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Measuring Impairment in Children with AttentionDeficit Hyperactivity Disorder
Gregory A. Fabiano, M.A.,
and William E. Pelham, Jr., Ph.D.
Typically, ADHD is diagnosed by collecting information on the presence and severity of behavioral symptoms specified in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM; American Psychiatric Association, 1994), such as often fidgets with hands or feet or squirms in seat. Clinicians typically measure the occurrence of these symptoms using structured or semistructured interviews, and by having parents and teachers complete standardized rating scales. Based on the information gathered, if a child has six or more inattentive symptoms, and/or six or more hyperactive/impulsive symptoms endorsed, he or she may meet criteria for ADHD.
However, for a diagnosis of ADHD to be made, the DSM also requires that impairment must be present in two or more settings, and there must be clear evidence of clinically significant impairment in social, academic, or occupational functioning (APA, 1994, p. 84). Impairment may be defined as the impact of the disorder on daily life in important functional domains, and in order for a diagnosis of ADHD to be made, clinicians must demonstrate that the symptoms of ADHD affect the childs daily functioning across domains.
WHY...