Psychometrics of a self-report version of the child and adolescent dispositions scale

• Type of Material: Article
• Authors: Benjamin B. Lahey, University of Chicago; Paul J. Rathouz, University of Chicago; Brooks Applegate, Western Michigan University; Jennifer L. Tackett, University of Toronto; Irwin Waldman, Emory University
• Language: English
• Date: 2010-05-01
• Publisher: Taylor & Francis (Routledge): STM, Behavioural Science and Public Health Titles
• Publication Version: Author Accepted Manuscript (After Peer Review)
• Copyright Statement: © Taylor & Francis Group, LLC.
• Final Published Version (URL): http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/15374411003691784
• Title of Journal or Parent Work: Journal of Clinical Child and Adolescent Psychology
• ISSN: 1537-4416
• Volume: 39
• Issue: 3
• Start Page: 351
• End Page: 361
• Grant/Funding Information: Supported by NIMH grants U01-MH54281, R01-MH53554, and R01-MH59111 to Benjamin B. Lahey and K01-MH01818 to Irwin D. Waldman.
• Keywords: Fear; Humans; Male; Frustration; Factor Analysis, Statistical; Child; Adolescent; Conduct Disorder; Reproducibility of Results; Risk Factors; Models, Psychological; Sex Factors; Surveys and Questionnaires; Psychometrics; Female; Parents; Social Environment
• Research Categories: Psychology, Developmental

Abstract

Lahey and Waldman (2003, 2005) proposed a model in which three dispositions- sympathetic response to others; negative emotional response to threat, frustration, and loss; and positive response to novelty and risk-transact with the environment to influence risk for conduct disorder (CD). To test this model, the Child and Adolescent Dispositions Scale (CADS) was developed to measure these dispositions using parent ratings of the child. Here we report psychometric evaluations of a parallel youth self-report version (CADS-Y). Exploratory factor analysis of CADS-Y items among 8329- to 17-year-olds yielded a 3-factor structure that was consistent with the model and invariant across sex and informants. In 1,582 pairs of 9- to 17-year-old twins, confirmatory factor analyses supported the CADS-Y 3-factor model. Each CADS-Y dimension was associated with CD and related personality dimensions as predicted.