An instrument aimed at evaluating ADHD in children and adolescents

Abstract

Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) appears in the early years of childhood and is characterized by the presence of three symptoms: attention deficit, impulsivity and hyperactivity, although these last two symptoms are deeply intertwined (APA, 2013). The DSM-V establishes the specification of three subtypes according to the predominant presentation in the last six months: lack of attention, hyperactivity-impulsivity or combined. The objective of this study is to construct and validate a questionnaire to assess ADHD, exploring the factors that make it up. The designed questionnaire has 27 items divided into three factors according to the type of ADHD. An analysis of the social desirability and the technical quality of the items as well as an exploratory analysis of the dimensions of the questionnaire has been conducted. The results are shown to be in tune with the initial hypothesis of the existence of three factors (motor activity, attention activity and impulsivity), but with changes in the hypothesized order and a discussion of the same factors. Studies on ADHD reveal the importance of using a rigorous assessment instrument according to the subject's age and determining the context of evaluation