DSM-5 Criteria For ADHD In Children

Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is a childhood disorder characterized by hyperactivity, impulsivity, and/or inattentiveness. The DSM-5 criteria for ADHD in children are: a minimum of six manifestations of either inattention or hyperactivity-impulsivity for 6 months or longer that is inconsistent with chronological age or developmental stage, a number of inattentive or hyperactive-impulsive symptoms present before age 12, symptoms present in at least two settings, and impairment to social, academic, or occupational functioning (Kring, Johnson, Davidson, & Neale, 2014). ADHD in adults (age 17 or older) includes the same criteria, but with the caveat that only five manifestations of inattention or hyperactivity-impulsivity need

These behaviors, if severe enough, contribute to the DSM-5 criterion of academic impairment because they hinder cognitive capacity even if a child is highly intelligent. The inattentive cluster of symptoms consists of symptoms that are more internal in nature than the outward behaviors associated with hyperactivity and impulsivity. As a result, teachers and parents may be unable to distinguish between a child who is simply disengaged and one who may need treatment for ADHD (CITATION). Furthermore, these symptoms are not quite as outwardly disruptive than those that fall under the hyperactive-impulsive cluster, though they can feed directly into disruptive behaviors such as those seen in the hyperactive-impulsive symptom

Furthermore, they demonstrate greater levels of aggression and more generally angry behaviors (Kitchens, Rosén, & Braaten, 1999) as well as intrusive behaviors. As a result, children with ADHD behave in manners that others find undesirable and they are often unable to pick up on their peers’ disapproval, causing a great deal of social problems for them. The more undesirable a child’s behavior is, the more likely they are to have trouble creating and building friendships. While some children with ADHD self isolate, others behave outwardly aggressively. Both of these behaviors are likely to cause social problems, but those who are directly aggressive toward other children show lower peer-nominated social preference; that is, their peers dislike them to a greater degree (Hinshaw & Melnick, 1995). Evidence also suggests that the way that social problems manifest may vary based on the subtype of ADHD, predicting differential social outcomes for children who are predominantly inattentive, predominantly hyperactive-impulsive, or combined (Blachman & Hinshaw,