Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder

This chapter first reviews neuroanatomical and neurobiological contributions to Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) before presenting some important considerations regarding methodological issues commonly encountered in the ADHD literature. Next, neuropsychological assessment of ADHD is thoroughly reviewed, detailing the use of tests of executive functioning, working memory, processing speed, learning and memory, and motor skills. Information about behavioral rating scales and clinical interviewing is included. An expanded discussion of continuous performance tests, highlighting the strengths and weaknesses of these instruments, is provided. A detailed ADHD neuropsychological evaluation case example follows, illustrating with an eight-year-old boy a typical pattern of test scores, along with rich interview data, culminating in a valuable set of recommendations for the child’s parents. The next section comprehensively covers medication and psychosocial interventions, and the chapter closes with a review of classroom interventions, including a table of accommodations frequently recommended by pediatric neuropsychologists.