Screening Tools for Adult and Pediatric ADHD

Julie Carbray, PhD, FPMHNP-BC, PMHCNS-BC, APRN, provides a quick overview of some of the most widely accessible screening tools for pediatric and adult attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD).  

Read the Transcript:

Psych Congress NP Institute: What screening tools can clinicians use for pediatric and adult ADHD? 

Julie Carbray, PhD, FPMHNP-BC, PMHCNS-BC, APRN: Hi, I'm Julie Carbray nurse practitioner and clinical professor at the University of Illinois, Chicago, Department of Psychiatry, and College of Nursing.  

So when it comes to ADHD, it's very easy when you're ADHD symptom screeners for children and adolescents. There are multiple that are easily available. Probably the most common would be the Vanderbilt Rating Scale and the Conners Behavioral Rating Scale, very easily used in clinic and their parent ratings or teacher ratings.  

When we think about adults, there is an adult self-rating scale for ADHD that, again, is very easily found on the Internet—you can use it as a screener. But as you're screening new patients, particularly those who are college-aged, it's also a good idea to get some collateral information along with self-report when you are looking to diagnose patients with ADHD. This is really important because it gives you more information about overall functioning along with symptom screeners.  

So, there are some accessible tools that are very easily found if you look online. 

Please come back for more information on managing ADHD in your patients. 

Julie Carbray, PhD, FPMHNP-BC, PMHCNS-BC, APRN, holds her PhD (93) and Master of Science (88) degrees from Rush University, Chicago and her Bachelor of Science (87) degree from Purdue University in West Lafayette, Indiana. A Clinical Professor of Psychiatry and Nursing at the University of Illinois Chicago, she has been practicing as a Psychiatric Nurse Practitioner for over 35 years. Dr Carbray is a UIC faculty member and the director of the Pediatric Mood Disorder Clinic. Dr Carbray was recognized with the UIC Preceptor of the Year award, the Karen Gousman Excellence in Nursing Award, the American Psychiatric Nurses Association Best Practices in an Outpatient Program for Bipolar Disorder Award, the UIC Inspire Award, the APNA Distinguished Service Award and the Susan McCabe psychopharmacology lectureship from the International Society of Psychiatric Nurses.