Abstract
The relationship of directly observed classroom behavior and teacher ratings on questionnaires with a judgmental (Conners Teacher Rating Scale) or operational format was examined for 33 boys aged 6 years 5 months to 7 years 7 months. Results showed a high degree of association between observed and rated behavior. This association did not vary with the format of the rating scales but did vary with the nature of the behavior being rated. Defiance was more reliably rated than hyperactivity or inattentiveness. Several behaviors exerted a halo effect on ratings of hyperactivity, inattentiveness, and behavior problems. In particular, defiance toward a teacher increased the likelihood that a child would be rated as hyperactive or inattentive regardless of his observed level of activity or attentiveness. These results support the validity of behavior rating scales as screening measures for hyperactivity, inattentiveness, and defiance and indicate that a child's defiance and disobedience are significant causes of misclassification.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Abikoff, H., Gittelman-Klein, R., & Klein, D. F. (1977). Validation of a classroom observation code for hyperactive children.Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 45, 772–783.
Abikoff, H., Gittelman-Klein, R., & Klein, D. F. (1980). Classroom observation code for hyperactive children: A replication of validity.Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 48, 555–565.
Blunden, D., Spring, C., & Greenberg, L. M. (1974). Validation of the classroom behavior inventory.Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 42, 84–88.
Campbell, S. B., Schleifer, M., & Weiss, G. (1978). Continuities in maternal reports and child behaviors over time in hyperactive and comparison groups.Journal of Abnormal Child Psychology, 6, 33–45.
Conners, C. K. (1969). A teacher rating scale for use in drug studies with children.American Journal of Psychiatry, 126, 884–888.
Conners, C. K. (1970). Symptom patterns in hyperkinetic, neurotic, and normal children.Child Development, 41, 667–682.
Conners, C. K. (1973). Rating scales in drug studies with children.Psychopharmacology Bulletin, Special Issue (Pharmacotherapy of Children), 24–29.
Conners, C. K., & Werry, J. S. (1979). Pharmacotherapy. In H. C. Quay & J. S. Werry (Eds.),Psychopathological disorders of childhood (2nd ed., pp. 336–386). New York: Wiley.
Copeland, A. P., & Weissbrod, C. S. (1978). Behavioral correlates of the hyperactivity factor of the Conners Teacher Questionnaire.Journal of Abnormal Child Psychology, 6, 339–343.
Douglas, V. I., Parry, P., Marton, P., & Garson, C. (1976). Assessment of a cognitive training program for hyperactive children.Journal of Abnormal Child Psychology, 4, 389–410.
Eisenberg, L., & Conners, C. K. (1971). Psychopharmacology in childhood. In N. B. Talbot, J. Kager, & L. Eisenberg (Eds.),Behavioral science in pediatric medicine (pp. 397–424). Philadelphia: Saunders.
Frick, T., & Semmel, M. I. (1978). Observer agreement and reliabilities of classroom observational measures.Review of Educational Research, 48, 157–184.
Goyette, C. H., Conners, C. K., & Ulrich, R. F. (1978). Normative data on revised Conners Parent and Teacher Rating Scales.Journal of Abnormal Child Psychology, 6, 221–236.
Guilford, J. P. (1954).Psychometric methods (2nd ed.). New York: McGraw-Hill.
Jacob, R. G., O'Leary, K. D., & Rosenblad, C. (1978). Formal and informal classroom settings: Effects on hyperactivity.Journal of Abnormal Child Psychology, 6, 47–59.
Kazdin, A. E., Esveldt-Dawson, K., & Loar, L. L. (1983). Correspondence of teacher ratings and direct observations of classroom behavior of psychiatric inpatient children.Journal of Abnormal Child Psychology, 11, 549–564.
Kent, R. N., O'Leary, K. D., Diament, C., & Dietz, A. (1974). Expectation biases in observational evaluation of therapeutic change.Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 42, 774–780.
Kupietz, D., Bialer, I., & Winsberg, B. G. (1972). A behavior rating scale for assessing improvement in behaviorally deviant children: A preliminary investigation.American Journal of Psychiatry, 128, 1432–1436.
