Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder Test–Second Edition (ADHDT-2)

James E. Gilliam, Ph.D.

The Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder Test, now in its second edition helps teachers, parents, and clinicians identify ADHD in individuals and estimate its severity. It’s based on the 2013 diagnostic criteria for attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder adopted by the APA and published in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders–Fifth Edition (DSM-5). The test yields standard scores, percentile ranks, severity levels, and probability of ADHD.

The test has 33 clearly stated items that describe the characteristic behaviors of persons with ADHD. The items are grouped into two subscales: Inattention and Hyperactivity/Impulsivity.

New Features of the ADHDT-2

• Items and subscales reflect DSM-5 diagnostic criteria for Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder.
• The Hyperactivity and Impulsivity subscales were merged into one subscale.
• The overall number of items was reduced to 33.
• Both subscales and the ADHD Index have been empirically determined to be valid and sensitive for identification of children with ADHD.
• All new normative data were collected on a sample of 1,591 examinees diagnosed with ADHD. Data were collected in 2013 from 44 states and the District of Columbia.
• Demographic characteristics of the normative sample are keyed to those reported by U.S. Bureau of the Census, 2011.

• An interpretation guide in the Examiner’s Manual allows the examiner an easy and efficient method for assessing the probability of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder and the severity of the disorder.

Reliability and Validity

• Internal consistency (content sampling) reliability coefficients for the subscales exceed .85 and the ADHD Index exceeds .96.
• Test-retest (time sampling) reliability coefficients exceed .80 for subscales and .84 for the ADHD Index.
• Interrater reliability intraclass coefficients exceed .80 and .90 for the ADHD Index.
• Correlations of the ADHDT-2 scores with those of other well-known diagnostic tests for ADHD are large or very large in magnitude.
• All new validity studies show that the test results are valid for a wide variety of subgroups, as well as for the general population.
• Diagnostic accuracy studies indicate that the ADHDT-2 is able to discriminate children with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder from typical children without ADHD (i.e., sensitivity = .90, specificity = .82, ROC/AUC = .95.
• Confirmatory and exploratory factor analyses demonstrate the theoretical and empirical validity of the subscales.