New Diagnostic Criteria for Adults with ADD
Just finished reading "ADHD in Adults--What the Science Says" by Russell Barkley, Kevin Murphy and Mariellen Fisher. It has the latest research on Adult ADHD. Based on the research they are reccommending the following Proposed DSM-V Criteria for ADHD in Adults:
A. Has 6 (or more) of the following symptoms that have persisted for at least 6 months to a degree that it is maladaptive and developmentally inappropriate:
- Often is easily distracted by extraneous stimuli or irrelevant thoughts.
- Often makes decisions impulsively.
- Often has difficulty stopping activities or behavior when he or she should do so.
- Often starts a project or task without reading or listening to directions carefully.
- Often shows poor follow-through on promises or commitments he or she may make to others.
- Often has trouble doing things in their proper order or sequence.
- Often is more likely to drive a motor vehicle much faster than others (excessive speeding) [ Alternate symptoms for those adults with no driving experience: Often has difficulty engaging in leisure activities or doing fun thing quietly.)
- Often has difficulty sustaining attention in tasks or play activities.
- Often has difficulty organizing tasks and activities.
B. Some symptoms that caused impairment were present in childhood to adolescence (before age 16 years).
C. Some impairment from the symptoms is present in two or more settings (e.g., work, educational activities, home life, community functioning , social relationships).
D. There must be clear evidence of clinically significant impairment in social, educational, domestic (dating, marriage or cohabitating, financial, driving, child-rearing, etc.), occupational or community functioning.
E. The symptoms do not occur exclusively during the course of a Pervasive Developmental Disorder, Schizophrenia, or other Psychotic Disorder, and are not better accounted for by another mental disorder (e.g., Mood Disorder, Anxiety Disorder, Dissociative Disorder, or a Personality Disorder).
They found that there was no scientific basis whatsever to use the age of 7 as the cutoff point for ADHD symptoms.
Elaine
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Last edited by Elaine20 : 4 Mar 2008 @ 6:23 PM.
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