A comprehensive approach to accurate ADHD diagnosis 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.

A comprehensive approach to accurate ADHD diagnosisIn Essentials of ADHD Assessment in Children andAdolescents, the authors provide a clear and informative roadmap for practitioners seeking to conduct state-of-the-artassessments for one of the most common disorders of childhood.Drawing upon years of experience in conducting diagnosticevaluations of ADHD following best-practice standards, theyemphasize the importance of a comprehensive evaluationincorporating data from multiple sources, using multiple methodsand interpreting findings within the appropriate developmental andcultural contexts. The major components of an ADHD evaluation(interviews, rating scales, cognitive testing, observation, recordreview) are reviewed in detail.Expert guidance is provided for resolving the most commonchallenges in assessing ADHD, including differentiating symptomsfrom normal development, dealing with discrepant data, differentialdiagnosis, and considering comorbidity. The latest scholarlyliterature is integrated with the authors' practicalrecommendations to provide clinicians with the concepts and toolsneeded for effective and accurate assessment of ADHD, addressingsuch topics as:* When inattention is ADHD, and when it may be emotional orneurological* Which disorders may masquerade as or present with ADHD* The elements of accurate ADHD testing and the reasons behindthem* Integrating results of a multi-modal approach into an ADHDassessmentAn indispensable professional resource for practicingclinicians, Essentials of ADHD Assessment for Children andAdolescents is a reader-friendly guide to providing a thoroughresponsible ADHD evaluation.

Foreword xiSeries Preface xiiiPreface xvAcknowledgments xixOne Understanding ADHD 1Historical Perspective 2Overarching Principles 8Core Features 11Associated Features and Comorbidity 14Etiology 20Epidemiology 25Summary 30Test Yourself 30References 32Two What the DSM-5 Says About ADHD 45Organization of the DSM-5 46DSM-5 Criteria for ADHD 49How Do I Know if It Is DSM-5 ADHD? 64Summary 64Test Yourself 65References 67Three Assessing ADHD: Goals and Guiding Principles 69Goals 70Guiding Principles 78Summary 99Test Yourself 100References 102Four Components of ADHD Assessment 107Sequence of Evaluation Components 109Record Review 111Interview 113Clinical Observation 125Rating Scales 128Cognitive Testing 133Summary 148Test Yourself 149References 150Five Putting It All Together: Integrating Findings and Drawing Conclusions 154Clinical Application of the DSM-5 Criteria for ADHD 155Differential Diagnosis and Comorbidity 163Dealing with Discrepant Data 179Beyond Diagnosis 183Summary 186Test Yourself 187References 189Six Illustrative Case Reports 191Psychological Evaluation 194ADHD Evaluation Report 223Neuropsychological Evaluation 245Annotated Bibliography 275About the Authors 277Index 279