Implications for practitioner diagnosis of Adult ADHD in a primary care setting

The purpose of the study was to examine the accuracy of self-referred diagnosis of Adult Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (A-ADHD) in a primary care setting and to assist in identifying a means for accurate diagnosis in a time-limited environment. Specifically, the factors of interest were the correlation of scores on the Wender-Utah Rating Scale, the Digit Span subscale of the Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale and the activity level and stimulus seeking subscales of the Personality Assessment Inventory to a diagnosis of A-ADHD. Archival data collected on 84 subjects were used with permission of the clinic director. Academically, analysis indicated a significant relationship among the Wender-Utah Rating Scale and the stimulus seeking subscale of the PAI. Specifically, the Wender-Utah Rating Scale score was positively and significantly related to the stimulus seeking score of the PAI. Analysis of the participant’s final diagnosis after being self-referred for A-ADHD indicated that self-referral and diagnosis were only accurate for an A-ADHD outcome in 28 of the participants. Results of the study did not support the hypotheses that A-ADHD can be accurately diagnosed using the Wender-Utah Rating Scales with the Digit Span subscale of the WAIS and the Stimulus Seeking and Activity Level Subscales of the PAI as a brief screener in a self-referred population. Findings support the practice of comprehensive clinical assessment over brief screener and self-referral for accurate diagnosis of AADHD and differential diagnosis of other mental issues. This study offers insight into areas of practice expansion and research for psychology