Abstract

Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is a common neurodevelopmental disorder that affects academic, social, and health functioning. The psychometric properties of measures commonly used in diagnostic settings to assess the constructs of attention, hyperactivity, and executive functioning, including concurrent and incremental validity with other commonly used measures, are not well-established. Additionally, these specific psychometric properties within ecological samples of children and adolescents presenting to community-based clinics is infrequent. The purpose of this dissertation was to describe a sample of children and adolescents presenting to a community-based mental health clinic and to test the concurrent and incremental validity of parent- and teacher-report questionnaires and neuropsychological measures of inattention, hyperactivity, and executive functioning. Participants included a consecutive sample of 597 youth aged six to eighteen years presenting to a community-based mental health clinic for a psychological assessment between 2010 and 2019. Measures included the BASC (2nd and 3rd editions), Conners 3 (long and short forms), BRIEF (1st and 2nd editions), D-KEFS, NEPSY-II, and CPT (2nd and 3rd editions). Approximately 50% of individuals were diagnosed with ADHD. Correlations between attention, hyperactivity, and executive function constructs on questionnaires were significantly and moderately-to-strongly correlated (Spearman’s  = .27-.82) to each other (e.g., BASC Hyperactivity and Conners Hyperactivity/Impulsivity subscales) and across parent and teacher forms (e.g., Conners Parent Inattention and Conners Teacher Inattention subscales). Constructs measured by neuropsychological tests were not significantly correlated to similar constructs measured by other neuropsychological measures or questionnaires (e.g., inhibition measured by NEPSY-II Response Set and BRIEF Inhibition subscale; Spearman’s  = .02-.38). Logistic regression analyses suggested that measures such as the BASC, BRIEF, NEPSY-II, and CPT do not clinically significantly increase prediction of ADHD diagnosis above and beyond the Conners 3. Results indicate convergence of information with potential redundancy in the assessment and diagnosis of ADHD across questionnaire measures and informants. Questionnaires and neuropsychological measures were not correlated, suggesting they measure different constructs or different aspects of the same construct. Results indicate that clinicians may sufficiently rely on questionnaires and reduce the number of other neuropsychological measures administered during a diagnostic assessment without significantly reducing diagnostic accuracy. However, the value of evidence of symptoms in multiple settings and converging information should still be considered.

Degree

PhD

College and Department

Family, Home, and Social Sciences; Psychology

Rights

https://lib.byu.edu/about/copyright/

Date Submitted

2022-06-16

Document Type

Dissertation

Handle

http://hdl.lib.byu.edu/1877/etd12819

Keywords

Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder, inattention, hyperactivity, executive functioning, concurrent validity, incremental validity

Language

english

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