Graduate Program

School Psychology

Degree Name

Specialist in School Psychology

Semester of Degree Completion

2009

Thesis Director

Gary Canivez

Thesis Committee Member

Assege HaileMariam

Thesis Committee Member

J. Havey

Abstract

This study examined the construct validity and diagnostic utility of the Cognitive Assessment System (Naglieri & Das, 1997). Distinct group differences and discriminative validity of 40 kindergarten through second grade students (20 meeting ADHD criteria on the Structured Diagnostic Interview for Parents and the Adjustment Scales for Children and Adolescents, 20 random matched control) on measures of Planning, Attention, Simultaneous, and Successive Processing were completed. The ADHD and random matched control groups differed significantly on Planning and Attention scores with large effect sizes but not on Simultaneous or Successive scores. Low Planning and Attention scores but normal Simultaneous and Successive scores were reported for the ADHD group. Direct discriminant function analysis with follow up diagnostic efficiency statistics found CAS PASS scores correctly differentiated ADHD and random matched control groups with an overall correct classification rate of 78%. Results suggested the potential utility of the CAS as a measure to assist in ADHD diagnosis.

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