Skip to main content

Advertisement

SpringerLink
Log in

Parent and Teacher Ratings on the IOWA Conners Rating Scale

  • Published:
Journal of Psychopathology and Behavioral Assessment Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

The IOWA Conners Rating Scale is a widely used brief measure of inattentive-impulsive-overactive (IO) and oppositional-defiant (OD) behavior in children. This study examined the psychometric properties of this measure when completed by mothers and teachers. Results of confirmatory factor analyses indicated that a three-factor solution, conforming to current DSM-IV formulations of the disruptive behavior disorders, provided a better fit to the observed data than the currently used two-factor model, in which no distinction is made between inattentive and hyperactive-impulsive behaviors. Both new and currently used scale scores had good internal consistency and test–retest reliability and showed that boys’ scores were significantly higher than girls’ scores. Results held for both mother and teacher ratings. Clinical cutoff scores were proposed and performed reasonably well to screen for ADHD and ODD. Results support the IOWA Conners as a screening measure for the disruptive behavior disorders or as a tool for monitoring treatment response.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

Notes

  1. Given the sampling design, students were nested within classrooms. To assess whether this hierarchical data structure affected any of the conclusions reported herein, sensitivity analyses were performed. Specifically, every CFA model was re-estimated as multilevel CFA model such that children were considered clustered in classrooms. Rather than specifying separate classroom and child level models, classroom was treated as a nuisance variable and used to obtain corrected test statistics and standard errors. None of the substantive conclusions changed once the hierarchical data structure was taken into account. These analyses are available upon request.

  2. Grade rather than age was used in these analyses to maintain consistency with past research on the IOWA (Pelham et al. 1989).

References

  • Achenbach, T. M., McConaughy, S. H., & Howell, C. T. (1987). Child/adolescent behavioral and emotional problems: Implications of cross-informant correlations for situational specificity. Psychological Bulletin, 101(2), 213–232.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Airaksinen, E. M., Michelsson, K., & Jokela, V. (2004). The occurrence of inattention, hyperactivity, impulsivity, and coexisting symptoms in a population study of 471 6–8 year old children based on the FTF (Five to Fifteen) questionnaire. European Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, 13(Supplement 3), 23–30.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • American Psychiatric Association. (2000). Diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders (4th text revision ed.). Washington, DC: American Psychiatric Association.

    Google Scholar 

  • Anderman, C., Cheadle, A., Curry, S., Diehr, P., Shultz, L., & Wagner, E. (1995). Selection bias related to parental consent in school-based survey research. Evaluation Review, 19, 663–674.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Atkins, M. S., Pelham, W. E., & Licht, M. H. (1988). The development and validation of objective classroom measures for the assessment of conduct and attention deficit disorders. In R. J. Prinz (Ed.), Advances in behavioral assessment of children and families (Vol. 4, pp. 3–33). Greenwich, CT: JAI.

