Validation of the French Version of Conners' Parent Rating Scale Revised, Short Version: Factorial Structure and Reliability

Objective: Attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder is one of the most frequent neurodevelopmental disorders. Its diagnosis requires reference questionnaires such as the Conners' Parent Rating Scale (CPRS). Presently, in French-speaking countries, a few translations of the revised short CPRS have been put to use without previous formal validation. We sought here for the validation of a French version (Lausanne, Switzerland) of the revised short CPRS regarding construct validity, internal consistency, and item reliability in a sample of French schoolchildren. Method: The study involved 795 children and adolescents aged 9 to 19 years from a single school. The factorial structure and item reliability were assessed with a confirmatory factor analysis for ordered categorical variables. The dimension internal consistency was assessed with Guttman's lambda 6 coefficient. Results: The results confirmed the original and strong 3-dimensional factorial structure (Oppositional, Cognitive Problems/Inattention, and Hyperactivity), showed satisfactory item reliability, and indicated a good dimension internal consistency (Guttman's lambda 6 coefficient: 0.87, 0.90, and 0.82, respectively, to the 3 dimensions). Conclusions: Thus, the Lausanne French version of the revised short CPRS may be considered validated regarding construct validity and item and dimension reliability; it can be now more confidently used in clinical practice.