Essay Example about ADHD Rating Scale IV

ADHD RS is critical in the diagnosis and clinical assessments of children with psychiatric disorders (Makransky, 694). The scales usually vary in their format and scope. Just like other rating scales, this scale also has unique strengths and weaknesses. According to Makransky et al. (694), the rating scale is essential in the diagnosis of concentration shortfall hyperactivity disorder, which is a psychological disorder that affects the emotions, learning, and self-control among developing individuals. Power (611) suggests the following ADHD IV rating components:

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The Specific-A rating scale of 1-4 is specifically designed to work in children and adolescents.

Population- the scales are available for use in children below 12 years adolescents. There are other ratings or adults and different clinical subgroups.

Indications of Use

DuPaul (3) suggests that clinicians, teachers, and parents should administer the ADHD Rating Scale-IV or even on your own. Different versions have been developed to suit these groups to help in administration. The RS takes about five minutes to administer. The questions measure the frequency of behavior where the respondents point out the extent to which the action occurs. Words such as 'always or often,' 'very often,' 'never,' 'rarely,' among others are used to capture the extent.

The History

The Diagnosis of ADHD began in the 1990's because doctors were unable to diagnose the disorder more effectively. Parents were also aware of the condition because of reports of many cases. More children developed the state, and the claims rose. Du Paul and his colleagues created the scale(1). The primary objective was to tackle the growing need for a means of evaluation in children and adolescents that were thought to be having ADHD. Internal validity and reliability scores of their study indicated a high level. They used phenylketonuria (PKU) symptoms to assess the validity of the instrument. They restricted the participants on a phenylalanine diet. The respondent report indicated that the inattentiveness symptoms mapped to the inattentive items found in the questionnaires. This study, however, had some limitations but the outcome demonstrated that the rating scale is a valid and reliable tool.

The difficulty level in administration and score

The scale can be said to be valid and reliable based on the fact that it has been in use for more than twenty years of research in its development. The reason behind this assertion is that the tool rapidly determines the regularity and rigorousness of ADHD symptoms. It not only identifies the traits but also shows the impairments in the respondent which in this case are the children. It also takes only five minutes to administer and therefore saves time. The tool is also easy to operate. Similarly, the scale makes the design parent-report and teacher-report rating scales.

Application in Psychiatry Clinical Practice

DuPaul (110) asserts that ADHD condition is manageable. I would, therefore, consider using it in psychiatry practice to evaluate the extent of neurological disorders. The scale can easily be found on online platforms and thus can be available in remote places. Based on the theories learned in clinical practice, Becker (221) adds that the ADHD scale can help a clinical psychiatrist in finding an accurate diagnosis of the disease. The rating scale also has a checklist and can assist in determining what is next for the client, for instance, whether to enroll the child in medication, counseling, therapy or education.

Work Cited

Becker, Stephen P., et al. "Clinical utility of the Vanderbilt ADHD diagnostic parent rating scale comorbidity screening scales." Journal of Developmental and Behavioral Pediatrics33.3 (2012): 221.

DuPaul, George J., et al. ADHD Rating Scale-5 for Children and Adolescents: Checklists, Norms, and Clinical Interpretation. Guilford Publications, 2016.Hallerod, Sara Lina Hansson, et al. "Experienced consequences of being diagnosed with ADHD as an adult-a qualitative study." BMC Psychiatry 15.1 (2015): 31.

Makransky, Guido, and Niels Bilenberg. "Psychometric properties of the parent and teacher ADHD Rating Scale (ADHD-RS) measurement invariance across gender, age, and informant." Assessment 21.6 (2014): 694-705.

Power, Thomas J., et al. "A family-school intervention for children with ADHD: Results of a randomized clinical trial." Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology 80.4 (2012): 611.