Table 2.
Example of questions clinicians can ask when assessing for ADHD. Adapted from “Integrative Treatment for Adult ADHD: A Practical, Easy-to-use Guide for Clinicians” by Ari Tuckman (New Harbinger Publications, 2007). Broader questions can often elicit more information and will allow clinicians to explore more in depth than a memorizable check-list.
| Helpful Diagnostic Questions for Clinicians |
|---|
| Could you describe how it feels when you have to sit through a long movie or meeting? |
| Tell me how you did with being attentive in class in middle school compared to other students? |
| What is your experience when you try to read or focus on work for an extended period of time? |
| Have you ever made a mistake on an exam or at work that could have easily been prevented? |
| Do you often lose things like your keys or cell phone? If so, what do you do to keep track of them? |
| How likely are you to remember to do a task without writing it down (make a phone call, water the plants, do the laundry etc..) |
| What happens when you have a lot of tasks to do and need to get them all done? |
| Tell me about your ability to focus on things you like and want to do as opposed to harder less exciting things. |
| Do your friends and family ever ask you if you are paying attention to them? Do you feel you need to ask them to repeat something? Do you sometimes pretend you heard the conversation but actually didn't? |
| Do you ever feel the urge to say whatever is on your mind right there and then, sometimes interrupt people? Does it ever get you in trouble with others? For example, losing friendships, or having difficulties with your boss? |
| Do you drink coffee? If so, how much and how do you notice it affects you? |
Note to clinicians: In addition to the questions mentioned above, you can rely on close observation of patient presentation to help in your diagnosis. A few things to consider include: Is the patient late? Have they missed any appointments before this one? Does the patient talk fast and is difficult to interrupt? Do they forget the question you asked and often ask you to repeat things? Are they constantly fidgeting or moving around? Do you see piles of papers in their bag, or on zoom, a mess behind them?