. Where relevant, comparisons are drawn with the Child Behaviour Checklist and Teacher Report Form, and much of the research utilizing the BASC to date is summarized. Information regarding the test's psychometric properties, test development, administration and scoring is also presented. Overall, it seems that the BASC is a comprehensive and psychometrically sound assessment tool with much to offer psychologists working with children and adolescents.

Diagnosis of ADHD Among Gifted Children in Relation to KEDI-WISC and T.O.V.A. Performance

The following study was conducted to evaluate the correlation between intelligence and a Continuous Performance Test (CPT) that assesses Attention-Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) in children. Characteristics of attention in gifted children with ADHD were also investigated. A sample of 177 elementary school students was studied, and their attention was measured With the Test of Variables of Attention (T.O.V.A.). About 9.4%Y of the gifted children were identified with ADHD using the T.O.V.A., Child Behavior Check List (CBCL), and Teacher's Report Form (TRF). Significant positive correlations were found between intelligence (KEDI-WISC) and omission error, commission error, and response time (RT) variability on the T.O.V.A. That is, children with a high level of intelligence made fewer omission and commission errors and responded more consistently on the T.O.V.A. than children with lower intelligence. No significant correlation was found between intelligence and response time. Overall, gifted children performed better on the T.O.V.A. than nongifted children. Specifically, with the exception of response time and response time variability, gifted children with ADHD performed better on tasks of omission error, commission error, and response sensitivity than nongifted children with ADHD. Further discussions are suggested based on the results mentioned above.

A DSM-IV—Referenced Teacher Rating Scale for Use in Clinical Management

Two studies were conducted to examine the psychometric properties of a DSM-IV-referenced teacher-completed rating scale in children receiving special education. To assess reliability, teachers rated 74 students on two separate occasions (test-retest) using the teacher version of the Child Symptom Inventory-4 (CSI-4T), and teacher aides also rated the children on the first occasion (interrater). In a second study, teacher CSI-4T and Teacher's Report Form (TRF) ratings and consultant diagnoses were obtained for 101 students. Internal consistency reliabilities (0.72-0.94), 2-week test-retest reliabilities (r = 0.61-0.88), and interrater agreement (r = 0.19-0.56) for the CSI-4T major symptom categories were comparable with dimensional rating scales. CSI-4T ratings showed a consistent pattern of convergent and divergent validity with TRF scores and with consultant diagnoses. Findings provide preliminary support for the reliability and validity of the CSI-4T as a measure of DSM-IV symptoms in children receiving special education.