Citation

Halperin JM, McKay KE, Newcorn JH. J. Am. Acad. Child Adolesc. Psychiatry 2002; 41(3): 245-252.

Affiliation

Department of Psychology, Queens College of the City University of New York, and Mount Sinai School of Medicine, Flushing 11367, USA. jeffrey_halperin@qc.edu

Copyright

(Copyright © 2002, American Academy of Child Adolescent Psychiatry, Publisher Lippincott Williams and Wilkins)

DOI

unavailable

PMID

11886018

Abstract

OBJECTIVE: To provide preliminary psychometric data on the Children's Aggression Scale-Parent Version (CAS-P), which assesses severity, frequency, pervasiveness, and diversity of aggressive, as distinct from nonaggressive, disruptive behaviors. METHOD: The scale has 33 items representing five domains: Verbal Aggression, Aggression Against Objects and Animals, Provoked Physical Aggression, Unprovoked Physical Aggression, and Use of Weapons. The CAS-P was completed for 73 clinically referred children. Validity was evaluated dimensionally by examining the relationship of CAS-P scores to other parent and teacher rating scales, and categorically by comparing scores of children with attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) alone, oppositional defiant disorder, and conduct disorder. RESULTS: The scale as a whole had excellent internal consistency (alpha = .93). Children with conduct disorder were rated significantly higher than those with oppositional defiant disorder, who were rated significantly higher than those with ADHD alone. The CAS-P did not distinguish clinical control children from those with ADHD only. Correlations with other rating scales provide further support for the validity of the CAS-P. CONCLUSIONS: The CAS-P assesses distinct components of aggressive behavior and may fill a gap in that it distinguishes among various types and severity of aggressive behaviors, and the settings in which they take place.

Language: en