Teacher ratings of hyperactivity in learning-disabled, emotionally disturbed, and mentally retarded children

pupils rated their pupils on the Abbreviated Teacher Rating Scale, a measure used to assess hyperactivity. The prevalence, distribution, and pattern of hyperactivity within and among these groups were analyzed. Age and sex differences were also studied. The findings are discussed in relation to cross-cultural research on hyperactiv-ity and are integrated into research on the behav-ioral characteristics of mildly handicapped pupils. In 1968, the National Institute of Mental Health awarded C. Keith Conners a personal services contract to develop a &dquo;reliable and sensible pediatric rating battery&dquo; (Lipman, 1974). One of these instruments was first published in 1969 (Conners, 1969) without a title and later variously labeled the Teacher Question-naire (Conners, 1973), the Conners Teacher Rating Scale (Goyette, Conners, & Ulrich, 1978), and now commonly referred to as the Teacher Rating Scale (TRS). It has become one of the most widely used behavior rating scales in the study of childhood psychopathology. Although its applications are diverse and include epidemiology, diagnosis, and the evaluation of behavioral and pharmacological interventions, it was originally developed to assess stimulant drug effects (see Conners, 1969). Conners formulated an abbreviated version of his rating scale (ATRS) that consists of 10 items that &dquo;are among those most frequently checked b