[Evaluation tools of the characteristics of attention deficit and hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) in children and adolescents: A literature review].

Abstract

Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is one of the most commonly occurring developmental disorders of childhood, which can often be present after adulthood. The main symptoms of ADHD are distraction, impulsiveness, and hyperactivity, which are common in childhood, and for this reason, the diagnosis is usually delayed. At the same time, in several cases, the problems caused by ADHD (such as behavioral and social adjustment problems and problems in school performance) are considered as results of other co-existing situations (such as family problems, environmental change, and developmental pathologies). For this reason, ADHD often remains undiagnosed or misdiagnosed and even when it is accurately diagnosed, a comprehensive model of a combination of therapeutic approaches that are required to treat it, is not always applied. Today, there are a plethora of tests used to assess specific deficits presented by both children and adolescents with ADHD. The purpose of this literature review was to present tools and tests used in the evaluation of children and adolescents with ADHD. Search was performed on PubMed until February 20, 2021, without time limit for the publication of scientific papers. Studies were excluded if they were not published in English language, were conducted on animals and were case studies, editorials, and letters to the editor. Of the scientific papers retrieved, 15 were included in the systematic review. Some of the specialized tests used in the evaluation of children and adolescents with ADHD are the Children's Color Trails Test (CCTT), the Test of Variables of Attention (TOVA), the Continuous Performance Test (CPT), the Conner's' Parent Rating Scale (CPRS), the Child Behavior Checklist (CBCL), the Visual and Auditory Continuous Performance Testing (IVA-CPT), the Visual Analog Scale (VAS), the 30-item Semi-Structured Interview with Parents (CAPA- RAD), the Controlled Oral Word Association Test (COWAT), the Conners' Teacher Rating Scale (CTRS). In conclusion, there are a number of evaluation tools that can be used to evaluate specific deficits presented by children and adolescents with ADHD, as well as to evaluate the course of treatment, but also to distinguish children and adolescents with ADHD from those with other types of cognitive and learning disorders.