TEST-RETEST RELIABILITY OF MATERNAL REPORTS OF LIFETIME MENTAL-DISORDERS IN THEIR CHILDREN

This study examined the test-retest reliability of maternal reports of lifetime psychopathology using DSM-III-R criteria in nonreferred offs pring. Sixty-three mothers reported on 79 children, ages 6 to 18 years . Retest intervals were between one and 12 months. The results indicat ed acceptable reliability for all supraordinate categories (any disord er, any anxiety disorder, any disruptive disorder, externalizing disor ders, internalizing disorders) as well as for most individual diagnose s (separation anxiety disorder, simple phobias, oppositional defiant d isorder, attention deficit disorder with and without hyperactivity, si mple phobias, and adjustment disorder). Maternal reports for any diagn osis were significantly better for intervals under 6 months than for l onger retest intervals. Reliability of maternal reports was not signif icantly affected by child's age or gender. This study supports the exp ectation that a history of psychiatric disturbance in children can be obtained reliably from mothers.