    Google Scholar 

  • Atkins, M. S., Pelham, W. E., & Licht, M. H. (1989). The differential validity of teacher ratings of inattention/overactivity and aggression. Journal of Abnormal Child Psychology, 17(4), 423–435.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Barkley, R. A. (1997). Behavioral inhibition, sustained attention, and executive functions: Constructing a unified theory of ADHD. Psychological Bulletin, 121(1), 65–94.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Brent, D. A., Oquendo, M., Birmaher, B., Greenhill, L. L., Kolko, D., Stanley, B., et al. (2004). Familial transmission of mood disorders: Convergence and divergence with transmission of suicidal behavior. Journal of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, 43(10), 1259–1266.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Burns, G. L., Walsh, J. A., Patterson, D. R., Holte, C. S., Sommers-Flanagan, R., & Parker, C. M. (1997). Internal validity of the disruptive behavior disorder symptoms: Implications from parent ratings for a dimensional approach to symptom validity. Journal of Abnormal Child Psychology, 25(4), 307–319.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Byrne, B. M., Shavelson, R. J., & Muthén, B. (1989). Testing for the equivalence of factor covariance and mean structures: The issue of partial measurement invariance. Psychological Bulletin, 105(3), 456–466.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Cohen, P., Cohen, J., Kasen, S., Velez, C. N., Harmark, C., Johnson, J., et al. (1993). An epidemiological study of disorders in late childhood and adolescence: I. Age and gender specific prevalence. Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry and Allied Disciplines, 34(6), 851–867.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Conners, C. K. (1969). A teacher rating scale for use in drug studies with children. American Journal of Psychiatry, 126, 884–888.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • DuPaul, G. J., Power, T. J., Anastopoulos, A. D., Reid, R., McGoey, K. E., & Ikeda, M. J. (1997). Teacher ratings of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder symptoms: Factor structure and normative data. Psychological Assessment, 9(4), 436–444.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Elgar, F. J., Curtis, L. J., McGrath, P. J., Waschbusch, D. A., & Stewart, S. H. (2003). Antecedent-consequence conditions in maternal mood and child behavioural problems: A four-year cross-lagged study. Journal of Clinical Child and Adolescent Psychology, 32(3), 362–374.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Flora, D. B., & Curran, P. J. (2004). An empirical evaluation of alternative methods of estimation for confirmatory factor analysis with ordinal data. Psychological Methods, 9(4), 466–491.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Frissell, K. C., McCarthy, D. M., D’Amico, E. J., Metrik, J., Ellingstad, T. P., & Brown, S. A. (2004). Impact of consent procedures on reported levels of adolescent alcohol use. Psychology of Addictive Behaviors, 18(4), 307–315.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Gadow, K. D., Sprafkin, J., Salisbury, H., Schneider, J., & Loney, J. (2004). Further validity evidence for the teacher version of the Child Symptom Inventory—4. School Psychology Quarterly, 19(1), 50–71.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Gaub, M., & Carlson, C. L. (1997). Gender differences in ADHD: A meta-analysis and critical review. Journal of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, 36(8), 1036–1045.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Gottfredson, G. D., & Gottfredson, D. C. (2001). What schools do to prevent problem behavior and promote safe environments. Journal of Educational and Psychological Consultation, 12(4), 313–344.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Halperin, J. M., McKay, K. E., Grayson, R. H., & Newcorn, J. H. (2003). Reliability, validity, and preliminary normative data for the Children’s Aggression Scale—Teacher version. Journal of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, 32(8), 965–971.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hart, E. L., Lahey, B. B., Loeber, R., & Hanson, K. S. (1994). Criterion validity of informants in the diagnosis of disruptive behavior disorders in children: A preliminary study. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 62(2), 410–414.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Hinshaw, S. P. (1987). On the distinction between attentional deficits/hyperactivity and conduct problems/aggression in child psychopathology. Psychological Review, 101(3), 443–463.

    Google Scholar 

  • Hutchinson, S. R., & Olmos, A. (1998). Behavior of descriptive fit indexes in confirmatory factor analysis using ordered categorical data. Structural Equation Modeling, 5(4), 344–364.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Johnston, C., & Pelham, W. E. (1986). Teacher ratings predict peer ratings of aggression at 3-year follow-up in boys with attention deficit disorder with hyperactivity. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 54(4), 571–572.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Keenan, K., Loeber, R., & Green, S. (1999). Conduct disorder in girls: A review of the literature. Clinical Child and Family Psychology Review, 2(1), 3–19.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Kessel, J. B., & Zimmerman, M. (1993). Reporting errors in studies of the diagnostic performance of self-administered questionnaires: Extent of the problem, recommendations for standardized presentation of results, and implications for the peer review process. Psychological Assessment, 5(4), 395–399.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Lahey, B. B., Miller, T. I., Gordon, R. A., & Riley, A. W. (1999). Developmental epidemiology of the disruptive behavior disorders. In H. C. Quay & A. E. Hogan (Eds.), Handbook of disruptive behavior disorders (pp. 23–48). New York: Kluwer.

