Connors is flawed, misses significant percentage of diagnoses

ADD test methods questioned
Report says common way to check whether the affliction is present misses
almost half of those with symptoms

BY JAMIE TALAN
STAFF WRITER

October 24, 2005

A popular tool to diagnose attention deficit disorder, or ADD, may fail
to identify children in need of treatment, according to a new study.

Dr. Andrew Adesman, chief of developmental and behavioral pediatrics at
Schneider Children's Hospital in New Hyde Park, noticed that the popular
short version of the Conners' Rating Scales, a psychiatric questionnaire
filled out by a child's parents and teachers, misses almost half of the
children with symptoms of inattention if they don't also exhibit
hyperactivity and impulsivity.

"We were surprised," Adesman said of the results of his study, presented
at the recent American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry
meeting in Toronto. "Nobody's ever picked this up. This version is
severely flawed."

Keith Conners, a well-known ADD clinician, developed the rating scale in
the 1970s. Since then, several versions have been developed, including
the one-page form with 10 items.

"Ideally, people should use the long version for the first assessment
and the shorter version for tracking changes in behavior. It is not
intended to pick up everything in ADHD," said Steven Stein, chief
executive officer of Multi-Health Systems, the Toronto publisher of the
Connors' Rating Scales, when asked to comment on Adesman's finding.

"This is very important for people who use questionnaires as a main
assessment," said Dr. Mary Solanto, associate professor of psychiatry at
Mount Sinai School of Medicine and director of the ADHD program at the
Manhattan hospital. "It's tempting to use the short form, but you miss a
lot of children."

Adesman and Solanto teamed up to test both versions of the Conners'
Rating Scales. They recruited 250 families and conducted assessments,
which includes a form for parents and teachers. They found that the
short version missed 49 percent of the children diagnosed with the
longer assessment tool. The children were between 7 and 12 years old.
Sixty-one percent were boys.

In school, children with problems related solely to ability to pay
attention, but no behavior problems, may get overlooked. On the longer
form, there are nine symptoms of inattention - from distraction to
failure to complete tasks - not on the shorter version, Solanto said.

"Unfortunately, many clinicians use this version because it is quicker
and easier to score," said Adesman, who also worked with Dr. Julie Jacob
in completing the study.

Lisa Guidice is a Hicksville mother of two sons with attention deficit
disorder. "It's very difficult to diagnose," Guidice said.

Her 9-year-old has hyperactivity and her 7-year-old does not. They both
have a list of other behavioral conditions that make a single diagnosis
impossible. She said that the behavior rating scales would not be
sufficient in diagnosing ADD, but that the boys' psychiatrist requests
Guidice and the boys' teachers fill out a short rating scale every month
to assess behavioral change.

Kenneth Kaufman, a psychologist at the Institute for Behavioral Health
in Commack, said that a thorough assessment could take several hours and
include many different pen and paper tests, as well as a detailed
patient history. "A lot of these rating scales don't address everyday
problems," Kaufman said. "You want to know when a child loses attention
and why."

Experts estimate that anywhere from 5 to 8 percent of children have
attention problems that compromise home and school life.
Copyright 2005 Newsday Inc.

Mark Probert wrote:
ADD test methods questioned
Report says common way to check whether the affliction is present misses
almost half of those with symptoms

BY JAMIE TALAN
STAFF WRITER

October 24, 2005

A popular tool to diagnose attention deficit disorder, or ADD, may fail
to identify children in need of treatment, according to a new study.

Dr. Andrew Adesman, chief of developmental and behavioral pediatrics at
Schneider Children's Hospital in New Hyde Park, noticed that the popular
short version of the Conners' Rating Scales, a psychiatric questionnaire
filled out by a child's parents and teachers, misses almost half of the
children with symptoms of inattention if they don't also exhibit
hyperactivity and impulsivity.

"We were surprised," Adesman said of the results of his study, presented
at the recent American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry
meeting in Toronto. "Nobody's ever picked this up. This version is
severely flawed."

