How Is a Teacher Rating Scale Used in the Diagnosis of Attention Deficit Disorder?

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Abstract
Teachers can provide important and useful information to assist in the diagnostic process for Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD). The ideal conditions for teacher information are seldom met, and rating scales are a useful adjunct when personal familiarity with the teacher is precluded by practical considerations. Rater biases, positive and negative halo effects, practice effects and other problems associated with rating scales are outweighed by the ease of use, low cost, and reasonable reliability and validity of teacher rating scales. Problems of over- and under-diagnosis can be avoided by reliance upon a comprehensive assessment of which teacher information is an important part.