Rating Scales to Diagnose ADHD

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Child Attention Problems (CAP) Rating Scale

The Child Attention Problems Rating Scale is a brief rating scale used to monitor the effectiveness of medication or treatment. It is sometimes used on a weekly basis and completed by teachers. This helps the physician adjust treament according to the child’s individual needs. This rating scale covers information on over-activity, impulsiveness and inattention. Teachers should be able to complete the questionnaire in 5-10 minutes.

ADHD Rating Scale-IV

This rating scale uses the actual diagnostic criteria as listed in the DSM-IV as the basis for the scale. It is used for both younger children and adolescents. The rating scale has different versions for both parents and teachers to complete.

There are a total of 18 items to be completed by both the parents and the teachers. The parents questionnaire asks the parents to rate children’s behavior on a scale of “never” to “very often” and includes questions on activity levels, ability to finish work, forgetfulness and inattention. Sample of Parent Questionnaire The teacher version also has 18 items to be evaluated by the teacher, with a scale of “never” to “very often”.

Russell Barkley's Home and School Situations Questionnaires

Developed by Dr. Russell Barkley, a renowned expert on ADHD, these questionnaires are designed specifically to gather information from both the parents and the teachers. Since the DSM-IV states that symptoms of ADHD must be present in at least two environments, this is extremely important. The Home Situation Questionnaire evaluates how the symptoms of ADHD disrupt normal home situations such as meal time or completing chores. Parents determine if there were problems in 16 different areas and then rate those problems on a scale of 1-9. The School Situation Questionnaire is completed by teachers and evaluates the child on 12 common school situations. These tests and rating scales are used, along with a complete evaluation to help determine the correct diagnosis for a child. Parents, caregivers and teachers are all asked to complete the rating scales, in order to receive information about the child in different environments. With all of the scales, please keep in mind, they should not be used as the sole diagnostic criteria but should be used as part of a complete evaluation. Your physician will assess the information on the above rating scales and compare the results to the DSM-IV criteria for diagnosis of ADHD. If your physician finds your child to have ADHD, you should sit down together to determine a treatment plan.

Sources:

Achenbach System of Empirically Based Assessment

Psychological Assessment Resources

Massachusettes General Hospital School Psychiatry Program

Ontario Association of Pediatricians

The Child’s Doctor

American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry

Practical assessment and treatment of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder

Journal of Clinical Child and Adolescent Psychology