Abstract
Background
Caregiver report is crucial for the diagnosis of childhood onset psychiatric disorders, particularly autism. Three experiments were conducted to determine whether caregiver reports of past and current behaviors are affected by question timing and ordering.
Methods
Using the Autism Diagnostic Interview – Revised (ADI-R), two studies systematically varied the order in which caregivers were asked about behaviors. In a third study, descriptions of children's current behaviors at age 5 were compared to retrospective descriptions of behaviors at age 5 collected at age 10.
Results
Caregivers, who were first asked about a history of symptoms, described less severe past and present behavior than caregivers reporting current behaviors as well as caregivers reporting current and history of symptoms together. Caregivers retrospectively reported more severe behaviors for age 5 when their children were age 10 than they had when their children were age 5.
Conclusions
Caregivers describe past behaviors differently depending on whether they are asked about current symptoms first. Methods of caregiver reporting can influence interpretations of symptom severity with effects on diagnoses and research findings.
Caregiver report is crucial for the diagnosis of childhood onset psychiatric disorders, particularly autism. Three experiments were conducted to determine whether caregiver reports of past and current behaviors are affected by question timing and ordering.
Methods
Using the Autism Diagnostic Interview – Revised (ADI-R), two studies systematically varied the order in which caregivers were asked about behaviors. In a third study, descriptions of children's current behaviors at age 5 were compared to retrospective descriptions of behaviors at age 5 collected at age 10.
Results
Caregivers, who were first asked about a history of symptoms, described less severe past and present behavior than caregivers reporting current behaviors as well as caregivers reporting current and history of symptoms together. Caregivers retrospectively reported more severe behaviors for age 5 when their children were age 10 than they had when their children were age 5.
Conclusions
Caregivers describe past behaviors differently depending on whether they are asked about current symptoms first. Methods of caregiver reporting can influence interpretations of symptom severity with effects on diagnoses and research findings.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | 577-585 |
| Number of pages | 9 |
| Journal | Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry |
| Volume | 56 |
| Issue number | 5 |
| Early online date | 22 Sept 2014 |
| DOIs | |
| Publication status | Published - 1 May 2015 |
Keywords
- ADI-R
- Autism spectrum disorders
- diagnosis
- longitudinal
- parent report