Assessing ADHD Symptoms in Preschool Children: Use of the ADHD Symptoms Rating Scale

Attention-Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) is a common childhood disorder that is typically diagnosed during the school years, although features of the disorder can be identified in early childhood. As more children enter into preschool programs, there are increasing opportunities for professio...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Early education and development 2002-07, Vol.13 (3), p.283-300
Main Authors: Phillips, Penny L., Greenson, Jessica N., Collett, Brent R., Gimpel, Gretchen A.
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Attention Deficit Disorders
Child Behavior
Comparative Analysis
Hyperactivity
Measures (Individuals)
Parents
Preschool Children
Preschool Teachers
Psychometrics
Rating Scales
Symptoms (Individual Disorders)
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Summary:Attention-Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) is a common childhood disorder that is typically diagnosed during the school years, although features of the disorder can be identified in early childhood. As more children enter into preschool programs, there are increasing opportunities for professionals to identify and treat ADHD prior to school entry. This may increase the likelihood that children will have successful academic and social experiences. Unfortunately, diagnosing ADHD in preschoolers is difficult, in part because few assessment instruments are designed and validated for this age group. The purpose of this study was to examine the psychometric and normative properties of the ADHD-Symptoms Rating Scale (ADHD-SRS) in preschool children. Results shed light on normative levels of ADHD behaviors in preschool children and suggest that preschoolers may present with a somewhat different symptom pattern than school-age children. Further, findings reveal that parents are more likely to endorse ADHD symptoms in their children than are teachers. Given this disparity, the current data emphasize the need for cross-informant assessment in the preschool population.
ISSN:1040-9289
1556-6935
DOI:10.1207/s15566935eed1303_3