Assessing ADHD and comorbid disorders in children: The Child Behavior Checklist and the Devereux Scales of Mental Disorders

Evaluated discriminant validity and clinical utility of selected subscales of the Devereux Scales of Mental Disorders (DSMD; Naglieri, LeBuffe, & Pfei ffer, 1994) and the Child Behavior Checklist (CBCL; Achenbach, 1991a) in 22 8 children referred to a clinic for the evaluation and treatment of attenti on deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). The DSMD is a multiaxial behavior rating scale that measures symptomatology for a broad range of child psych opathology as described in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (3rd ed., rev. [DSM-R-III] and 4th ed. [DSM-IV]; American Psychia tric Association, 1987, 1994). Discriminant function analyses as well as se nsitivity, specificity, and predictive power analyses were computed to eval uate the discriminant validity and clinical utility of selected DSMD and CB CL subscales for assessing ADHD, oppositional defiant disorder (ODD), and a nxiety disorders. Results indicated that the DSMD compared very favorably w ith the CBCL in the ability to discriminate between children with ADHD and those without ADHD and between children with comorbid ODD and anxiety disor ders and children who did not meet criteria for these disorders. The DSMD A ttention subscale may be somewhat better at ruling in ADHD combined subtype (ADHD-C) and ADHD inattentive subtype (ADHD-I) than the CBCL Attention Pro blems subscale, but the CBCL Attention Problems subscale may have slightly better utility than the DSMD Attention subscale in ruling out these subtype s. Both the CBCL and DSMD were more useful for ruling out than for ruling i n ODD and anxiety disorders.