Essentials of ADHD Assessment for Children and Adolescents (Essentials of Psychological Assessment) by Elizabeth P. Sparrow

Author:Elizabeth P. Sparrow
Language: eng
Format: mobi
ISBN: 1118112709
Publisher: Wiley
Published: 2014-03-25T22:00:00+00:00

3GC04

02/22/2014

14:34:16

Page 147

COMPONENTS OF ADHD ASSESSMENT

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accuracy. Many parents and teachers assume this is impulsivity or lack of

investment in results, but anecdotal data suggest some children are aware they

have a short attention span and strive to complete a task before their attention

window closes. Regardless, both extremes of speed can be observed with ADHD,

sometimes for the same child. In fact, variability is almost always observed with

ADHD.

While fine-motor skills are not mentioned anywhere in the DSM-5 criteria for

ADHD, fine-motor deficits are often observed in people with ADHD. Common

examples include clumsiness and messy handwriting. Like many other facets of

performance, children with ADHD are often blamed for their poor handwriting

with comments like, “He can write well when he tries.” As is the case for many

people with executive deficits, when a skill is isolated or significant cognitive

resources are devoted to that skill, performance is good. But this can be at the cost

of other simultaneous tasks (such as thinking of the correct answer, the best words

to communicate, spelling, and mechanics, among other things).

When Should I Complete Testing?

Unless intellectual abilities have been assessed recently, it is a good idea to begin

with an IQ test (or at least an IQ screen). In addition to providing an estimate of

overall level of functioning, this offers a sneak peek at a number of different

domains. A child’s age, communication skills, and range of functioning can guide

your choice of IQ measure, so it is advisable to gather basic information before

proceeding with this part of testing. If you have a fixed battery approach, you may

proceed with the full battery at any point. When a flexible battery or à-la-carte

approach is used, you will need additional information to decide which tests are

the most appropriate to administer.

It is advisable to divide the child’s work sessions over several days, as discussed

previously in this chapter. When IQ testing is completed during the first session,

this gives you a sample of the child’s functioning in a number of areas and a chance

to interact with her during demand tasks. This first session may inform your

choice of parent, teacher, and self-report rating scales. It may suggest additional

questions for interview, or the need for observation in other settings. It can lead to

referrals for evaluation by other professionals such as occupational therapists and

speech-language pathologists. In some instances, the first test session may suggest

the need for you or the child’s parents to consult with a prescribing physician

before completing additional testing (whether asking questions about type of

medication, dosage amount/schedule, or need for medication). As such, testing

can be an iterative process, with pauses between sessions as new information is

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