The Diagnostic Interview Schedule for Children, Adolescents, and Parents: Initial reliability and validity data

This study evaluated the psychometric properties of the Diagnostic Intervie w Schedule for Children, Adolescents and Parents (DISCAP; Holland & Dadds, 1995), for DSM-IV anxiety disorders in children and adolescents. Two studie s were conducted to examine the reliability and validity of the DISCAP. In the first study, the DISCAP and the Youth Self Report (YSR; Achenbach, 1991 c) were administered to 120 nonclinical adolescents aged 12 through to 14 y ears. In the second study, the DISCAP and Child Behaviour Checklist (CBCL; Achenbach, 1991b) were administered to parents of 57 clinical children and adolescents aged 6 through to 16 years. Inter-rater reliability data was co llected, and both concurrent and discriminant validity of the DISCAP were a ssessed against the YSR and CBCL. Inter-rater agreements for primary diagno ses were high, and rating scale data supported the concurrent and discrimin ant validity of the DISCAP diagnoses. Results suggest that the DISCAP can b e used to facilitate reliable and valid diagnoses of childhood anxiety diso rders.