Date of Award

January 2025

Document Type

Dissertation

Degree Name

Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)

Department

Psychology

First Advisor

John Paul Legerski

Abstract

The incidence of first-time Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) diagnoses among adults has been on the rise. There is limited research on effective practices for evaluating adult ADHD, with previous studies showing conflicting results regarding the effectiveness of various assessment measures. The current study investigates the assessment tools chosen by psychologists and their perceived importance in evaluating ADHD. A cross-sectional design was used with 200 participants who were primarily licensed psychologists. The unstructured clinical interview with the client was the most used assessment tool and was rated as having the highest importance, whereas continuous performance tasks were rated as having the lowest importance. A minority of participants (i.e., 27%) reported always including collateral interviews or rating as part of these ADHD assessments. Assessments of memory, malingering, and general neurocognitive functioning were also the least likely to be used. Analysis of continuous performance tasks (CPTs) revealed that a minority of participants, specifically 14.5%, considered it essential, while a larger proportion, comprising 49.7%, consistently administered it. There was only a moderate, but significant, positive correlation between the frequency of use and perceived importance of CPTs in assessment. For other assessment tools, the concordance between the frequency of use and perceived importance ranged from high to weak. Ordinal regressions were used to investigate participant variables that predict use and importance rating. Participant demographic variables inconsistently predicted the reported use of assessments and their perceived importance. Insights into psychologists' perspectives on the significance and practical use of assessments can reveal crucial gaps between research and practice, emphasizing the necessity for further establishing and disseminating best practices for evaluating adult ADHD.

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