Week 6 Flashcards
ADHD assessment methods with little or no empirical support
- Individual intelligence tests
- Individual achievement tests
- Laboratory measures (Continuous Performance Tests)
- Self-report measures (may be useful for adolescents but limited overall reliability)
Best practices for ADHD assessment
Behavioral Approach – Multiple methods, multiple informants, multiple settings.
Primary data sources:
* Parents & teachers (interviews & rating scales)
* Direct observations of student behavior in the classroom & home.
Stage 1 of the ADHD assessment model
Screening
* Teacher ratings of ADHD symptoms to identify potential cases.
Stage 2 of the ADHD assessment model
Multimethod Assessment
* Parent & teacher interviews
* Parent & teacher rating scales
* Review of school records
* Direct observations in class
* Academic performance data
* Quality of student’s desk organization
* Functional behavior assessment
Stage 3 of ADHD assessment model
Interpretation of Results
* Number of ADHD symptoms present
* Deviance from age & gender norms
* Age of onset & chronicity
* Pervasiveness across different environments
* Degree of functional impairment
- Rule out other possible disorders
Stage 4 of ADHD assessment model
Treatment Planning
* Based on:
✅ Severity of symptoms
✅ Functional behavior assessment results
✅ Presence of co-occurring disorders
✅ Response to prior interventions
✅ Availability of community resources
Key components of ADHD assessment
- Teacher interviews
- Teacher rating scales
- Parent interviews
(ADHD) Teacher interviews should include
- Describe student’s difficulties in behavioral terms
- Review DSM-5 ADHD criteria
- Ask about antecedents & consequences of behaviors
- Discuss academic performance & social interactions
(ADHD) What teacher rating scales should be used
- Broad-band approach: BASC-3 (Behavior Assessment System for Children)
- Narrow-band measures:
○ ADHD Rating Scale
○ Social Skills Rating Scale
- Narrow-band measures:
(ADHD) Parents’ interviews should
- Assess hyperactivity & impulsivity at home
- Identify internalizing symptoms (anxiety, depression)
- Gather child’s early developmental history
- Family history of behavioral, emotional, & learning disorders
ADHD Diagnosis considerations
- ADHD is presumed to have a biological basis but etiology remains inconclusive.
- ADHD assessments mainly determine whether the condition is present.
- Many believe a physician must diagnose ADHD, though multidimensional behavioral assessment is best practice.
True or false: There is no specific cure for ADHD
True (TReatment helps manage the symptoms)
Ineffective ADHD interventions
Traditional counseling/psychotherapy
Special diets (no evidence that sugar/food additives contribute to ADHD)
ADHD pharmacological interventions
Stimulant Medications (e.g., Methylphenidate [Ritalin], Amphetamines [Adderall])
* Most extensively studied ADHD treatment.
* ~70% of children show behavioral improvements.
ADHD medication benefits
✅ Increased on-task behavior & academic productivity
✅ Reduced disruptive behaviors
✅ Improved compliance & independent play
✅ Enhanced social interaction
ADHD medication side effects
- Decreased appetite
- Insomnia
Limitations of ADHD medications
⚠️Behavioral effects vary across individuals
⚠️ Does not fully address all ADHD-related difficulties
⚠️ Long-term compliance is low
⚠️ Effects do not generalize to non-medicated times
⚠️ 20-30% of children do not respond to stimulants
ADHD Behavioral interventions
- Parent training
- Antecedent interventions
- Cosequence Interventions
Potential Antecedent Interventions
- Reduce workload
- Provide choices for task completion
- Peer tutoring/cooperative learning
- Teach note-taking & study skills
- Post, review, & prompt classroom rules
- Train self-monitoring of behavior & academics
Potential Consequence Interventions
- Praise & positive reinforcement
- Token economies
- Behavior contracts
- Systems that encourage appropriate behavior
Long term risks for children with ADHD and CD
⚠️ Substance abuse
⚠️ Unemployment
⚠️ Divorce
⚠️ Accidents & injuries
⚠️ Welfare dependence
⚠️ Increased risk of juvenile/adult criminality
Key Feature of CD
📌 Problems in emotional & behavioral self-control
📌 Conflict with social norms & authority figures
📌 Violation of others’ rights
📌 More common in males
📌 Onset in childhood or adolescence
📌 Greater frequency, persistence, and pervasiveness than typically expected.
