Scaini, S., Giani, L., De Francesco, S. et al. (2026). Standardization study of the Italian cognitive disengagement syndrome scale (ICDSS) in an Italian sample of school-aged children.

Current Psychology 45, 285.

Abstract

Despite growing evidence supporting the independence of Cognitive Disengagement Syndrome (CDS) from ADHD-inattentive subtype, it lacks formal recognition in diagnostic systems and a screening tool for early detection. This study aimed to standardize the “Italian Cognitive Disengagement Syndrome Scale” (ICDSS), a parent-report screening measure.

A sample of 369 Italian children (ages 6–14, 9.38 ± 2.34 years; 181 girls, 183 boys) was recruited from the general population in a school-based setting, using caregivers and teachers as raters. Exploratory Factor Analysis (EFA) with oblique rotation was conducted on 200 children using Principal Component Analysis (PCA) for factor extraction. Horn’s Parallel Analysis (5000 permutations) determined the number of retained components. Confirmatory Factor Analysis (CFA) using Lavaan 0.6-19 structural equation modeling with Maximum Likelihood Robust (MLR) estimation was performed on 169 children. EFA identified four factors, but CFA confirmed a three-factor model comprising 29 retained items grouped as follows: (TC1) attention and working memory impairments, (TC2) hypoactivity and low energy, and (TC3) daydreaming, initiation difficulties, and procrastination. These components demonstrated excellent reliability (TC1: α = .92; TC2: α = .87; TC3: α = .83), good concurrent validity (.73˂rho˂.84), and test-retest reliability (.55˂rho˂.81). The ICDSS can be considered a reliable and valid instrument for assessing CDS symptomatology in children. The availability of this new screening tool for CDS lays the groundwork for future research on preventive interventions, which could be beneficial for the rehabilitation of children with CDS.

Learn more: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12144-025-09001-5