Diagnosis and treatment of ADHD: criteria used by different professional categories

• Published in: Liberabit Vol. 22; no. 1; pp. 111 - 120
• Main Authors: Aragão, Laura, Leôncio, Daniele, Alencar, João, Andrade de Sousa, Priscila, Falcão, Jorge, Hazin, Izabel
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English; Spanish; Portuguese
• Published: Lima Universidad de San Martin de Porres, Facultad de Ciencias de la Comunicación, Turismo y Psicología 01.01.2016; Universidad de San Martín de Porres. Facultad de Ciencias de la Comunicación, Turismo y Psicología
• Subjects: Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder; COMMUNICATION; Criteria; diagnosis; diagnóstico; Medical diagnosis; Medical treatment; PSYCHOLOGY; PSYCHOLOGY, APPLIED; PSYCHOLOGY, CLINICAL; PSYCHOLOGY, DEVELOPMENTAL; PSYCHOLOGY, EDUCATIONAL; PSYCHOLOGY, EXPERIMENTAL; PSYCHOLOGY, MATHEMATICAL; PSYCHOLOGY, MULTIDISCIPLINARY; PSYCHOLOGY, PSYCHOANALYSIS; PSYCHOLOGY, SOCIAL; Transtorno por déficit de atención con hiperactividad; tratamiento; treatment; Natal Brazil; Brazil; treatment; Trastorno por déficit de atención con hiperactividad; diagnosis; diagnóstico; Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder; tratamiento
• ISSN: 1729-4827; 2223-7666
• DOI: 10.24265/liberabit.2016.v22n1.10

This study aimed to investigate the diagnostic criteria and intervention proposals related to ADHD in different professional categories from the city of Natal, RN, Brazil. In the study participated 34 professionals conveniently selected and a semi-structured interview was conducted with them. After the categorization of information we proceeded to a multidimensional descriptive Cluster analysis. There was an evident division of the whole group into two other groups due to three bigger relevance variables: education, number of sessions used in the diagnosis, and the use of formal instruments. Group 1, formed by physicians, was characterized by the use of two to three sessions and by the use of instruments and formal scales. In Group 2, the average number of sessions was higher than three and all psychologists and most educational psychologist from this group did not use formal scales for diagnosis. We suggest that the academic training determines the diagnostic modalities and intervention modalities for ADHD.