Psychometric properties of the Vanderbilt ADHD diagnostic parent rating scale in a referred population.

OBJECTIVE: s To determine the psychometric properties of the Vanderbilt Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder Parent Rating Scale (VADPRS), which utilizes information based on the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, 4th Ed. (DSM-IV). The VADPRS was created to collect uniform patient data and minimize the time burden of lengthy interviews.

METHODS: Participant data (N = 243) was used from the first 2 years of a longitudinal study on communication among physicians, teachers, and parents in diagnosing, treating, and managing children with attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). The reliability, factor structure, and concurrent validity of the VADPRS were evaluated and compared with ratings of children in clinical and nonclinical samples on the Vanderbilt ADHD Teacher Rating Scale and the Computerized Diagnostic Interview Schedule for Children-IV, Parent version.

RESULTS: The internal consistency and factor structure of the VADPRS are acceptable and consistent with DSM-IV and other accepted measures of ADHD.

CONCLUSION: The VADPRS is a reliable, cost-effective assessment for ADHD in clinical and research settings.