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Using a Brief Parent-Report Measure to Track Outcomes for Children and Teens with ADHD

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Abstract

The Pediatric Symptom Checklist (PSC) is a widely used, parent-completed measure of children’s emotional and behavioral functioning. Previous research has shown that the PSC and its subscales are responsive to patient progress over the course of psychiatric treatment. In this naturalistic study, parents and clinicians of 1736 patients aged 17 or younger completed standardized measures at intake and 3-month follow-up appointments. We assessed the 5-item PSC Attention Subscale (PSC–AS) as a longitudinal measure of attention-related symptoms in routine outpatient psychiatry treatment. Secondarily, we compared PSC–AS scores with clinician-reported diagnoses, psychomotor excitation symptoms, and overall functioning. Change scores on the PSC–AS were larger among patients with ADHD diagnoses than those with non-ADHD diagnoses. Comparisons between PSC–AS scores and clinician reports also showed acceptable levels of agreement. Given its effectiveness in tracking attention-related symptoms, the PSC may be particularly useful as a quality assurance or treatment outcome measure for clinicians treating ADHD.

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Acknowledgments

A portion of the planning and data analysis for this study was made possible by a Grant from the Fuss Family Fund. The support of the Fuss Family Fund is hereby gratefully acknowledged.

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Correspondence to Michael Murphy.

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Conflict of interest

Dr. Timothy Wilens receives or has received grant support from the following sources: NIH(NIDA). He is or has been a consultant for: Euthymics/Neurovance, NIH(NIDA), Ironshore, Sunovion and TRIS. He has a published book: Straight Talk About Psychiatric Medications for Kids (Guilford Press); and co/edited books ADHD in Children and Adults (Cambridge Press), and Massachusetts General Hospital Comprehensive Clinical Psychiatry (Sage). He is co/owner of a copyrighted diagnostic questionnaire (Before School Functioning Questionnaire). He has a licensing agreement with Ironshore (BSFQ Questionnaire). Dr. Wilens is Chief, Division of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, and (Co) Director of the Center for Addiction Medicine at Massachusetts General Hospital. He serves as a consultant to the US National Football League (ERM Associates), US Minor/Major League Baseball, and Bay Cove Human Services (Clinical Services).

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McCarthy, A., Asghar, S., Wilens, T. et al. Using a Brief Parent-Report Measure to Track Outcomes for Children and Teens with ADHD. Child Psychiatry Hum Dev 47, 407–416 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10578-015-0575-6

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