Diagnosis of Attention Deficit Disorders in DSM-IV: Scientific Basis and Implications for Education

Abstract

The category of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and its diagnostic criteria in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM) have undergone numerous revisions. The history of these revisions is briefly presented, followed by a summary of results of the Field Trials for the forthcoming fourth edition, the DSM-IV, regarding ADHD. The revised symptom list and empirical determination of symptom cutpoints resulted in increased reliability and predictive validity for educational impairment, as operationalized by measures of academic productivity and accuracy, for the new criteria. Three subtypes emerged, including a new subtype of predominantly hyperactive. The relevance, functions, and limitations of DSM-IV diagnosis for educational assessment of ADHD are discussed.