Standardised assessment of functioning in ADHD: consensus on the ICF Core Sets for ADHD.

Area of Science:

• Neurodevelopmental Disorders
• Rehabilitation Medicine
• Public Health

Background:

• Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) significantly impacts social, educational, and occupational functioning.
• A standardized method for assessing ADHD-related functional impairments is currently lacking.
• The WHO's International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health (ICF) provides a framework for functional assessment.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop comprehensive and brief ICF Core Sets for ADHD.
• To create age-specific ICF Core Sets for preschool, school-aged, and adult populations.
• To establish an internationally accepted standard for assessing ADHD functioning.

Main Methods:

• Utilized a standardized methodology involving four international preparatory studies.
• Generated 132 second-level ICF candidate categories.
• Conducted an iterative consensus process with 20 international experts from diverse disciplines.

Main Results:

• Developed a comprehensive ICF Core Set for ADHD with 72 categories (8 body functions, 35 activities/participation, 29 environmental).
• Defined a Common Brief Core Set with 38 categories.
• Created age-specific brief Core Sets: 47 (preschool), 55 (school-aged), and 52 (adults).

Conclusions:

• The ICF Core Sets for ADHD represent a significant advancement in standardized functional assessment.
• These sets facilitate consistent evaluation of ADHD across the lifespan.
• The Core Sets are applicable in clinical, research, educational, and administrative settings.