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Influence of assessment instrument on ADHD diagnosis

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Abstract

We compared four instruments commonly used to screen for and diagnose Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) in children. The Bergen Child Study included a DSM-IV ADHD symptom list and the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ) as screen in Phase one. Phase two included the parent Development and Well-Being Assessment (DAWBA), whereas Phase three comprised in-depth clinical assessment, including the Schedule for Affective Disorders and Schizophrenia for School Aged Children (K-SADS). We compared ADHD as diagnosed by the four instruments in the children with normal intellectual functioning participating in all three phases (N = 234). The DSM-IV ADHD symptom list showed moderate agreement with all other instruments (κ = 0.53–0.57), whereas there was fair agreement between the K-SADS-DAWBA (κ = 0.31) and between SDQ–DAWBA (κ = 0.33). The DAWBA diagnosed fewer children with ADHD than did the other instruments. Implications for use of the instruments are discussed.

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Notes

  1. “Screen positive” was defined as scoring above the 90th percentile on either parent or teacher SDQ, or above the 98th percentile on other measures in the questionnaire, or moderate impact by any informant on the SDQ.

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Acknowledgments

We thank the Bergen Child Study research group that has worked together for many years, and whose joint effort has made the study possible. We are grateful to the support of the Regional Centre for Child and Youth Mental Health and Child Welfare, Uni Health, for hosting the study for all these years. Thanks to Anna Spyrou for proof-reading the final manuscript. We also thank the Bergen City Council for collaborating to the study and allowing us to perform the study through the schools. But above all, we thank all the teachers, parents and children in Bergen, for participating in study. The present study was funded by the Western Regional Health Authorities, and the Regional Centre for Child and Youth Mental Health and Child Welfare, Uni Health, Uni Research.

Conflict of interest

On behalf of all authors, the corresponding author states that there is no conflict of interest.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Haukeland University Hospital, 5021, Bergen, Norway

    Maj-Britt Posserud

  2. Center for Child and Adolescent Mental Health Capital Region, Institute for Clinical Medicine, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark

    Kerstin Jessica Plessen

  3. Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry, Institute of Clinical Medicine, University of Bergen, Bergen, Norway

    Kerstin Jessica Plessen

  4. Regional Centre for Child and Youth Mental Health and Child Well-Fare, Uni Health, Uni Research, Bergen, Norway

    Maj-Britt Posserud, Anne Karin Ullebø, Kjell Morten Stormark & Astri Johansen Lundervold

  5. Gillberg Neuropsychiatry Centre, Department of Neuroscience and Physiology, University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Sweden

    Christopher Gillberg

  6. Department of Biological and Medical Psychology, University of Bergen, Bergen, Norway

    Maj-Britt Posserud & Astri Johansen Lundervold

  7. K. G. Jebsen Center for Research on Neuropsychiatric Disorders, Bergen, Norway

    Maj-Britt Posserud & Astri Johansen Lundervold

  8. Department of Clinical Psychology, University of Bergen, Bergen, Norway

    Kjell Morten Stormark

Authors
  1. Maj-Britt Posserud
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  2. Anne Karin Ullebø
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  3. Kerstin Jessica Plessen
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  4. Kjell Morten Stormark
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  5. Christopher Gillberg
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  6. Astri Johansen Lundervold
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Correspondence to Maj-Britt Posserud.

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Posserud, MB., Ullebø, A.K., Plessen, K.J. et al. Influence of assessment instrument on ADHD diagnosis. Eur Child Adolesc Psychiatry 23, 197–205 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00787-013-0442-6

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00787-013-0442-6

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