Counseling Children and Adolescents Practice Test

ADHD is diagnosed when the symptoms create difficulty in functioning in more than one area of life. The idea is that the problems aren’t tied to just one environment, but show up across different contexts. That’s why the impairment must occur in two or more settings, such as both home and school (or work and with peers). If the impairment only shows up in one setting, it could be due to situational factors rather than a pervasive pattern of neurodevelopmental issues. The minimum standard is two settings, though having impairment in three or more settings would also meet the criterion.