Psychometrics of the kiddie schedule for affective disorders and schizophrenia present and lifetime version for DSM-5 in Japanese outpatients

A Comparison of Effectiveness of Attention Process Training (APT) with Parenting Management Training (PMT) in Reducing Symptoms of Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder

Objective: Child-oriented psychotherapies, such as Attention Process Training (APT), target ADHD symptoms directly, whereas family-oriented interventions, like Parent Management Training (PMT), address its functional impairments. The aim of this study was to compare the effectiveness of APT and PMT in treating ADHD symptoms. Method : This research was a randomized controlled trial in which 45 children (26 females and 19 males, with a mean age of 8.47 ± 1.66 years) with ADHD were selected conveniently and assigned randomly to one of three groups (PMT = 15, APT = 15, and CTRL = 15). The groups had no significant differences in ADHD severity. The PMT children were managed with parenting techniques. Children in the APT group practiced attention techniques, while children in the control group did not receive any intervention. Ritalin was prescribed to all the children in the three groups. The score on the Conners Parenting Rating Scale-Revised: Short form was the outcome variable. Results: Both interventions decreased ADHD symptoms severity more than the control group. Howver, the reduction in the APT group was more than in the PMT group (P-value < 0.001). The scores of 40% of the APT group and 80% of the PMT group did not fall below the cut-off point. In the APT group after the intervention, the inattention subscale was significantly lower than the hyperactivity subscale, while in the PMT group, the hyperactivity subscale was lower. The effect sizes of APT and PMT were 2.18 and 2.09, respectively. Conclusion: For ADHD, psychological interventions are crucial in addition to medication. According to the results of this study, APT is more effective for inattention symptoms, while PMT is more effective for hyperactivity symptoms. When selecting psychotherapy, the subtype of ADHD should be taken into account. Treatment sessions must also be completed according to intervention protocols.

Psychometrics of rating scales for externalizing disorders in Japanese outpatients: The ADHD-Rating Scale-5 and the Disruptive Behavior Disorders Rating Scale

OBJECTIVES

This study validated the Japanese version of the Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder-Rating Scale-5 (ADHD-RS-5) and the Disruptive Behavior Disorders Rating Scale. We extended the ADHD-RS-5 by adding the oppositional defiant disorder and conduct disorder subscales to compare the two rating scales psychometrically.

METHODS

We examined the internal consistency, test-retest reliability, construct validity and criterion validity of the two rating scales in 135 Japanese outpatients aged 6-18 years.

RESULTS

The internal consistency and test-retest reliability were good for all the subscales of the two rating scales except for the conduct disorder subscale of the ADHD-RS-5 extended. Good construct validity was revealed by expected correlational patterns between subscales from the two rating scales and the Children Behavior Checklist. The criterion validity was good for all the subscales of the two rating scales rated by parents, while teacher-ratings revealed substantially lower predictive ability for all the subscales. Agreement between parent- and teacher-ratings of the two rating scales was generally moderate and using predictive ratings alone of both ratings showed the best predictive ability among the integration methods examined.

CONCLUSION

The two rating scales have sound psychometric properties and will aid in screening and severity assessment of externalizing disorders in Japanese clinical settings.

Evaluating the Interrater Reliability of the Icelandic Version of K-SADS-PL DSM-5

The Schedule for Affective Disorders and Schizophrenia for School-Age Children-Present and Lifetime version (K-SADS-PL) is a valuable tool for diagnosing mental disorders in children and adolescents. Previous studies have examined its interrater reliability, but there is limited information on individual disorders, on the updated DSM-5 version. This study aims to analyse the interrater reliability of the Icelandic translation of K-SADS-PL, DSM-5 version. K-SADS-PL was administered to a clinical sample of outpatients from the Icelandic Anxiety Centre for Children, Adolescents, and Young Adults, and The Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry at Landspítali, the National University Hospital in Reykjavík, Iceland. In total, 135 patients aged 6-18 were included in this study. We assessed the interrater reliability using Cohen's κ, with results ranging from poor to excellent (0.3-1.0), though most disorders showed excellent reliability (κ > 0.75). The Icelandic translation of the DSM-5 K-SADS-PL is generally reliable when used by properly trained post-graduate students, which supports its use in clinical settings.