Pediatric Attention Disorders Diagnostic Screener

The Pediatric Attention Disorders Diagnostic Screener (PADDS), created by Dr. Thomas K. Pedigo and Kenneth L. Pedigo, is a suite of computer administered neuropsychological tests of attention and executive functioning. The PADDS is used in the diagnosis of Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) in children between the ages of 6 to 12 years. The PADDS software program represents a multi-dimensional, evidence-based approach to ADHD assessment, consisting of the Computer Administered Diagnostic Interview (CADI), the Swanson, Nolan, and Pelham—IV (SNAP-IV) Parent and Teacher rating scales, and the three computer-administered objective measures of the Target Tests of Executive Functioning (TTEF). It calculates a diagnostic likelihood ratio, where each unique data source is allowed to contribute to (or detract from) the prediction of the diagnosis, as well as normalized relative standard scores, t-scores, z-scores, and percentile ranks for comparison to the non-clinical reference group.

One of the most commonly diagnosed childhood disorders referred to mental health clinicians is ADHD. It is a complicated neurodevelopmental psychiatric disorder and has an estimated range of occurrence of 2 to 3 percent of the school population and up to 10 percent in other settings. Thus, on average a minimum of at least one child with ADHD and executive functioning disorders is in each classroom in American schools. (Reddy et al.) (Rowland, Leswesne, & Abramowitz, 2002) indicated that prevalence rates for ADHD vary markedly based on presenting symptoms, different assessment approaches used, and the various settings in which the child was tested. A lack of a consensus on what constitutes the core set of symptoms for ADHD complicates and confounds the screening and assessment process (Brown, 2002).

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