McGee, R., Williams, S., & Silva, P. A. (1984). Behavioral and developmental characteristics of aggressive, hyperactive and aggressive-hyperactive boys.Journal of the American Academy of Child Psychiatry, 23, 270–279.
Neisworth, J. T., Kurtz, P. D., Jones, R. T., & Madie, R. P. (1974). Biasing of hyperkinetic behavior ratings by diagnostic reports.Journal of Abnormal Child Psychology, 2, 323–329.
Prinz, R. J., Connor, P. A., & Wilson, C. C. (1981). Hyperactive and aggressive behaviors in childhood: Intertwined dimensions.Journal of Abnormal Child Psychology, 9, 191–202.
Rapoport, J. L., & Benoit, M. (1975). The relation of direct home observations to the clinical evaluation of hyperactive school age boys.Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry, 16, 141–147.
Reid, J. B. (1970). Reliability assessment of observational data: a possible methodological problem.Child Development, 41, 1143–1150.
Sandberg, S. T. (1981). The overinclusiveness of the diagnosis of hyperkinetic syndrome. In M. Gittelman (Ed.),Strategic interventions for hyperactive children (pp. 8–38). Armonk, New York: ME. Sharpe.
Sandberg, S. T., Wieselberg, M., & Shaffer, D. (1980). Hyperkinetic and conduct problem children in a primary school population: Some epidemiological considerations.Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry, 21, 293–311.
Shuller, D. Y., & McNamara, J. R. (1976). Expectancy factors in behavioral observation.Behavior Therapy, 7, 519–527.
Siegel, L. J., Dragovich, S. L., & Marholin, D., III. (1976). The effects of biasing information on behavioral observations and rating scales.Journal of Abnormal Child Psychology, 4, 221–233.
Spitzer, R. L. (Chairperson). (1980). DSM-III: Diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders. (3rd ed.). Washington: American Psychiatric Association.
Sprague, R. L., Christensen, D. E., & Werry, J. S. (1974). Experimental psychology and stimulant drugs. In C. K. Conners (Ed.),Clinical use of stimulant drugs in children (pp. 141–164). The Hague: Excerpta Medica.
Sprague, R. L., Cohen, M. N., & Werry, J. S. (1974).Normative data on the Corners' Teaching Rating Scale and Abbreviated Scale (Technical Report, November, 1974b, USPHS Grant #MH 18909. Final report, Children's Research Center) (pp. 140–145b). Champaign, Illinois: University of Illinois.
Sprague, R. L., & Sleator, E. K. (1973). Effects of psychopharmacologic agents on learning disorders.Pediatric Clinics of North America, 20, 719–735.
Stevens-Long, J. (1973). The effect of behavioral context on some aspects of adult disciplinary practice and affect.Child Development, 44, 476–484.
Wahler, R. G., & Leske, G. (1973). Accurate and inaccurate observer summary reports.Journal of Nervous and Mental Disease, 156, 386–394.
Werry, J., & Sprague, R. L. (1974). Methylphenidate in children — effect of dosage.Australian and New Zealand Journal of Psychiatry, 8, 9–19.
World Health Organization. (1978).Mental disorders: Glossary and guide to their classification in accordance with the ninth revision of the International Classification of Diseases. Geneva: Author.
Ysseldyke, J. E.,& Foster, G. G. (1978). Bias in teachers' observations of emotionally disturbed and learning disabled children.Exceptional Children, 44, 613–615.
Zentall, S. S., & Barack, R. S. (1979). Rating scales for hyperactivity: Concurrent validity, reliability, and decisions to label for the Conners and Davids abbreviated scales.Journal of Abnormal Child Psychology, 7, 179–190.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Additional information
The first author was supported by the Ontario Mental Health Foundation and the Medical Research Council of Canada. The authors would like to thank Mrs. Penny Roy for her help in the reliability study. The manuscript was prepared with the assistance of the Medical Publications Department, The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto.
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Schachar, R., Sandberg, S. & Rutter, M. Agreement between teachers' ratings and observations of hyperactivity, inattentiveness, and defiance. J Abnorm Child Psychol 14, 331–345 (1986). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00915450
Revised:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00915450