The structure of psychopathology in a community sample of preschoolers

Jennifer Strickland*, Jennifer Keller, John V. Lavigne, Karen Gouze, Joyce Hopkins, Susan Lebailly

*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

39 Scopus citations

Abstract

Despite growing interest in the development of alternative diagnostic classification systems for psychopathology in young children, little is known about the adequacy of the DSM symptom structure for describing psychopathology in this population. This paper examines the fit of the DSM-IV emotional (ED) and disruptive behavior disorder (DD) symptom structure in a community sample of 796 4-year-old children. Using the parent-report Child Symptom Inventory (CSI), the best model fit for ED included separate factors for Social Phobia, Separation Anxiety Disorder, Generalized Anxiety Disorder, and Major Depressive Disorder. For DD, the best model included separate Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder-Inattentive type (ADHD-I), Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder-Hyperactive/Impulsive type (ADHD-HI), and Oppositional Defiant Disorder diagnoses. These findings support using DSM-IV nosology to classify EDs in a community sample of preschool children, and suggest differentiation of ADHD into ADHD-I and ADHD-HI.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Pages (from-to)601-610
Number of pages10
JournalJournal of Abnormal Child Psychology
Volume39
Issue number4
DOIs
StatePublished - May 2011

Keywords

  • Confirmatory factor analysis
  • DSM-IV
  • Nosology
  • Preschool children

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Psychiatry and Mental health
  • Developmental and Educational Psychology

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