Keith Conners, a well-known ADD clinician, developed the rating scale in
the 1970s. Since then, several versions have been developed, including
the one-page form with 10 items.

"Ideally, people should use the long version for the first assessment
and the shorter version for tracking changes in behavior. It is not
intended to pick up everything in ADHD," said Steven Stein, chief
executive officer of Multi-Health Systems, the Toronto publisher of the
Connors' Rating Scales, when asked to comment on Adesman's finding.

"This is very important for people who use questionnaires as a main
assessment," said Dr. Mary Solanto, associate professor of psychiatry at
Mount Sinai School of Medicine and director of the ADHD program at the
Manhattan hospital. "It's tempting to use the short form, but you miss a
lot of children."

Adesman and Solanto teamed up to test both versions of the Conners'
Rating Scales. They recruited 250 families and conducted assessments,
which includes a form for parents and teachers. They found that the
short version missed 49 percent of the children diagnosed with the
longer assessment tool. The children were between 7 and 12 years old.
Sixty-one percent were boys.

In school, children with problems related solely to ability to pay
attention, but no behavior problems, may get overlooked. On the longer
form, there are nine symptoms of inattention - from distraction to
failure to complete tasks - not on the shorter version, Solanto said.

"Unfortunately, many clinicians use this version because it is quicker
and easier to score," said Adesman, who also worked with Dr. Julie Jacob
in completing the study.

Lisa Guidice is a Hicksville mother of two sons with attention deficit
disorder. "It's very difficult to diagnose," Guidice said.

Her 9-year-old has hyperactivity and her 7-year-old does not. They both
have a list of other behavioral conditions that make a single diagnosis
impossible. She said that the behavior rating scales would not be
sufficient in diagnosing ADD, but that the boys' psychiatrist requests
Guidice and the boys' teachers fill out a short rating scale every month
to assess behavioral change.

Kenneth Kaufman, a psychologist at the Institute for Behavioral Health
in Commack, said that a thorough assessment could take several hours and
include many different pen and paper tests, as well as a detailed
patient history. "A lot of these rating scales don't address everyday
problems," Kaufman said. "You want to know when a child loses attention
and why."

Experts estimate that anywhere from 5 to 8 percent of children have
attention problems that compromise home and school life.
Copyright 2005 Newsday Inc.


Comment: This research further shows that there is a strong likelihood
that AD/HD is actually UNDERdiagnosed.

On Mon, 24 Oct 2005 09:54:45 -0400, Mark Probert
wrote:

ADD test methods questioned
Report says common way to check whether the affliction is present misses
almost half of those with symptoms

BY JAMIE TALAN
STAFF WRITER

October 24, 2005

A popular tool to diagnose attention deficit disorder, or ADD, may fail
to identify children in need of treatment, according to a new study.

Dr. Andrew Adesman, chief of developmental and behavioral pediatrics at
Schneider Children's Hospital in New Hyde Park, noticed that the popular
short version of the Conners' Rating Scales, a psychiatric questionnaire
filled out by a child's parents and teachers, misses almost half of the
children with symptoms of inattention if they don't also exhibit
hyperactivity and impulsivity.

This is why we have been using the Vanderbilt questionnaires for a few
years now.

PF

PF Riley wrote:
On Mon, 24 Oct 2005 09:54:45 -0400, Mark Probert
wrote:


ADD test methods questioned
Report says common way to check whether the affliction is present misses
almost half of those with symptoms

BY JAMIE TALAN
STAFF WRITER

October 24, 2005

A popular tool to diagnose attention deficit disorder, or ADD, may fail
to identify children in need of treatment, according to a new study.

Dr. Andrew Adesman, chief of developmental and behavioral pediatrics at
Schneider Children's Hospital in New Hyde Park, noticed that the popular
short version of the Conners' Rating Scales, a psychiatric questionnaire
filled out by a child's parents and teachers, misses almost half of the
children with symptoms of inattention if they don't also exhibit
hyperactivity and impulsivity.


