Attention difficulties and hyperactivity are common symptoms of attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder, also known as ADHD. ADHD was formerly referred to as ADD, however in recent years the disorder has been changed to include hyperactivity. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports that 3 to 7 percent of school-age children suffer from ADHD and that from 1997 to 2006, the diagnoses of ADHD increased an average of 3 percent per year. Numerous tests and ratings scales are available for parents, teachers and physicians to use to diagnose ADHD.
Conners' Teacher/Parents Rating Scales
The Conners' Rating Scale was developed by C. Keith Conners to assess ADHD in children ages 3 to 17 years old. Usually both the parents of the child and the primary teacher complete the scale, which typically takes less than 20 minutes. Questions included in the Conners' Scale correspond to the diagnostic criteria for ADHD found in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fourth Edition, and can be scored either by hand or computer. The Conners' Scale is commonly used, and the publisher indicates that the scale is statistically valid.
Child Attention Problems (CAP) Rating Scale
The Child Attention Problems Rating Scale is a short scale completed by teachers to measure the effectiveness of ADHD treatment. The CAP scale is completed each week to assess if treatment has achieved a decrease in symptoms, allowing treatment to be adjusted as needed. The scale focuses on questions regarding overactivity, impulsiveness and inattention.
ADD-H Comprehensive Teacher Rating Scale
Teachers often complete ADHD testing, as is the case with the ADD-H Comprehensive Teacher Rating Scale, also known as ACTeRS. ACTeRS was created by Dr. Ullmann, Sleator and Sprague and is now available in the second edition. The ACTeRS is a 24-item checklist designed to asses classroom behavior related to ADHD, including attention, hyperactivity, social skills and oppositional behavior. Each item is answered on a five-point scale, ranging from "Almost Never" to "Almost Always." This scale can be scored quickly and easily, with each scale giving a percentile for each of the four categories. Key benefits of this particular scale are it is cost effective, it is quick to administer and score, and it can help differentiate ADHD from learning disorders.
Russell Barkley's Home and School Situations Questionnaires
Dr. Russell Barkley, a leading expert on ADHD, has designed questionnaires to asses symptoms of ADHD in both the home setting and the school setting. The Home Situation Questionnaire asks questions related to symptoms of ADHD at home, such as behavior during meals, chores and homework, with questions being answered on a nine-point scale. The School Situation Questionnaire is completed by the child’s teacher and evaluates the student on 12 school situations that may be affected by ADHD. Dr. Barkley’s scale is particularly comprehensive as it looks at behavior in multiple situations, and the DSM-IV requires symptoms to be present in two or more different environments.
