RELATION BETWEEN RATINGS AND OBSERVATIONS OF STIMULANT DRUG RESPONSE IN HYPERACTIVE-CHILDREN

Examined the relation between ratings and observations of 34 hyperactive children in public school settings within the context of placebo-controlled, double-blind stimulant drug evaluations. The findings indicated that rating scale scores were significantly correlated with classroom, lunchroom, and playground observations of negativistic (e.g., aggression, noncompliance, interference) but not hyperactive (inattention, motor movement) behaviors However, when these same data were analyzed controlling for the variance accounted for by the other dimension (partial correlations), there was clear evidence supporting the differential validity of hyperactivity and negativistic behavior scales of the IOWA Conners Teacher's Rating Scale (Loney & Milich, 1982) and the Abbreviated Teacher Rating Scales (Conners, 1973) across settings and as measures of drug response. Test-retest reliabilities of most rating scales and classroom-observation code categories were comparable.