This is why we have been using the Vanderbilt questionnaires for a few
years now.

Th estudy addressed the Connors short form. However, a clinician who
does some speaking at AD/HD support groups expressed concerns about the
entire Connors scale, and recommended the Vanderbilt a few months ago.

"Mark Probert" wrote in message
...
ADD test methods questioned
Report says common way to check whether the affliction is present misses
almost half of those with symptoms

BY JAMIE TALAN
STAFF WRITER

October 24, 2005

A popular tool to diagnose attention deficit disorder, or ADD, may fail to
identify children in need of treatment, according to a new study.

Connor's is not part of the diagnosis for ADHD.

Jeff

Jeff wrote:
"Mark Probert" wrote in message
...

ADD test methods questioned
Report says common way to check whether the affliction is present misses
almost half of those with symptoms

BY JAMIE TALAN
STAFF WRITER

October 24, 2005

A popular tool to diagnose attention deficit disorder, or ADD, may fail to
identify children in need of treatment, according to a new study.


Connor's is not part of the diagnosis for ADHD.

As part of the ADHD diagnoses process, evaluations in multiple settings
are required. Connors is one of the tools used.

"Jeff" wrote in message
.net...

"Mark Probert" wrote in message
...
ADD test methods questioned
Report says common way to check whether the affliction is present misses
almost half of those with symptoms

BY JAMIE TALAN
STAFF WRITER

October 24, 2005

A popular tool to diagnose attention deficit disorder, or ADD, may fail
to identify children in need of treatment, according to a new study.

Connor's is not part of the diagnosis for ADHD.

Ah...what *is* the Connors used for, then?


--
Buny

" Nobody realizes that some people expend tremendous energy merely to be
normal."
~ Albert Camus

"Sumbuny" wrote in message
news:5OR7f.135$0M1.125@dukeread12...


"Jeff" wrote in message
.net...

"Mark Probert" wrote in message
...
ADD test methods questioned
Report says common way to check whether the affliction is present misses
almost half of those with symptoms

BY JAMIE TALAN
STAFF WRITER

October 24, 2005

A popular tool to diagnose attention deficit disorder, or ADD, may fail
to identify children in need of treatment, according to a new study.

Connor's is not part of the diagnosis for ADHD.

Ah...what *is* the Connors used for, then?

To help determine if a child has a problem.

Jeff


--
Buny

" Nobody realizes that some people expend tremendous energy merely to be
normal."
~ Albert Camus

On Thu, 27 Oct 2005 00:27:06 GMT, "Jeff"
wrote:

"Sumbuny" wrote in message
news:5OR7f.135$0M1.125@dukeread12...

"Jeff" wrote in message
.net...

"Mark Probert" wrote in message
...

A popular tool to diagnose attention deficit disorder, or ADD, may fail
to identify children in need of treatment, according to a new study.

Connor's is not part of the diagnosis for ADHD.

Ah...what *is* the Connors used for, then?

To help determine if a child has a problem.

What are you talking about? What "problem?" An ear infection? An
abusive father?

The Connors tools were designed to provide valid diagnostic
information for ADHD as well as monitor medication effects.

PF

"Jeff" wrote in message
nk.net...

"Sumbuny" wrote in message
news:5OR7f.135$0M1.125@dukeread12...


"Jeff" wrote in message
.net...

"Mark Probert" wrote in message
...
ADD test methods questioned
Report says common way to check whether the affliction is present
misses almost half of those with symptoms

BY JAMIE TALAN
STAFF WRITER

October 24, 2005

A popular tool to diagnose attention deficit disorder, or ADD, may fail
to identify children in need of treatment, according to a new study.

Connor's is not part of the diagnosis for ADHD.

Ah...what *is* the Connors used for, then?

To help determine if a child has a problem.

Ah...exactly *what* problem is the Conner's used to determine that the child
has or does not have?



--
Buny

" Nobody realizes that some people expend tremendous energy merely to be
normal."
~ Albert Camus