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The Conners Teacher Rating Scale (CTRS) is a commonly used research and clinical tool for assessing children's behavior in the classroom. The present study introduces the revised CTRS (CTRS-R) which improves on the original CTRS by (1) establishing normative data from a large, representative North American sample, (2) deriving a factor structure using advanced statistical techniques, and (3) updating the item content to reflect current conceptualizations of childhood disorders. Using confirmatory factor analysis, a six-factor structure was found which includes Hyperactivity-Impulsivity, Perfectionism, Inattention/Cognitive Problems, Social Problems, Oppositionality, and Anxious/Shy factors. The reliability of the scale, as measured by test-retest correlations and internal consistency, is generally satisfactory. Using all of the scale factors to discriminate between attention deficit hyperactivity disordered and normal children, 85 percent of children were correctly classified, supporting the validity of the scale and indicating excellent clinical utility. Similarities and differences between the original CTRS factor structure and the CTRS-R factor structure are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Conners' Parent Rating Scale (CPRS) is a popular research and clinical tool for obtaining parental reports of childhood behavior problems. The present study introduces a revised CPRS (CPRS-R) which has norms derived from a large, representative sample of North American children, uses confirmatory factor analysis to develop a definitive factor structure, and has an updated item content to reflect recent knowledge and developments concerning childhood behavior problems. Exploratory and confirmatory factor-analytic results revealed a seven-factor model including the following factors: Cognitive Problems, Oppositional, Hyperactivity-Impulsivity, Anxious-Shy, Perfectionism, Social Problems, and Psychosomatic. The psychometric properties of the revised scale appear adequate as demonstrated by good internal reliability coefficients, high test-retest reliability, and effective discriminatory power. Advantages of the CPRS-R include a corresponding factor structure with the Conners' Teacher Rating Scale-Revised and comprehensive symptom coverage for attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and related disorders. Factor congruence with the original CPRS as well as similarities with other parent rating scales are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper describes four studies on self-reported problems in 2,243 adolescent males and females, 12 to 17 years of age. In Study 1, principal-axis factoring of 102 items covering 11 problem domains revealed six factors comprising 49.5% of the variance. Study 2 used confirmatory factor analysis of a 64-item reduced set on a new sample of 408 adolescents. Goodness-of-fit indicators suggested that the six-factor model had excellent fit to the data. Study 3 used data from the 2,157 adolescents used in the first two studies. Coefficient alphas ranged from .83 to .92. Median test-retest reliability for the six factors was .86. There was a consistent structure of the correlation matrix across age and gender. Study 4 was a study of criterion validity, using an additional sample of 86 children with attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). Sensitivity and specificity were high, with an overall diagnostic efficiency of 83%. This new self-report scale, the Conners/Wells Adolescent Self-Report of Symptoms (CASS), may provide a useful component of a multimodal assessment of adolescent psychopathology. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Does a recently introduced ability scale adequately measure emotional intelligence (EI) skills? Using the Mayer-Salovey-Caruso Emotional Intelligence Test (MSCEIT; J. D. Mayer, P. Salovey, & D. R. Caruso, 2002b), the authors examined (a) whether members of a general standardization sample and emotions experts identified the same test answers as correct, (b) the test's reliability, and (c) the possible factor structures of EI. Twenty-one emotions experts endorsed many of the same answers, as did 2,112 members of the standardization sample, and exhibited superior agreement, particularly when research provides clearer answers to test questions (e.g., emotional perception in faces). The MSCEIT achieved reasonable reliability, and confirmatory factor analysis supported theoretical models of EI. These findings help clarify issues raised in earlier articles published in Emotion.

The authors have claimed that emotional intelligence (EI) meets traditional standards for an intelligence (J. D. Mayer, D. R. Caruso, & P. Salovey, 1999). R. D. Roberts, M. Zeidner, and G. Matthews (2001) questioned whether that claim was warranted. The central issue raised by Roberts et al. concerning Mayer et al. (1999) is whether there are correct answers to questions on tests purporting to measure EI as a set of abilities. To address this issue (and others), the present authors briefly restate their view of intelligence, emotion, and EI. They then present arguments for the reasonableness of measuring EI as an ability, indicate that correct answers exist, and summarize recent data suggesting that such measures are, indeed, reliable.

Objective: To explore potential long term consequences of second trimester amniocentesis., Design: Children exposed to second trimester amniocentesis have been followed prospectively from birth to school age and compared with children whose mothers declined the test., Setting: The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto., Sample: Eighty-six children exposed to amniocentesis and 44 children whose mothers declined the test., Interventions: Second trimester amniocentesis for the late maternal age indication., Main Outcome Measures: Standardised tests of intelligence, academic achievement, speech articulation, visual-perceptual-motor ability and fine motor coordination were administered. Parents reported on child behaviour using standardised measures of behaviour problems, social competence, hyperactivity and temperament. Physical growth was also measured, and parents reported on child health., Results: Group differences were not observed., Conclusions: Second trimester amniocentesis does not appear to compromise child development, behaviour, growth or health.

Objective: To examine language and behavior in children with Sotos syndrome, an overgrowth syndrome involving advanced bone age, characteristic facies, and developmental disability., Method: Twenty-seven children with Sotos syndrome were compared with 20 children with overgrowth, intellectual disability, and facies not characteristic of Sotos syndrome. Ages ranged from 5 to 16 years. Direct assessment was undertaken with standardized measures of intelligence and language abilities. Behavior was examined by parent and teacher report., Results: Children with Sotos syndrome had levels of intelligence in the severely disabled to average range, with the majority falling in the borderline range. Mean level of intelligence was significantly higher than that observed for children in the comparison group. Language abilities were developed to a level consistent with overall level of intelligence. Rates of parent- and teacher-reported behavior problems were significantly higher than normal, but, with the exception of temper tantrums, did not differ from those observed in children in the comparison group. Attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder was observed in 38% of children with Sotos syndrome. They were more irritable and had more stereotypic behavior and inappropriate speech than is expected in children with intellectual disabilities, and they were more withdrawn and had more stereotypic behavior than children in the comparison group., Conclusions: Assessment of language abilities revealed no specific language impairment. High rates of behavior problems were observed, but these were not higher than those observed for other large, delayed, dysmorphic children.