2024 ADHD Review: Diagnosis & Screening

Nature Reviews Disease Primers published a 2024 review on ADHD. B/c only the abstract is publically available, here are points of possible interest.

Diagnosis and Screening: Dx “must be based on an interview of the parent and/or patient. No biological measure of ADHD shows sufficient sensitivity and specificity to serve as a standalone diagnostic test.”

Diagnosis & Screening, Assessment of kids & teens: The researchers emphasize reliance on questionnaires, particularly answered by teachers, parents and, with teens, the teens themselves. They include a list of “Free Tools” (if one goes to the article online, to “supplementary information”). I pasted the list here, which includes measures that go beyond ADHD.

Clinical Interviews: KSADS DSM 5 Developmental Epidemiology Instruments Developmental and Wellbeing Assessment (U.K.) Parent Interview for Child Symptoms

Rating Scales: Vanderbilt ADHD Rating Scales SNAP IV (full) SNAP IV (short) Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire

Diagnosis & Screening, Assessment of adults: The authors note, given questions about adult-onset ADHD, that although some studies indicate adult-onset ADHD may occur, “limitations of these studies and subsequent research indicate that” it mostly starts during childhood or adolescence. It simply may be identified late. The authors also note that “misinformation” on social media confuses people, leading to thoughts they have ADHD when something else may be occurring.

Clinical Interview: Diagnostic Interview for Adult ADHD, (DIVA-5)

Rating Scales: Adult ADHD Self-Report Scale (ASRS-5) Wender Utah Rating Scale (WURS) WURS-25