Classification
The DSM-IV, or Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, 2000 edition, defines three types of ADHD:
- 1) An inattentive type
- 2) A hyperactive/impulsive type
- 3) A combined type
To meet the diagnostic criteria of ADHD, an individual must display:
- at least six inattentive-type symptoms for the inattentive-type
- at least six hyperactive-type symptoms for the hyperactive/impulsive type
- all of the above to have the combined-type
The symptoms (see below) need to have been present since before the individual was seven years old, and must have interfered with at least two spheres of his or her functioning (at home and at school or work, for example) over the last six months. The DSM-IV criteria for ADHD are, however, tailored towards the type of symptoms that children would show, and might therefore underestimate the prevalence of ADHD in adults.
Read more about this topic: Adult Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder