Faculty Articles
A Review of Methods and Instruments for Assessing Externalizing Disorders: Theoretical and Practical Considerations in Rendering a Diagnosis.
Document Type
Article
Publication Title
Clinical Psychology Review
ISSN
0272-7358
Publication Date
8-1998
Abstract
This review addresses the most current and widely used methods of assessing childhood and adolescent externalizing disorders. Interviews, rating scales, and self-report instruments are described, and their strengths and weaknesses are discussed. Direct observational techniques in naturalistic and analogue settings are also reviewed. Throughout the article, commentary is offered regarding the psychometric adequacy and clinical validity of these instruments. It is suggested that, although the instruments presently used to assist in diagnosing externalizing disorders generally possess adequate reliability and representational validity, evidence of elaborative validity is lacking. Clinicians and researchers are encouraged to adopt a broader conceptualization of the diagnostic process, to question existing standards for establishing validity, and to consider alternative means of demonstrating diagnostic utility.
DOI
10.1016/S0272-7358(98)00003-8
Volume
18
Issue
5
First Page
555
Last Page
584
NSUWorks Citation
Reitman, D.,
Hummel, R.,
Franz, D. Z.,
Gross, A. M.
(1998). A Review of Methods and Instruments for Assessing Externalizing Disorders: Theoretical and Practical Considerations in Rendering a Diagnosis.. Clinical Psychology Review, 18(5), 555-584.
Available at: https://nsuworks.nova.edu/cps_facarticles/274