Diagnostic implications of parental ratings of children

Evaluated parental ratings on aggressiveness and social responsibility for 120 school-age children and a cross-validation sample of 67 children referred to a university-sponsored developmental evaluation center in association with 10 commonly used interdisciplinary diagnoses . Parental ratings consistently and significantly related to staff diagnoses of behavior disorder and to hyperkinesis. A number of "expected " relationships, e.g., between learning disability and social irresponsibility, did not occur. In general, the results indicate: (1) that parental ratings show consistent relationships to selected interdisciplinary staff diagnoses; (2) that hyperkinesis may be related more strongly to aggressiveness than to the lack of socially responsible behavior; and (3) that parental ratings are potentially valuable in the diagnostic process.