    Google Scholar 

  • Lahey, B. B., Pelham, W. E., Schaughnecy, E. A., Atkins, M. S., Murphy, H. A., Hynd, G., et al. (1988). Dimensions and types of attention deficit disorder. Journal of the American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry, 27, 330–335.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Loeber, R., Green, S. M., Lahey, B. B., & Stouthamer-Loeber, M. (1989). Optimal informants on childhood disruptive behaviors. Development and Psychopathology, 1(4), 317–337.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Loney, J., & Milich, R. (1982). Hyperactivity, inattention, and aggression in clinical practice. In M. Wolraich & D. K. Routh (Eds.), Advances in developmental and behavioral pediatrics (Vol. 3, pp. 113–147). Greenwich, CT: JAI.

    Google Scholar 

  • McGrew, K. S., & Gilman, C. J. (1991). Measuring the perceived degree of parent empowerment in home-school relationships through a home-school survey. Journal of Psychoeducational Assessment, 9(5), 353–362.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • McMahon, R. J., & Frick, P. J. (2005). Evidence-based assessment of conduct problems in children and adolescents. Journal of Clinical Child and Adolescent Psychology, 34(3), 477–505.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Meredith, W. (1993). Measurement invariance, factor analysis and factorial invariance. Psychometrica, 58(4), 525–543.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Milich, R., Balentine, A. C., & Lynam, D. R. (2001). ADHD combined type and ADHD predominately inattentive type are distinct and unrelated disorders. Clinical Psychology: Science and Practice, 8(4), 463–468.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Milich, R., & Fitzgerald, G. (1985). Validation of inattention/overactivity and aggression ratings with classroom observations. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 53(1), 139–140.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Milich, R., & Landau, S. (1988). Teacher ratings of inattention/overactivity and aggression: Cross-validation with classroom observations. Journal of Clinical Child Psychology, 17(1), 92–97.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Muthén, B. O., du Toit, S. H. C., & Spisic, D. (1997). Robust inference using weighted least squares and quadratic estimating equations in latent variable modeling with categorical and continuous outcomes. Unpublished manuscript, University of California Los Angeles.

  • Muthén, L. K., & Muthén, B. O. (2004). Mplus user’s guide (3rd ed.). Los Angeles, CA: Author.

    Google Scholar 

  • NIMH-DISC Editorial Board. (1999). The National Institute of Mental Health diagnostic interview schedule for children. New York: Columbia University.

    Google Scholar 

  • Nolan, E. E., & Gadow, K. D. (1994). Relation between ratings and observations of stimulant drug response in hyperactive children. Journal of Clinical Child Psychology, 23(1), 78–90.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Nova Scotia Department of Education. (2003). Statistical summary of Nova Scotia Schools (http://stats-summary.ednet.ns.ca/index.shtml).

  • Nova Scotia Department of Finance. (2003). 2001 Census of Canada: Nova Scotia Perspective. Retrieved from http://www.gov.ns.ca/finance/publish/.

  • Oosterlan, J., Sheres, A., & Sergeant, J. A. (2005). Which executive functioning deficits are associated with AD/HD, ODD/CD, and comorbid AD/HD plus ODD/CD? Journal of Abnormal Child Psychology, 33(1), 69–85.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Pelham, W. E., Burrows-MacLean, L., Gnagy, E. M., Fabiano, G. A., Coles, E. K., Tresco, K. E., et al. (2005a). Transdermal methylphenidate, behavioral, and combined treatment for children with ADHD. Experimental and Clinical Psychopharmacology, 13(2), 111–126.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Pelham, W. E., Fabiano, G. A., & Massetti, G. M. (2005b). Evidence-based assessment for attention deficit hyperactivity disorder in children and adolescents. Journal of Clinical Child and Adolescent Psychology, 34(3), 449–476.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Pelham, W. E., Gnagy, E. M., Greenslade, K. E., & Milich, R. (1992). Teacher ratings of DSM-III-R symptoms for the disruptive behavior disorders. Journal of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, 31(2), 210–218.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Pelham, W. E., Milich, R., Murphy, D. A., & Murphy, H. A. (1989). Normative data on the IOWA Conners teacher rating scale. Journal of Clinical Child Psychology, 18, 259–262.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Pillow, D. R., Pelham, W. E., Hoza, B., Molina, B. S. G., & Stultz, C. H. (1998). Confirmatory factor analyses examining attention deficit hyperactivity disorder symptoms and other childhood disruptive behaviors. Journal of Abnormal Child Psychology, 26(4), 293–309.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Quay, H. C., & Hogan, A. E. (Eds.). (1999). Handbook of disruptive behavior disorders. New York: Kluwer.

