Table 2.
Impact of Each Specific DSM-IV Diagnostic Criterion on the Prevalence of DSM-IV ADHD
| DSM-IV diagnostic criterion applied | Cases based on symptom criteria that meets each specific DSM-IV diagnostic criterion for ADHD* | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Parent | Teacher | Or | Best | And | Parent/teacher | |
| Ratings† | Ratings† | Rule | Estimate | Rule | Agreement‡ | |
| (Total N = 746) | (Total N = 884) | (Total N = 1,229) | (Total N = 934) | (Total N = 292) | (Total N = 369) | |
| Age of onset | N (%) | N (%) | N (%) | N (%) | N (%) | N (%) |
| Onset by 7 years of age | 684 (91.7 %) | 779 (88.1 %) | 1,098 (89.3 %) | 840 (89.9 %) | 270 (92.5 %) | 338 (91.6 %) |
| Onset by 10 years of age | 736 (98.7 %) | 865 (97.9 %) | 1,210 (98.5 %) | 922 (98.7 %) | 287 (98.3 %) | 358 (97.0 %) |
| Impairment across settings | ||||||
| Impaired at home | 636 (85.3 %) | 720 (81.4 %) | 963 (78.4 %) | 808 (86.5 %) | 280 (95.9 %) | 344 (93.2 %) |
| Impaired at school | 614 (82.3 %) | 794 (89.8 %) | 1,008 (82.0 %) | 840 (89.9 %) | 290 (99.3 %) | 360 (97.6 %) |
| Impaired at home or school | 690 (92.5 %) | 826 (93.4 %) | 1,107 (90.1 %) | 895 (95.8 %) | 290 (99.3 %) | 364 (98.6 %) |
| Impaired at both home and school | 560 (75.1 %) | 688 (77.8 %) | 864 (70.3 %) | 753 (80.6 %) | 278 (95.2 %) | 339 (91.9 %) |
| Exclusion criteria | ||||||
| Not explained by PDD or psychosis | 706 (94.6 %) | 833 (94.1 %) | 1,166 (94.3 %) | 881 (94.3 %) | 279 (95.5 %) | 352 (95.4 %) |
| All diagnostic criteria | ||||||
| N cases based on full cjriteria§ | 495 (66.3 %) | 568 (64.2 %) | 824 (67.0 %) | 630 (67.4 %) | 265 (90.7 %) | 312 (84.5 %) |
ADHD = attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder; DSMV-IV = Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, fourth edition; PDD = pervasive developmental disorder
*See text for a full description of each algorithm. †ADHD status defined by parent or teacher ratings only, with ratings by the other observer free to vary. ‡Agreement between parent and teacher ratings for overall ADHD diagnosis, but not necessarily specific subtype. §Because some cases failed to meet multiple criteria, the total is not the sum of the N that meets each criterion