Assessing ADHD Through the Multi-Informant Approach: The Contribution of the Conners’ 3 Scales

Abstract

Objective: Symptoms of ADHD need to be present in at least two different settings to suggest a diagnosis, so multi-informant assessment approaches are usually adopted. The Conners’ Rating Scales offer three versions, completed by parents (Conners 3-P), teachers (Conners 3-T), and youth (Conners 3-SR). Nonetheless, there is a lack of studies examining the psychometric properties of the Parent and Teacher versions and the relation between each version of the Conners 3 scales. Method: The present work examined the psychometric properties of the Parent and Teacher scales in terms of the structural validity and reliability of their Content scales in an Italian sample. Moreover, to support the need to administer all Conners 3 scales together and to exclude their potential redundancy, cross-informant agreement between parents, teachers, and children was assessed. Results: Results supported the Conners 3 scales as reliable and valid tools to assess ADHD and provided evidence for their non-redundancy. Conclusion: The non-redundancy of the Conners 3 may promote clinicians to adopt a multi-informant perspective