What are the DSM-IV criteria for diagnosing ADHD?
The DSM-IV is the American Psychiatric Association’s Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders. This manual is used by most physicians as they evaluate patients at risk for ADHD or other mental or behavioral disorders. The DSM-IV criteria for ADHD includes specific behaviors that people with ADHD display. These behaviors include symptoms of inattention, hyperactivity, and impulsivity. Children and adults who meet the DSM-IV criteria for ADHD may receive this diagnosis. To be diagnosed with ADHD, the individual needs to meet either the first set or the second set of criteria below. The first set focuses on symptoms of inattentiveness. ADHD would be diagnosed in someone who has six or more of the following symptoms. The symptoms would need to have been there for at least six months. And they would need to be inconsistent with the person’s developmental level.
