9 The most common co-occurring conditions reported with ADHD include: 9Ī small percentage (1.0%) of adolescents aged 12 to 17 years with ADHD also had a parent-reported current substance use disorder (SUD). As per a national 2016 parent survey, 6 in 10 children with ADHD had at least one other mental, emotional, or behavioral disorder. ( See Table I below on the various assessment tools available.)Ī challenge with diagnosing ADHD is that the characteristics associated with the disorder – such as difficulties with focusing, shifting/dividing attention, managing frustration, organization/poor time-management, working memory, and staying engaged – are common symptoms that could have a breadth of etiologies.Īs noted, more often than not, ADHD coincides with another disorder. In addition, current understandings have influenced targeted areas measured in continuous performance tests and led to appreciable revisions of rating scales. This shift in appreciating the connection between executive functioning and ADHD over the past 20-plus years has translated to the development of neuropsychological batteries to evaluate the disorder. The American Psychological Association recognized and codified these distinctions in the DSM-5.
This conceptualization has been widely supported by more than two decades of research noting how the condition often, but not always, is diagnosed in childhood and is intricately connected to brain-behavior relationships involving executive functioning (eg, attention, impulse control, self-regulation, organization/planning, and working memory) that presents differently across the lifespan. Long-term studies show that “children and adolescents with ADHD are more likely to experience a variety of negative outcomes compared to their peers without the disorder, including lower academic attainment, impaired social functioning, increased risk of hospital admissions and injuries, increased substance use and risk of a substance use disorder, and reduced income and participation in labor markets as adults.” 4-8 Classifying an ADHD Diagnosis: Current Understandings, Overlapping DisordersĪDHD is now more accurately viewed as a neurodevelopmental disorder. 2 Societal costs – such as healthcare, education, and reduced family productivity associated with childhood ADHD – have been estimated to range from $38 billion to $72 billion per year. In 2013, US healthcare expenditures for ADHD totaled $23 billion. Estimates of ADHD among those 10 to 17 years old are almost twice as high as those for children 5 to 9 years old. It is notable that incidence rates increase with age. Compare this to 7% seen in 1998 to 2000 and a worldwide prevalence rate of 5%, the latter explained by different diagnostic instruments and guidelines and access to healthcare. Prevalence and Costs Associated with ADHDĪDHD is the most common behavioral condition seen in children and adolescents in the United States, affecting 10% of those ages 4 to 17 years old.
This article reviews widely recommended professional guidelines in the scientific literature – that is, best practices – to assess ADHD and the limitations often faced with evaluating ADHD. These factors collectively provide an impetus for developing and implementing measures that can accurately diagnose this condition from the onset. the fact that ADHD often coincides with another disorder.the adverse influence ADHD can have on functioning at home, school, work, and in social relationships.high prevalence rates (more on this below).This process begins with understanding the multitude of factors that can impact an ADHD diagnosis: These include providing input into educational interventions, determining eligibility for disability requirements, and evaluating therapeutic or scholastic outcomes.įinding and utilizing reliable assessment tools – along with therapeutic supports to efficiently address ADHD – is key. Jump to: ADHD Treatment Costs ADHD Classification ADHD Assessment Accuracy ADHD Assessment Tool List ADHD Clinical Evaluation ADHD Testing Invalid Presentation of ADHD Most Effective ADHD Diagnosis ToolsĪssessing children and adults for Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) can offer crucial insight into one’s functioning and, thereby, guide life-impacting treatment decisions.