Systematic diagnostic interviewing of children: present state and future possibilities.

The use of the structured diagnostic interview in child psychiatry is reviewed in relation to the need for a consistent data base in research and practice. The main criticisms of structured interviews with children, and the specific need to take account of developmental factors in design are discussed. Several interview schedules based on DSM III criteria are available to meet different needs and these are described. Test-retest and inter-rater reliability depend on the training of the interviewers. Validity likewise depends on experience and training in the use of the DSM III classification. Diagnostic discrepancies that arise in parent and child interviews, and the general issues of diagnostic validity in child psychiatric research are discussed. It is argued that thorough testing of the available instruments would appear to have more value at the present time than the design of new instruments.