Applying Generalizability Theory to the Measurement of Externalizing Disorders

描述：项目摘要：儿童外在化障碍(即ADHD和破坏性行为障碍)的诊断评估程序依赖于来自多个信息者(例如，父母和教师)的报告，通常使用同一结构的多个测量，这增加了如何解释不一致分数的挑战。研究人员和临床医生经常使用特殊的决策规则来权衡各种报告，这与最近对循证评估(EBA)的关注和强调是不一致的。概化理论(GT)通过量化不同类型评分者的测量一致性程度，可以为解释来自多个信息者的结果提供经验基础。因此，对外化障碍测量的GT研究可以对EBA的目标做出重大贡献。长期目标是最大限度地提高儿童外化障碍的测量一致性。该应用程序的目的是使用来自NICHD早期儿童保育和青年发展研究(SECCYD)的社区样本和来自阿拉巴马大学伯明翰分校的存档临床样本的数据来量化与父母和教师对儿童外化障碍的评级相关的测量误差程度。这些数据是理想的，因为它们允许测量误差的多个方面，可以通过GT分析进行量化。本研究的第一个具体目的是划分不同项目、评分者类型和年级(即测量时机)的外化症状报告的误差方差，以及这三个方面之间的交互作用。第二个具体目标是生成包含所有相关误差源的可靠性估计数(概化系数和可靠性系数)。第三个具体目标是确定关于这些外化症状的各种信息来源的概括性。所有的分析都将在多变量分析中同时进行，包括ADHD和古怪行为。分析将与临床样本重复(仅针对一次测量场合)。这项研究的基本原理是，对项目、评分员类型和年级引起的误差方差进行划分将(A)确定哪些外化障碍(ADHD或ODD)最可靠地由哪些告密者在什么时间进行评估，从而(B)有助于进一步发展基于证据的评估。 公共卫生相关性：儿童外化障碍与负面后果有关，因此准确的评估和诊断至关重要。这种评估的主要挑战之一是解决如何解释不同来源的差异分数。这项拟议的研究将有助于确定整合来自多个来源的评估数据用于外部性障碍诊断的最佳方式，这将有助于进一步发展基于证据的评估。

DESCRIPTION: Project Summary State of the art diagnostic assessment procedures for externalizing disorders of childhood (i.e., ADHD and the disruptive behavior disorders) rely on reports from multiple informants (e.g., parents and teachers), often using multiple measures of the same construct, raising the challenge of how to interpret discrepant scores. Researchers and clinicians often use idiosyncratic decision rules for weighing the various reports, which is inconsistent with the recent attention and emphasis on evidence based assessment (EBA). By quantifying the degree of measurement consistency across types of raters, Generalizability Theory (GT) can provide an empirical basis for interpreting the results from multiple informants. Therefore, a GT study of the measurement of externalizing disorders can make a significant contribution toward the goal of EBA. The long- range goal is to maximize the measurement consistency of childhood externalizing disorders. The objective of this application is to quantify the degree of measurement error associated with parent and teacher ratings of childhood externalizing disorders using data for a community sample from the NICHD Study of Early Child Care and Youth Development (SECCYD) and for an archived clinical sample from The University of Alabama at Birmingham. These data are ideal, because they allow for multiple facets of measurement error that can be quantified by GT analyses. The first specific aim of this study is to partition the error variance in reports of externalizing symptoms across items, rater type, and grade (i.e., measurement occasion), as well as the interactions among these three facets. The second specific aim is to generate reliability estimates (Generalizability and Dependability coefficients) that incorporate all relevant sources of error. The third specific aim is to determine the generalizability of the various sources of information about these externalizing symptoms. All analyses will be conducted simultaneously for both ADHD and ODD behaviors in a multivariate analysis. Analyses will be replicated (for only one measurement occasion) with a clinical sample. The rationale for the study is that partitioning the error variance due to items, rater type, and grade will (a) determine which externalizing disorder (ADHD or ODD) are most reliably assessed by which informants, at which times, and thus (b) contribute to the further development of evidence based assessment. PUBLIC HEALTH RELEVANCE: Childhood externalizing disorders are linked to negative consequences and thus accurate assessment and diagnosis is critical. One of the major challenges of such an assessment is resolving how to interpret discrepant scores from different sources. The proposed study will help determine the best way to integrate assessment data from multiple sources for use in the diagnosis of externalizing disorders, which will contribute to the further development of evidence based assessment.