Essentials of ADHD Assessment for Children and Adolescents Essentials of Psychological Assessment Series

In Essentials of ADHD Assessment in Children and Adolescents, the authors provide a clear and informative road map for practitioners seeking to conduct state-of-the-art assessments for one of the most common disorders of childhood. Drawing upon years of experience in conducting diagnostic evaluations of ADHD following best-practice standards, they emphasize the importance of a comprehensive evaluation, incorporating data from multiple sources, using multiple methods, and interpreting findings within the appropriate developmental and cultural contexts. The major components of an ADHD evaluation (interviews, rating scales, cognitive testing, observation, record review) are reviewed in detail.

Expert guidance is provided for resolving the most common challenges in assessing ADHD, including differentiating symptoms from normal development, dealing with discrepant data, differential diagnosis, and considering comorbidity. The latest scholarly literature is integrated with the authors' practical recommendations to provide clinicians with the concepts and tools needed for effective and accurate assessment of ADHD, addressing such topics as:

• When inattention is ADHD, and when it may be emotional or neurological
• Which disorders may masquerade as or present with ADHD
• The elements of accurate ADHD testing and the reasons behind them
• Integrating results of a multi-modal approach into an ADHD assessment

An indispensable professional resource for practicing clinicians, Essentials of ADHD Assessment for Children and Adolescents is a reader-friendly guide to providing a thorough, responsible ADHD evaluation.

Foreword xi

Series Preface xiii

Preface xv

Acknowledgments xix

One Understanding ADHD 1

Historical Perspective 2

Overarching Principles 8

Core Features 11

Associated Features and Comorbidity 14

Etiology 20

Epidemiology 25

Summary 30

Test Yourself 30

References 32

Two What the DSM-5 Says About ADHD 45

Organization of the DSM-5 46

DSM-5 Criteria for ADHD 49

How Do I Know if It Is DSM-5 ADHD? 64

Summary 64

Test Yourself 65

References 67

Three Assessing ADHD: Goals and Guiding Principles 69

Goals 70

Guiding Principles 78

Summary 99

Test Yourself 100

References 102

Four Components of ADHD Assessment 107

Sequence of Evaluation Components 109

Record Review 111

Interview 113

Clinical Observation 125

Rating Scales 128

Cognitive Testing 133

Summary 148

Test Yourself 149

References 150

Five Putting It All Together: Integrating Findings and Drawing Conclusions 154

Clinical Application of the DSM-5 Criteria for ADHD 155

Differential Diagnosis and Comorbidity 163

Dealing with Discrepant Data 179

Beyond Diagnosis 183

Summary 186

Test Yourself 187

References 189

Six Illustrative Case Reports 191

Psychological Evaluation 194

ADHD Evaluation Report 223

Neuropsychological Evaluation 245

Annotated Bibliography 275

About the Authors 277

Index 279

ELIZABETH P. SPARROW, PhD, is a pediatric neuropsychologist in Raleigh, North Carolina, with expertise in diagnosis and treatment planning for ADHD in children, adolescents, and young adults. Dr. Sparrow wrote the Essentials of Conners Behavior Assessments, co-authored the Guide to Assessment Scales in ADHD, Second Edition, and co-edited Executive Function and Dysfunction: Identification, Assessment, and Treatment.

DREW ERHARDT, PhD, is a clinical psychologist and professor in the Graduate School of Education and Psychology at Pepperdine University. In addition to writing numerous journal articles and chapters on the nature, assessment, and treatment of ADHD, Dr. Erhardt co-authored the Conners Adult ADHD Rating Scale and served on the editorial board of the Journal of Attention Disorders.