    Google Scholar 

  • Remschmidt, H., Hoare, P., Ettrick, C., Rothenberger, A., Santosh, P., Schmidt, M., et al. (2005). Symptom control in children and adolescents with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder on switching from immediate-release MPH to OROS (r) MPH—Results of a 3-week open-label study. European Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, 14(6), 297–304.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Satorra, A., & Bentler, P. M. (1999). A scaled difference chi-square test statistic for moment structure analysis. Los Angeles: UCLA Statistics Series (paper # 260).

  • Waschbusch, D. A. (2002). A meta-analytic examination of comorbid hyperactive/impulsive/inattention problems and conduct problems. Psychological Bulletin, 128, 118–150.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Waschbusch, D. A., King, S., Gregus, A., & Northern Partners In Action for Children and Youth. (2007). Age of onset of ADHD in a sample of elementary school students. Journal of Psychopathology and Behavioral Assessment, 27, 9–16.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Waschbusch, D. A., King, S., & Northern Partners In Action for Children and Youth. (2006). Should sex-specific norms be used to assess attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) or oppositional defiant disorder (ODD)? Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 74(1), 179–185.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Waschbusch, D. A., Pelham, W. E., Massetti, G. M., & Northern Partners In Action for Children and Youth. (2005). The Behavior Education Support and Treatment (BEST) school intervention program: Pilot project data examining school-wide, targeted-school, and targeted-home approaches. Journal of Attention Disorders, 9(1), 313–322.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Waschbusch, D. A., Sparkes, S. J., & Northern Region Partners In Action for Children and Youth. (2003). Rating scale assessment of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and oppositional defiant disorder (ODD) symptoms: Is there a normal distribution and does it matter? Journal of Psychoeducational Assessment, 21(3), 261–281.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Wolraich, M. L., Lambert, E. W., Bickman, L., Simmons, T., Doffing, M. A., & Worley, K. A. (2004). Assessing the impact of parent and teacher agreement on diagnosing attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder. Developmental and Behavioral Pediatrics, 25(1), 41–47.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Yu, C.-Y. (2003). Evaluating cutoff criteria of model fit indices for latent variables with binary and continuous outcomes. UCLA, Los Angeles.

Download references

Acknowledgement

This project was supported by grants from the Nova Scotia Health Research Foundation and the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council (SSHRC). We would like to thank the many children, parents, teachers, and research assistants who helped make this project possible.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Center for Children and Families, Departments of Pediatrics and Psychology, University at Buffalo–State University of New York, Diefendorf Hall, Room 106, 3435 Main Street, Bldg 20, Buffalo, NY, 14214, USA

    Daniel A. Waschbusch

  2. Frank Porter Graham Child Development Institute, University of North Carolina, Sheryl Mar Bldg., CB #8185, Chapel Hill, NC, 27599-8185, USA

    Michael T. Willoughby

Authors
  1. Daniel A. Waschbusch
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Michael T. Willoughby
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Daniel A. Waschbusch.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Waschbusch, D.A., Willoughby, M.T. Parent and Teacher Ratings on the IOWA Conners Rating Scale. J Psychopathol Behav Assess 30, 180–192 (2008). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10862-007-9064-y

Download citation

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10862-007-9064-y

Keywords

Search

Navigation