Hostname: page-component-78c5997874-mlc7c Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-11-14T17:59:52.408Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

German Validation of the Conners Adult ADHD Rating Scales–self-report (CAARS-S) I: Factor Structure and Normative Data

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  08 July 2010

H. Christiansen ,
B. Kis ,
O. Hirsch ,
A. Philipsen ,
M. Henneck ,
A. Panczuk ,
R. Pietrowsky ,
J. Hebebrand  and
B.G. Schimmelmann
H. Christiansen*
Affiliation:
Philipps-University Marburg, Department of Clinical Psychology, Gutenbergstr. 18, 35037 Marburg, Germany
B. Kis
Affiliation:
University of Duisburg-Essen, Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Essen, Germany
O. Hirsch
Affiliation:
Philipps-University Marburg, Department of General Practice/Family Medicine, Marburg, Germany
A. Philipsen
Affiliation:
University of Freiburg, Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Freiburg, Germany
M. Henneck
Affiliation:
University of Düsseldorf, Institute of Experimental Psychology, Department of Clinical Psychology, Düsseldorf, Germany
A. Panczuk
Affiliation:
University of Düsseldorf, Institute of Experimental Psychology, Department of Clinical Psychology, Düsseldorf, Germany
R. Pietrowsky
Affiliation:
University of Düsseldorf, Institute of Experimental Psychology, Department of Clinical Psychology, Düsseldorf, Germany
J. Hebebrand
Affiliation:
University of Duisburg-Essen, Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Essen, Germany
B.G. Schimmelmann
Affiliation:
University Hospital of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Bern, Switzerland
*
⁎Corresponding author. Tel.: +0049 0 6421 282 3706; fax: +0049 0 6421 282 4281. E-mail address:[email protected](H. Christiansen).
Get access

Abstract

Background

Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) often persists into adulthood. Instruments for diagnosing ADHD in childhood are well validated and reliable, but diagnosis of ADHD in adults remains problematic. Attempts have been made to develop criteria specific for adult ADHD, resulting in the development of self-report and observer-rated questionnaires. To date, the Conners Adult ADHD Rating Scales (CAARS) are the international standard for questionnaire assessment of ADHD. The current study evaluates a German version of the CAARS self-report (CAARS-S).

Methods

Eight hundred and fifty healthy German control subjects were recruited to fill out the CAARS-S and to answer questions on sociodemographic variables. Explorative and confirmative factor analyses were conducted to obtain the factor structure for the German model and to replicate the factor structure of the original American model. Analyses on gender, age, and education level were calculated for normative data.

Results

The explorative factor analysis of the German sample results in a six-factor solution that explained 52% of the variance. A confirmative analysis that was based on the 42 items of the original American model showed a high model-fit. Analyses of normative data showed significant influences of age, gender, and education level on the emerging subscales.

Conclusion

Even though the explorative factor analysis yields a solution different from the American original, the confirmative factor analysis results in such a high model-fit that use of the American version is justified with respect to international multicenter studies, for which this instrument will be highly valuable.

Keywords

Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorderAdult ADHDAdult ADHD assessmentDiagnostic issuesConners Adult ADHD Rating Scales (CAARS)
Type
Original article
Information
European Psychiatry , Volume 26 , Issue 2 , March 2011 , pp. 100 - 107
Copyright
Copyright © Elsevier Masson SAS 2010

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

Footnotes

1

The first two authors contributed equally to this paper.

Abbreviations: ADHD, Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder; ADHD-DC, German ADHD observer-rating scale; ADHD-SR, German ADHD self-rating scale; ASRS, Adult Self-Report Scale; CAARS, Conners Adult ADHD Rating Scales; CAARS-S, Conners Adult ADHD Rating Scale self-report; CAARS-O, Conners Adult ADHD Rating Scale observer-rating; CP/TRS, Conners Parent/Teacher Rating Scale; DSM-IV, Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of the American Psychiatric Association, 4th version; ICD-10, International Classification of Diseases, 10th version; WHO, World Health Organization; WURS/WURS-K, Wender Utah Rating Scale/German short version.

