Comparison of Parents' and Teachers' Perceptions of Children's Behavior: A Study of Attentional Problems in a Natural Setting

Authors

  • Lisa N. Rappaport

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to investigate concordance of reports of hyperactive and distractible behavior from three different sources: parents, teachers, and the child, using two different instruments, theADHD Rating Scale and the Gordon Diagnostic System (GDS). The incidence rate of attentional problems that any of the sources reported in this natural setting was calculated. Percentages of subjects identified among parents, teachers, and the GDS were examined.

Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) is the third most common learning problem among children, following reading and other language disorders (Gaddes & Edgell, 1994). The consensus from the American Psychiatric Association (2000) is that approximately 3% to 70/0 of children have ADHD symptoms serious enough for professional attention; however, this -depends upon how one chooses to define ADHD, the population studied, the geographic locale of the survey, and the degree of agreement required among parents, teachers, and professionals (Lambert, 1988).

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Articles