Validation of the QbMini Test to diagnose Attention Deficit and Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) in 5-year-old children

Objective: ADHD occurs in 2 %-8 % of all preschoolers. There are only few methods for diagnosing ADHD at this age.The current study aims to validate the QbMini Test, a psychometric tool that measures the three main symptoms of ADHD, inattention, hyperactivity and impulsivity, in preschool-aged children. Method: The QbMini Test was taken by a sample of 95 five-year-old children, both with and without ADHD. This computer-based test recorded attention and impulsivity by means of a CPT, while the hyperactivity measurement was carried out via an infrared camera. In addition, the parents rated their respective children on symptom-specific behavior sheets for ADHS (CBCL and FBB-ADHS-V). Results: Based on regression analysis of the resulting data, the relationship between QbMini Test and the symptom-specific behavior ratings showed significant correlations, especially for the factor hyperactivity. Conclusions: The initial results show that the QbMini Test is a valid tool that may be used in conjunction with other ADHD diagnostic methods at preschool age

Is the QbMini a Valid Instrument for ADHD Assessment?

Objective: Few neuropsychological measurement tools of attention can assess preschoolers despite adequate instruments' potential to facilitate early diagnostic processes, which are currently demanding. This study's objective was to evaluate the QbMini, an attention-deficit hyperactive disorder (ADHD) measurement tool for preschoolers. Method: QbMini performances of 37 5-year-old ADHD patients, 55 healthy controls, and 26 children with specific language impairment (SLI) were compared using univariate analyses of variance. The test's predictive power was evaluated using receiver operating characteristics (ROC) analyses and compared to a parental rating scale. Finally, the scales were compared by correlating their respective scores. Results: The QbMini measures ADHD symptoms and reliably differentiates between healthy children and patients, but not between children with ADHD and children with SLI. Conclusion: The QbMini can indicate presence and strength of ADHD symptoms, but fails to diagnose ADHD. It measures symptoms in a different way than parental ratings and might be stronger in distinguishing between hyperactivity and inattention

The DADYS-Screen: Development and Evaluation of a Screening Tool for Affective Dysregulation in Children

Affective dysregulation (AD) in children is characterized by persistent irritability and severe temper outbursts. This study developed and evaluated a screening questionnaire for AD in children. The development included the generation of an initial item pool from existing instruments, a Delphi rating of experts, focus groups with experts and parents, and psychometric analyses of clinical and population-based samples. Based on data of a large community-based study, the final screening questionnaire was developed (n = 771; 49.7 % female; age M = 10.02 years; SD = 1.34) and evaluated (n = 8,974; 48.7 % female; age M = 10.00 years; SD = 1.38) with methods from classical test theory and item response theory. The developed DADYS-Screen (Diagnostic Tool for Affective Dysregulation in Children-Screening Questionnaire) includes 12 items with good psychometric properties and scale characteristics including a good fit to a one-factorial model in comparison to the baseline model, although only a mediocre fit according to the root mean square error of approximation (RMSEA). Results could be confirmed using a second and larger data set. Overall, the DADYS-Screen is able to identify children with AD, although it needs further investigation using clinical data

Irritability and Emotional Impulsivity as Core Feature of ADHD and ODD in Children (May, 10.1007/s10862-022-09974-8, 2022)

The categorical approach of diagnosing mental disorders entails the problem of frequently occurring comorbidities, suggesting a more parsimonious structure of psychopathology. In this study, we therefore aim to assess how affective dysregulation (AD) is associated with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and oppositional defiant disorder (ODD) in children. To assess AD in children aged 8-12 years (n = 391), we employed the parent version of a newly constructed parent rating scale. Following item reduction, we conducted exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses to establish a factorial structure of AD. One core dimension was identified, comprising irritability and emotional impulsivity, and two smaller dimensions, comprising positive emotionality and exuberance. Subsequently, we examined five different latent factor models - a unidimensional model, a first-order correlated factor model, a second-order correlated factor model, a traditional bifactor model, and a bifactor S-1 model, in which the first-order factor AD-Irritability/Emotional Impulsivity (II) was modeled as the general reference factor. A bifactor S-1 model with the a priori defined general reference domain AD-II provided the best fit to our data and was straightforward to interpret. This model showed excellent model fit and no anomalous factor loadings. This still held true, when comparing it to bifactor S-1 models with ADHD/ODD-related reference factors. Differential correlations with emotion regulation skills and the established Parent Proxy Anger Scale validate the interpretation of the different dimensions. Our results suggest that irritability/emotional impulsivity might be a common core feature of ADHD and ODD