Journal of Attention Disorders

 

Advanced Search

Journal Navigation

Journal Home

Subscriptions

Archive

Contact Us

Table of Contents

Free Access - Register Here

Click here for free access to the SAGE eReference platform!

Sign In to gain access to subscriptions and/or personal tools.
This Article
Right arrow Full Text (PDF)
Right arrow References
Right arrow Alert me when this article is cited
Right arrow Alert me if a correction is posted
Services
Right arrow Email this article to a friend
Right arrow Similar articles in this journal
Right arrow Similar articles in PubMed
Right arrow Alert me to new issues of the journal
Right arrow Add to Saved Citations
Right arrow Download to citation manager
Right arrowRequest Permissions
Right arrow Request Reprints
Right arrow Add to My Marked Citations
Citing Articles
Right arrow Citing Articles via Google Scholar
Google Scholar
Right arrow Articles by Gathje, R. A.
Right arrow Articles by Gordon, M.
Right arrow Search for Related Content
PubMed
Right arrow PubMed Citation
Right arrow Articles by Gathje, R. A.
Right arrow Articles by Gordon, M.
Social Bookmarking
Add to CiteULike   Add to Connotea   Add to Del.icio.us   Add to Digg   Add to Reddit   Add to Technorati  
What's this?
Journal of Attention Disorders, Vol. 11, No. 5, 529-537 (2008)
DOI: 10.1177/1087054707314028

The Role of Impairment in the Diagnosis of ADHD

Rebecca A. Gathje

Syracuse University

Lawrence J. Lewandowski

Syracuse University, ljlewand{at}syr.edu

Michael Gordon

State University of New York, Upstate Medical University

Objective: Current diagnostic criteria for ADHD require the consideration of impairment in making a diagnosis, although clinical and research definitions of ADHD rely more heavily on reported symptoms. This study explored the relationship between impairment and symptoms, variables predictive of impairment, and variation in ADHD identification when impairment criteria are added to symptom criteria. Method: ADHD symptoms and impairment were assessed using archival parent and teacher rating scale data. Results: The results indicated that (a) single impairment measures alone and a global impairment index were, at best, only moderately correlated with symptom reports; (b) predictor variables accounted for a small percentage of the variance in impairment; and (c) the number of children meeting criteria for ADHD diagnosis varied dramatically when impairment measures were considered. Conclusion: Symptoms and impairment are related yet distinct constructs that should be measured independently to determine the presence of ADHD. (J. of Att. Dis. 2008; 11(5) 529-537)

Key Words: ADHD • impairment • symptoms • diagnostic criteria


Add to CiteULike CiteULike   Add to Connotea Connotea   Add to Del.icio.us Del.icio.us   Add to Digg Digg   Add to Reddit Reddit   Add to Technorati Technorati    What's this?