Correction of distortion in distressed mothers' ratings of their preschool-aged children's Internalizing and Externalizing scale score

• Published in: Psychiatry research 2014-01, Vol.215 (1), p.170-175
• Main Authors: Müller, Jörg Michael, Romer, Georg, Achtergarde, Sandra
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Adjustment; Adult; Biological and medical sciences; CBCL/1.5–5; Child Behavior - psychology; Child clinical studies; Child psychopathology; Child, Preschool; Diagnostic Self Evaluation; Female; Germany; Humans; Male; Medical sciences; Mental Disorders - diagnosis; Mental Disorders - psychology; Middle Aged; Miscellaneous; Models, Psychological; Mother-Child Relations; Mothers - psychology; Parental psychopathology; Psychiatry; Psychology. Psychoanalysis. Psychiatry; Psychometrics. Diagnostic aid systems; Psychopathology. Psychiatry; SCL-90-R; Structural equation modeling; Techniques and methods; Young Adult
• ISSN: 0165-1781; 1872-7123
• DOI: 10.1016/j.psychres.2013.10.035

Abstract Increased maternal psychopathology may bias mothers' ratings about child psychopathology. In this study we examined whether internalizing and externalizing behavior problems in young children were biased through maternal psychopathology. The clinical sample comprised 247 preschool-age patients who attended the Family Day Hospital in Münster, Germany. Internalizing and externalizing behavior problems were assessed by the CBCL/1.5-5, and maternal psychopathology was assessed by the SCL-90-R Global Severity Index (GSI). Three theoretical perspectives were tested by comparing the model fit of three structural equation models, namely the accuracy, distortion, and combinatory model. All of the models aimed to integrate multi-informant ratings from mother, therapists, and kindergarten teachers, but differed in the question which paths had to be significant. The distortion model fit the data best and supported the notion that there was a psychopathology-related bias in mothers' ratings. On the basis of this finding, we developed correction formulas comparable to Müller and Furniss (2013) , in order to statistically control for this distortion. We discussed post-hoc explanations about why mothers with increased psychopathology gave higher ratings on the CBCL/1.5-5, including a better recall of internalizing symptoms, less flexible and effective parenting, and more perceived distress by child externalizing behavior.