Teacher Ratings of Inattention/Overactivity and Aggression: Cross-Validation With Classroom Observations

Because teachers are a principal source of information regarding the behaviorally disturbed child, rating scales have earned an important place in the psychologist's assessment battery. Within this context, it has recently been demonstrated that teachers are able to distinguish between the narrowband externalizing disorders of hyperactivity and aggression when referred boys are observed in various classroom settings. The present study represents an attempt to cross-validate the sensitivity of these teacher-rated Inattention/ Overactivity and Aggression factors for a second sample of 67 boys referred to an outpatient child psychiatry clinic. This was accomplished by observing these boys in the regular classroom settings of large-group seatwork, small-group seatwork, and independent seatwork. Observation scale variables based on findings from the original study were formed to serve as criterion measures. Results were clear in demonstrating convergent and discriminant validity for both teacher factors in the large-group classroom setting. However, the results for the other two settings were equivocal.