Symptom Patterns in Hyperkinetic, Neurotic, and Normal Children

CONNERS, C. KEITH. Symptom Patterns in Hyperkinetic, Neurotic, and Normal Children. CHILD DEVELOPMENT, 1970, 41, 667-682. Parent symptom ratings of 316 psychiatric clinic patients and 365 normal children were factor analyzed. Factor scores discriminate between patients and normals and between neurotic and hyperkinetic diagnostic groups, but the same basic factor structure appears in the groups. Age, social class, and race effects were slight. Symptom prevalence rates were higher in clinic patients than in a representative normal sample. It is concluded that there are few qualitative differences between normal and psychiatrically ill children, though they differ in the severity of symptomatology.