References

Adler, L.A.Chua, H.C.Management of ADHD in adults. J Clin Psychiatry 2002; 63: 29–35Google ScholarPubMed
Adler, LKessler, RSpencer, T.Adult Self-Report Scale. ASRS-V1.1 Screener. New York: World Health Organization; 2003a.Google Scholar
Adler, L.Spencer, T.Biederman, J.Adult ADHD Investigator Symptom Rating Scale. New York: New York University School of Medicine: 2003Google Scholar
Barkley, R.A.A critique of current diagnostic criteria for attention deficit hyperactivity disorder: clinical and research implications. J Dev Behav Pediatr 1990; 11: 343–352CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Barkley, R.A.Murphy, A.Attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder: a clinical workbook. 2nd ed.1998 Guilford New YorkCrossRefGoogle Scholar
Barkley, R.A.Challenges in diagnosing adults with ADHD. J Clin Psychiatry 69 2009; 36CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Blunch, N.J.Introduction to structural equation modelling using SPSS and AMOS. London: Sage: 2008CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Brown, T.E.Brown Attention-Deficit Disorder Scales. San Antonio, Texas: Psychological Corporation: 1996Google Scholar
Byrne, B.Structural equation modeling with AMOS: basic concepts, applications, and programming. Mahwah, NJ: Erlbaum: 2001Google Scholar
Christiansen, H.Schmimmelmann, B.G.Oades, R.D.Hebebrand, J.German version of the Conners Adults ADHD Rating Scales (CAARS). North Tonawanda: Multi-Health Systems: 2007Google Scholar
Conners, C.K.Erhardt, D.Sparrow, E.P.Conners’ Adult ADHD Rating Scales (CAARS). North Tonawanda: Multi-Health Systems: 1999Google Scholar
Conners, C.K.Erhardt, D.Epstein, J.N.Parker, J.D.A.Sitarenios, G.Sparrow, E.Self-ratings of ADHD symptoms in adults I: factor structure and normative data. J Atten Disord 1999; 3: 141–151CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Davidson, M.A.ADHD in adults. A review of the literature. J Atten Disord 2008; 11: 628–641CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
DuPaul, G.Power, T.J.Anastopoulos, A.D.Reid, R.ADHD Rating Scale–IV: checklists, norms, and clinical interpretation. New York: Guilford: 1998Google Scholar
Erhardt, D.Epstein, J.N.Conners, C.K.Parker, J.D.A.Sitarenios, G.Self-ratings of ADHD symptoms in adults II: reliability, validity, and diagnostic sensitivity. J Atten Disord 1999; 3: 153–158CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Faraone, S.V.Biederman, J.Spencer, T.Mick, E.Murray, K.Petty, C., et al.Diagnosing adult attention deficit hyperactivity disorder: are late onset and subthreshold diagnoses valid? Am J Psychiatry 2006; 163: 1720–1729CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Fleitlich-Bilyk, B.Goodman, R.Prevalence of child and adolescent psychiatric disorders in southeast Brazil. J Am Acad Child Adolesc Psychiatry 2004; 43: 727–734CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Ford, T.Goodman, R.Meltzer, H.The British Child and Adolescent Mental Health Survey 1999. J Am Acad Child Adolesc Psychiatry 2003; 40: 1203–1211CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Gershon, J.A meta-analytic review of gender differences in ADHD. J Atten Disord 2002; 5: 143–154CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Huss, M.Iseler, A.Lehmkuhl, U.Interkultureller Vergleich der Conners-Skalen: Lässt sich die US-amerikanische Faktorenstruktur an einer deutschen Klinikstichprobe replizieren? Z Kinder Jugendpsychiatr 2001; 29: 16–24CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Huss, M.Hölling, H.Kurth, B.M.Schlack, R.How often are German children and adolescents diagnosed with ADHS? Prevalence based on the judgment of health care preofessionals: results of the German health and examination survey (KiGGS). Eur Child Adolesc Psychiatry 2008; 17: 52–58CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Kessler, R.C.Adler, L.Ames, M.Delmer, O.Faraone, S.Hiripi, E., et al.The World Health Organization Adult ADHD Self-Report Scale (ASRS): a short screening scale for use in the general population. Psychol Med 2005; 35: 245–256CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Klein, R.G.Manuzza, S.Long-term outcome of hyperactive children: a review. J Am Acad Child Adolesc Psychiatry 1991; 30: 383–387CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Kline, R.B.Principles and practice of structural equation modeling. New York: Guilford: 2005Google Scholar
Kohnert, A.Grenzen des Rückschaufehlers: die Verzerrung von Erinnerungen an früheres Wissen durch neue Information. Bonn: Holos-Verlag: 1996Google Scholar
Ramsay, J.R.Rostain, A.L.Adult ADHD research current status and future directions. J Atten Disord 2008; 11: 624–627CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Retz-Junginger, P.Retz, W.Blocher, D.Weijers, H.G.Trott, G.E.Wender, P.H., et al.Wender Utah Rating Scale (WURS-k), Die deutsche Kurzform zur retrospektiven Erfassung des hyperkinetischen Syndroms bei Erwachsenen. Nervenarzt 2002; 73: 830–838CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Reuter, M.Kirsch, P.Hennig, J.Inferring candidate genes for Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) assessed by the World Health Organization Adult ADHD Self-Report Scale (ASRS). J Neural Transm 2006; 113: 929–938CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Rösler, M.Retz, W.Retz-Junginger, P.Thome, J.Supprian, T.Nissen, T., et al.Instrumente zur Diagnostik der Aufmerksamkeitsdefizit-/Hyperaktivitätsstörung (ADHS) im Erwachsenenalter Selbstbeurteilungsskala (ADHS-SB) und Diagnosecheckliste (ADHS-DC). Nervenarzt 2004; 75: 888–895CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Rowland, A.S.Lesesne, C.A.Abramowitz, A.J.The epidemiology of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD): A public health view. Ment Retard Dev Disabil Res Rev 2002; 8: 162–170CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Raykov, T.Marcoulides, G.A.A first course in structural equation modeling. Mahwah, NJ: Erlbaum: 2006Google Scholar
Weiss, M.Murray, C.Assessment and management of attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder in adults. CMAJ 2003; 168: 715–722Google ScholarPubMed
Weiss, G.Hechtman, L.Hyperactive children grown up. 2nd ed.1993 Guilford New YorkGoogle Scholar
Wender, P.Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder in adults. New York: Oxford University Press: 1995Google Scholar
Wender, P.H.Reimherr, F.W.Wood, D.R.Attention deficit disorder (‘minimal brain dysfunction’) in adults. A replication study of diagnosis and drug treatment. Arch Gen Psychiatry 1981; 38: 449–456CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Woodward, T.S.Moritz, S.Arnold, M.M.Cuttler, C.Whitman, J.C.Lindsay, D.S.Increased hindsight bias in schizophrenia. Neuropsychology 2006; 20: 461–467CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Submit a response

Comments

No Comments have been published for this article.