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German Validation of the Conners Adult ADHD Rating Scales–self-report (CAARS-S) I: Factor Structure and Normative Data

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  08 July 2010

H. Christiansen ,
B. Kis ,
O. Hirsch ,
A. Philipsen ,
M. Henneck ,
A. Panczuk ,
R. Pietrowsky ,
J. Hebebrand  and
B.G. Schimmelmann
H. Christiansen*
Affiliation:
Philipps-University Marburg, Department of Clinical Psychology, Gutenbergstr. 18, 35037 Marburg, Germany
B. Kis
Affiliation:
University of Duisburg-Essen, Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Essen, Germany
O. Hirsch
Affiliation:
Philipps-University Marburg, Department of General Practice/Family Medicine, Marburg, Germany
A. Philipsen
Affiliation:
University of Freiburg, Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Freiburg, Germany
M. Henneck
Affiliation:
University of Düsseldorf, Institute of Experimental Psychology, Department of Clinical Psychology, Düsseldorf, Germany
A. Panczuk
Affiliation:
University of Düsseldorf, Institute of Experimental Psychology, Department of Clinical Psychology, Düsseldorf, Germany
R. Pietrowsky
Affiliation:
University of Düsseldorf, Institute of Experimental Psychology, Department of Clinical Psychology, Düsseldorf, Germany
J. Hebebrand
Affiliation:
University of Duisburg-Essen, Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Essen, Germany
B.G. Schimmelmann
Affiliation:
University Hospital of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Bern, Switzerland
*
⁎Corresponding author. Tel.: +0049 0 6421 282 3706; fax: +0049 0 6421 282 4281. E-mail address:christih@staff.uni-marburg.de(H. Christiansen).
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Abstract

Background

Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) often persists into adulthood. Instruments for diagnosing ADHD in childhood are well validated and reliable, but diagnosis of ADHD in adults remains problematic. Attempts have been made to develop criteria specific for adult ADHD, resulting in the development of self-report and observer-rated questionnaires. To date, the Conners Adult ADHD Rating Scales (CAARS) are the international standard for questionnaire assessment of ADHD. The current study evaluates a German version of the CAARS self-report (CAARS-S).

Methods

Eight hundred and fifty healthy German control subjects were recruited to fill out the CAARS-S and to answer questions on sociodemographic variables. Explorative and confirmative factor analyses were conducted to obtain the factor structure for the German model and to replicate the factor structure of the original American model. Analyses on gender, age, and education level were calculated for normative data.

Results

The explorative factor analysis of the German sample results in a six-factor solution that explained 52% of the variance. A confirmative analysis that was based on the 42 items of the original American model showed a high model-fit. Analyses of normative data showed significant influences of age, gender, and education level on the emerging subscales.

Conclusion

Even though the explorative factor analysis yields a solution different from the American original, the confirmative factor analysis results in such a high model-fit that use of the American version is justified with respect to international multicenter studies, for which this instrument will be highly valuable.

Keywords

Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorderAdult ADHDAdult ADHD assessmentDiagnostic issuesConners Adult ADHD Rating Scales (CAARS)
Type
Original article
Information
European Psychiatry , Volume 26 , Issue 2 , March 2011 , pp. 100 - 107
Copyright
Copyright © Elsevier Masson SAS 2010

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Footnotes

1

The first two authors contributed equally to this paper.

Abbreviations: ADHD, Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder; ADHD-DC, German ADHD observer-rating scale; ADHD-SR, German ADHD self-rating scale; ASRS, Adult Self-Report Scale; CAARS, Conners Adult ADHD Rating Scales; CAARS-S, Conners Adult ADHD Rating Scale self-report; CAARS-O, Conners Adult ADHD Rating Scale observer-rating; CP/TRS, Conners Parent/Teacher Rating Scale; DSM-IV, Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of the American Psychiatric Association, 4th version; ICD-10, International Classification of Diseases, 10th version; WHO, World Health Organization; WURS/WURS-K, Wender Utah Rating Scale/German short version.

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