Editorial: Relative Immaturity or Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder: A Diagnostic Dilemma?

Abstract

Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is among the most common disorders of childhood¹ and causes significant morbidity throughout the life span.² Appropriate diagnosis and treatment of ADHD are thus critically important. The diagnosis of ADHD, however, is not straightforward. Clinicians must rely on parent and teacher reports of the child's behavior in comparison to other children the same age.³ Although various tests or procedures may be helpful in the diagnosis of ADHD, none of them obviates the need to rely on parent and teacher reports. Making matters more complicated, the agreement between parent and teacher reports of a child's ADHD-like behavior is low.⁴.