Attention-Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder

Preferred Documentation

Please start by reviewing SAS' general documentation guidelines. SAS advisors are in the best position to assist with determination of accommodations and services when students submit a neuropsychological or psychoeducational evaluation report completed no more than three years prior to the student's request for accommodations, or since the student's eighteenth birthday. The report should contain the following information:

  • Documented developmental history indicating relevant symptoms and problem behaviors across multiple settings. Possible data sources include past evaluations, school records, teacher and parent reports.
  • Documentation of current symptoms that meet DSM-5 diagnostic criteria or otherwise demonstrate functional impact. Data sources should include:
    • Clinical interviews
    • IQ tests (with special reference to any working memory and processing speed index scores)
    • Conners' CPT 3, TOVA 9, or other continuous performance tests
    • Tests of memory, attention, processing, and fluency from batteries such as the Woodcock Johnson IV Tests of Cognitive Abilities and of Achievement
    • Any medication the student is prescribed and a clear statement made as to whether the student was taking the medication(s) during the evaluation.
  • Documentation of current adult behavior (and past childhood behavior if possible) on rating scales of AD/HD symptoms that have appropriate norms. Possible data sources include norm-based behavior rating scales.
  • Corroboration of current AD/HD symptoms across multiple settings by one or more independent observers with knowledge of the student's functioning. Possible data source include parent or other relative, spouse, teacher, supervisor, co-worker, and/or clinician.
  • Clear evidence and documentation of interference with developmentally appropriate academic, social, or vocational functioning.
  • All other psychiatric or medical disorders that may cause problems with inattention that are differentially evaluated, documented, and considered in the differential diagnosis. This is particularly important when mood, anxiety, or substance-abuse disorders are involved. Other causes of problems with attention and concentration must be considered and discussed (e.g., test anxiety). A positive response to medication is not, by itself, considered diagnostic.

Minimum Documentation Requirements

Documentation that does not meet all of the above-listed standards may nonetheless be considered sufficient for the student to receive limited accommodations (such as distraction-reduced testing room).

This includes:

  • Documentation from another academic institution indicating an uninterrupted period of accommodations 
  • Details of a clinical interview performed by a qualified professional
  • Rating scales (filled out by the student and at least one other person) that support an AD/HD diagnosis

Although they may provide helpful supplemental information, reports from online diagnostic services such as "ADHD Online" do not typically meet minimal ADHD documentation requirements or qualify a student for accommodations.

Verification Form

If a psychoeducational or neuropsychological evaluation report is not available, the SAS Verification Form can be thoroughly filled out on behalf of the student by a licensed professional who diagnosed and/or currently treats the student.