ASSOCIATIONS BETWEEN DIFFERENT DIAGNOSTIC APPROACHES FOR CHILD AND ADOLESCENT PSYCHOPATHOLOGY

Objective: To test the convergence between the empirical-quantitative approach of the Child Behavior Checklist (CBCL) and the clinical-diagn ostic approach of the DSM. Method: The parent version of the NIMH Diag nostic Interview Schedule for Children (DISC), version 2.3, was admini stered after completion of the CBCL for 231 children and adolescents c onsecutively referred to an outpatient mental health clinic. Results: Of the subjects with a DSM-III-R diagnosis, 60% scored in the clinical range of the CBCL total problem score. The Withdrawn scale predicted affective and anxiety disorders. The Somatic Complaints scale predicte d anxiety and mood disorders and Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disor der. The Anxious/Depressed scale predicted anxiety and mood disorders and, to a lesser extent, disruptive behavior disorders. The Social Pro blems scale predicted Oppositional Defiant Disorder. The Attention Pro blems scale was the only significant predictor of ''pure'' Attention D eficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD). The Aggressive Behavior scale pr edicted several disruptive behavior disorders, and Major Depression. T he Delinquent Behavior scale was strongly associated with Conduct Diso rder. Conclusions: Empirically based CBCL scale scores and DISC-P base d DSM-III-R diagnoses converged. However, both approaches do not conve rge to a degree that one approach can replace the other. Instead, comb ining both approaches may be valuable by adding information from one a pproach that is not captured by the other.