Assessing Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder
Over the past two decades, the assessment of Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (AD/HD) has evolved into a sophisticated balance of science and clinical judgement essential for arriving at reliable and valid diagnostic de- sions. Because of the prec
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Assessing Attention-Deficit/ Hyperactivity Disorder ARTHUR D. ANASTOPOULOS and
TERRI L. SHELTON University of North Carolina at Greensboro Greensboro, North Carolina
KLUWER ACADEMIC PUBLISHERS NEW YORK, BOSTON, DORDRECHT, LONDON, MOSCOW
eBook ISBN: Print ISBN:
0-306-47512-X 0-306-46388-1
©2002 Kluwer Academic Publishers New York, Boston, Dordrecht, London, Moscow Print ©2001 Kluwer Academic/Plenum Publishers New York All rights reserved No part of this eBook may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, recording, or otherwise, without written consent from the Publisher Created in the United States of America Visit Kluwer Online at: and Kluwer's eBookstore at:
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To Tyler
Foreword Over the past two decades, the assessment of Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (AD/HD) has evolved into a sophisticated balance of science and clinical judgement essential for arriving at reliable and valid diagnostic decisions. Because of the precarious mix of clinical and empirical skill needed to evaluate children with this disorder, diagnostic practice in this area has been found wanting by many critics. In fact, a 1998 National Institutes of Health consensus panel concluded that “existing diagnostic treatment practices … point to the need for improved awareness by the health service sector concerning an appropriate assessment, treatment, and follow-up. A more consistent set of diagnostic procedures and practice guidelines is of utmost importance” (p. 21). Drs. Arthur D. Anastopoulos and Terri L. Shelton have designed a book that addresses this need. A number of themes are highlighted throughout the text. Perhaps the most important is that the assessment guidelines set forth in this book represent a balance between science and practice. The authors account for the realities of clinical practice in an age of managed care while challenging clinicians to heed the lessons of empirical research. Although the use of empirically based assessment procedures may at times fly in the face of cost constraints (e.g., systematic evaluation of medication effects), the authors present a strong argument for them. Further, they call upon their vast clinical experience to provide concrete suggestions for translating research findings into effective evaluations. Anastopoulos and Shelton are not afraid to address the thorny issues that clinicians often face in evaluations, such as inconsistencies in and incompleteness of assessment data. Indeed, incomplete and inconsistent data are the rule rather than the exception, and the authors provide excellent ways to face this challenge. A second theme pervading the text is an emphasis on not only the content of AD/HD evaluations (which assessments should be done), but also on the process used to conduct them (how assessments should be done). The authors guide the clinician/researcher through the assessment process step by step, while avoiding a cookbook approach. Stated differently, flexibility in the as
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