ABSTRACT
Knowledge of cross-informant rating concordance is critical for the assessment of child and adolescent problems in clinical and research settings. We explored parent-youth rating concordance for hair pulling variables, functional impairment, and anxiety symptoms in a sample of child and adolescent hair pullers (n = 133) satisfying conservative diagnostic criteria for trichotillomania (TTM). Whole group analyses reveal significant parent-youth agreement on all study variables. Split group analyses, however, reveal superior parent-youth concordance for the adolescent (15–17 years old) versus younger (10–12 years old) hair pullers for awareness of hair pulling and anxiety scale scores. These results highlight the need for both parent and youth ratings when assessing younger children with TTM.
The authors thank the Trichotillomania Learning Center (TLC) for sponsorship and funding of this project.
Notes
Note. Y = younger age group; O = older age group; Y − O Diff = difference in concordance ratings for younger and older age groups.
∗p < .05. ∗∗p < .001.