Absalom M. Yellin

Validity and Norms of a Hyperactivity Rating Scale

Teachers rated 1337 school children to determine norms for a hyperactivity rating scale; teacher ratings of 45 hyperactive children, referred by physicians, were also obtained. Although hyperative and norm means were clearly separated, a nontrivial portion of hyperactive children had teacher ratings within the normal range. Norm data were factor-analyzed, and a hyperactivity factor was identified. Behaviors with the highest loadings on the hyperactivity factor yielded the largest differences between hyperactive and norm groups. Within the norm group, black children had the highest hyperactive ratings and oriental children had the lowest. Hyperactivity ratings were slightly higher for boys than for girls.

Effects of Imipramine and Methylphenidate on Perceptual-Motor Performance of Hyperactive Children

Perceptual-motor effects of imipramine and methylphenidate were evaluated in a double-blind study of 47 hyperactive children. No effects were found for imipramine, although methylphenidate improved performance on several tests. Improvement due to methylphenidate was not related to baseline scores. A discriminant function was computed to compare baseline perceptual-motor scores of the hyperactive and 41 normal children. Only half of the hyperactive children were clearly discriminated from normal children by the discriminant function. The digit-span test, which was not sensitive to methylphenidate, effectively discriminated hyperactive from normal children.

A standardized problem retrieval system (SPRS) for use in clinical and research settings.

A standardized problem list for clinical and research use in child psychiatry is described, which can be employed in a computerized data retrieval system and which provides for great flexibility, both in terms of its use and in its amenability to modification and expansion.