Agreement and Discrepancies of Maternal- and Self-Reported Psychopathology in Emerging Adults

Collateral reports on psychopathology improve clinical care and research. Previous research showed moderate agreement between adults’ self- and collateral reports. Factors associated with discrepancies in different age groups, especially the crucial period of emerging adulthood, are yet to be investigated. We examined mother-child agreement and factors associated with discrepancies in N = 256 mother-child dyads with emerging adult children (M = 22.3 years) who participated in a longitudinal prevention study (18-year follow-up). Children completed self-report measures on psychopathology (Adult Behavior Checklist, ASR), current psychological distress, and two individual items regarding the mother-child relationship and frequency of contact. Mothers reported on their children’s psychopathology (Adult Behavior Checklist, ABCL) and their own psychological distress. Children and mothers completed a half-structured clinical interview on mental disorders. Agreement between ASR and ABCL was moderate to high (r = .48 to .53). Both reports significantly correlated with children’s diagnoses based on the clinical interview (r = .37 to .58). When children reported higher levels of psychopathology, higher levels of current psychological distress were associated with larger mother-child discrepancies. When mothers reported higher levels of child psychopathology, higher levels of maternal psychological distress, lower relationship quality, and higher frequency of contact were associated with larger discrepancies. Mother-child agreement in emerging adulthood is comparable to agreement in adolescence and adulthood. Factors associated with discrepancies differ for higher maternal- vs. self-reported psychopathology. Maternal psychological distress is more relevant for informant discrepancies than maternal mental disorder diagnoses. Longitudinal studies are needed to enhance the understanding of informant discrepancies.