The many faces of hyperactivity: Similarities and differences in diagnostic policies.

Used multiple regression methods to investigate the diagnostic policies for hyperactivity (hyperkinesis) used by 16 experienced clincial psychologists. Individual analyses were made on each S's set of diagnoses of children who had been described in terms of 19 cues, including reports of home and school behavior, clinical observation, and test results. Linear models accounted for a reasonably large amount of the diagnostic variance. Although Ss' diagnoses were all intercorrelated, there were substantial individual differences among them in terms of both the cues used and the number diagnosed hyperactive. Results cast doubt on the presumption of professional consensus on the behavioral symptoms of a hyperactivity syndrome and suggest that the diagnostician may be an important source of the observed symptom heterogeneity of hyperactive children. (26 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)