An 8-year-old boy is referred because he often cannot sustain attention during schoolwork, loses belongings, is easily distracted by external stimuli, and frequently does not follow through on instructions. His teacher reports the same behaviour at school. His parents note these problems began around age 5. He has no features of autism spectrum disorder. What minimum duration of symptom presence is required to diagnose ADHD under DSM-5-TR?

• A At least 2 weeks
• B At least 12 months
• C At least 3 months
• D At least 6 months ✓

Explanation

DSM-5-TR requires that ADHD symptoms persist for at least six months to a degree that is inconsistent with the developmental level and directly negatively impacts social or academic activities. Additionally, several symptoms must have been present before age 12, must occur in two or more settings, and must not be better explained by another mental disorder. The primarily inattentive presentation requires six or more inattention symptoms (five or more in adolescents 17 and older).

Reference: Kaplan & Sadock's Synopsis of Psychiatry, 11th ed.

High-yield for: NEET PGINI-CETNExTFMGEUSMLEPLABMRCP

Written and medically reviewed by the StethoPrep medical team.