Empirically Informed Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder Evaluation With College Students

Abstract

Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is both an underdiagnosed and a misdiagnosed problem on college campuses, leading to pronounced academic and psychosocial difficulties. Counselors encounter diagnostic criteria that are child oriented, long lists of differential diagnoses, high rates of coexisting disorders, and no definitive tests for ADHD. This article reviews research findings concerning adults with ADHD, outlines empirical solutions for meeting diagnostic challenges, and provides new effect size data for selecting screening instruments.A ttention problems are frequent complaints of college students presenting for counseling. Isolating the magnitude, range, and basis of student inattention is critical for effective therapeutic intervention but is frequently complicated. College maladjustment may result in transient attention problems that are specific to the classroom. Longer lasting and more pervasive attention difficulties may emerge as secondary features of psychiatric or medical conditions, or these difficulties may reflect a chronic attention syndrome, attentiondeficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). Undiagnosed ADHD is a significant problem on college campuses and, paradoxically, is one that is compounded by erroneous self-diagnoses by students seeking treatment (Roy-Byrne et al., 1997; Searight, Burke, & Rottneck, 2000). In the pages to follow, a primer on adult ADHD evaluation is presented as a resource for college counselors.Counselors, like other helping professionals, frequently lack advanced training in adult ADHD. A variety of factors, including paperwork and case management demands, frequently preclude extensive reading in this area. The primary aim of this primer is to enhance counselors' awareness of the types of difficulties encountered when evaluating college students for possible ADHD. A secondary aim is to offer empirically based suggestions drawn from ADHD studies of community and college adults to enhance the evaluation process, including selection of ADHD rating scales and behavioral measures.An Overview of Adult ADHD and the DSM-IV-TR Criteria ADHD is a neuropsychological disorder with sets of hyperactive-impulsive and/ or inattentive symptoms. This disorder is one of the most common mental health illnesses among children, with a 3% to 5% prevalence rate (American

Relationship between a Self-Reported ADHD Questionnaire and Sustained Attention to Local and Global Target Features

“…This requires more extensive research, however, as it may depend on specific task characteristics or total vigilance duration. Interestingly, the scores on the ASRS reported by our participants were higher than is typically seen in studies by clinicians (see Reilley, 2005). It may be that there is a reporting bias as to whether the participant interprets the ASRS as a measure of a clinical disorder (ADHD) or simply a measure of attention abilities.…”

Vocational Safety Preference of College Men With and Without Attention‐Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder: An Exploratory Study

“…Many questions remain regarding vocational adjustment of adults with ADHD and how counselors, health professionals, and other concerned parties can help. Although references are available to help guide both assessment (Reilley, 2005) and treatment (Kolberg & Nadeau, 2002;Safren, Perlman, Sprich, & Otto, 2005) of adults with ADHD, few focus on vocational adjustment. Exceptional cases (e.g., David Neeleman, CEO of JetBlue; Honos-Webb, 2005; Woodyard, 2002) have received popular attention, yet empirical research has not identified professions that pose heightened physical risks for persons with ADHD due to their dispositional nature (e.g., difficulty sitting and focusing) or work demands (e.g., sustaining attention and inhibiting impulsivity while operating heavy machinery).…”

College Students With ADHD

“…A family history of ADHD could serve as an important first clue. Reilley (2005) encourages counselors to pay close attention to the following signs: (a) excessive talking in sessions, (b) evidence of low frustration tolerance, (c) lack of focused attention, (d) excessive procrastination, (e) poor time management, (f) being late for appointments, (g) difficulty with planning, and (h) making impulsive career decisions. Informal observation of these signs in sessions can provide counselors with important information.…”