Functional assessment of behaviors related to attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder: Linking assessment to intervention design

A variety of behavioral interventions are effective in ameliorating the symptoms of Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) in children. Unfortunately, the diagnosis of ADHD does not provide clinicians with sufficient information to determine specific interventions to use with an individual child. Functional assessment procedures have been successfully used to design effective treatment plans for individuals exhibiting symptoms of a variety of behavior disorders. An overview of functional assessment procedures is provided and evidence that such procedures can lead to effective treatment decisions for children with ADHD is reviewed. Finally, the advantages and limitations of presently available functional assessment methods for clinical use in the treatment of ADHD are discussed.