Validation of a classroom observation code for hyperactive children.

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to devise a classroom observation code that would identify hyperactive children reliably. A 14-category observation code was used to record the classroom behavior of 60 children referred to an outpatient clinic for hyperactivity and 60 same-sex normal children. The overall mean phi coefficient for interval agreement was .76, indicating adequate interobserver reliability. Children referred for hyperactivity had significantly higher scores than comparison children on 12 categories. There was greater withinsubject variability in the hyperactive group. Motor activity for both groups was significantly inversely related to age. The behavior frequencies during initial and later observations were not significantly different, indicating a lack of systematic observer effects on the child's behavior. However, there was overlap between the hyperactive and comparison children for all observation categories. Poor discrimination between the groups was therefore obtained with singlecategory criteria. Two-category criteria, especially the dyad interference and of task, substantially increased the code's discriminability, resulting in relatively few false positive and few false negative classifications. The code is felt to be a reliable and valid instrument for the objective quantification of classroom behavior in hyperactive children.This article presents an observation code to enable quantification of the classroom behavior of hyperactive children. These children typically evidence excessive motor activity, inattentiveness, and poor impulse control for their age (Douglas, 1972;Safer & Allen, 1976;Wender, 1971). During the past decade, hyperactive children have received increasing attention from educators and mental health professionals, partly because of

Methylphenidate in Aggressive Hyperactive Boys: II. Indirect Effects of Medication Treatment on Peer Behavior

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