Factor Structure of the Conners' Teacher Rating Scale-Short Form in a Low-Income Preschool Sample

Abstract

The Conners' Teacher Rating Scale (CTRS) is among the most commonly used rating scales for the evaluation of childhood behavior disorders. This study examined the structural characteristics of the CTRS in a sample of 235 low-income, primarily African American, preschool children. Children were rated on the CTRS by an assessment research assistant, an intervention research assistant, and a classroom teacher. Multiple exploratory factor analyses converged on the same basic three-factor solution. The three factors could be labeled Hyperactivity/Impulsivity, Inattention, and Oppositional Behavior. This three-factor solution did not correspond to the published factor structure of the CTRS. Instead, it more closely paralleled consensus ratings of experts in the field of child psychology and the criteria for behavior disorders according to the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders-Fourth Edition (DSM-IV; American Psychiatric Association, 1994).