A quick description and overview of the Greek ADHD Rating Scale IV, an assessment tool that is administered to parents and teachers.

1. Tanya Maria Geritsidou
The American College of Greece
The Greek ADHD Rating Scale-IV
Η Ελληνική Κλίμακα Αξιολόγησης της ΔΕΠ/Υ- IV

2. The Basics of ADHD
 What is Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder?
There have been no changes for ADHD from the DSM-
IV to the DSM-5, except for the age of onset
(APA,2013, Weis, 2014).
According to the DSM-5 it is:
“A persistent pattern of
inattention and/or
hyperactivity-impulsivity that
interferes with functioning or
development” (APA, 2013)

3. The Basics of ADHD
 Inattention (at least 6 for 6
months):
 Fails to pay attention to
detail at work/school
 Fails to pay attention in play
activities/tasks
 Doesn’t listen when spoken
to
 Doesn’t follow through with
instruction/fails to finish
schoolwork
 Difficulty organizing tasks
 Loses things necessary for
schoolwork
 Difficulty/reluctance to
engage in mentally
demanding tasks
 Forgetful in daily activities
 Hyperactivity/Impulsivity
(at least 6 for 6 months):
 Often fidgets or taps
hands/feet or squirms in
seat
 Often inappropriately leaves
seat
 Often inappropriately runs
about/climbs, feels restless
 Unable to play or engage in
leisure quietly
 Often is constantly ‘on the
go’
 Often talks excessively
 Often blurts out an answer
before question is
completed/ speaks out of
turn
 Difficulty waiting for his/her
turn
 Often interrupts or intrudes

4. The Basics of ADHD
 The symptoms have to be present prior to age 12
years
 Several of the symptoms are present in more
than two settings (e.g. both at home and at
school)
 There is clear evidence that the symptoms
interfere with or reduce the quality of social,
academic or occupational functioning

5. The Basics of ADHD
 Presentation can be:
 COMBINED (both Inattention AND Hyperactivity/Impulsivity
present for more than 6 months)
 PREDOMINANTLY INATTENTIVE (The criterion for
Hyperactivity/Impulsivity is not met)
 PREDOMINANTLY HYPERACTIVE/IMPULSIVE (The
criterion for Inattention is not met)

6. The Test: ADHD Rating Scale - IV
The standardized Greek version (qualification level B)

7. Test Description
 It is a test based on self-report
 One questionnaire is filled out by the parent, one
by the teacher
 All answers are on the child’s behavior during the
past 6 months
 All items in the questionnaire have to be
completed (scale is problematic if more than three
items are unanswered)
 It is for children and adolescents from ages 5 to
19 years

8. Test Structure
 Each questionnaire has 18 items:
 Items with odd numbers are testing for Inattention
 Items with even numbers are testing for
Hyperactivity/Impulsivity
 The items consist of questions answered with
Likert type scales of 4 points (0 = almost never to
4 = often)

9. Parent Questionnaire

10. Teacher Questionnaire

11. Test Administration
 As the test is self-report, the only instruction is for
the parent or teacher to fill in all the items, with
emphasis on not omitting anything.
 The forms are given to the teachers and parents
to complete on their own time.

12. Scoring the Test
 The odd numbers of the questionnaire all test for
Inattention, and are referred to as the Inattention
Subscale:
 Raw scores for the Inattention Scale are yielded by
adding together all the ratings from the Likert scales
of the odd numbers
 The even numbers of the questionnaire all test of
Hyperactivity/Impulsivity and are referred to as
the Hyperactivity/Impulsivity Subscale:
 Raw scores for the Inattention Scale are yielded by
adding together all the ratings from the Likert scales
of the odd numbers

13. Scoring the Test
Score Conversion Table
for Boys
Score Conversion Table
for Girls

14. Scoring the Test

15. Scoring the Test
On the parent form On the teacher form
 A child can be
diagnosed with ADHD
if his score is:
 For inattention, equal
or above the 90th
percentile
 For Hyperactivity/
Impulsivity, equal or
above the 85th
percentile
 For both, equal or
th
 A child can be
diagnosed with ADHD
if his score is:
 For inattention, equal
or above the 98th
percentile
 For Hyperactivity/
Impulsivity, equal or
above the 93rd
percentile
 For both, equal or
rd

16. Scoring the Test
On the parent form On the teacher form
 A child can be
eliminated for ADHD if
his score is:
 For inattention, equal
or below the 90th
percentile
 For Hyperactivity/
Impulsivity, equal or
below the 75th
percentile
 For both, equal or
th
 A child can be
eliminated for ADHD if
his score is:
 For inattention, equal
or below the 70th
percentile
 For Hyperactivity/
Impulsivity, equal or
below the 70th
percentile
 For both, equal or
th

17. An Example

18. Standardization
 The Greek version of the ADHD-RS-IV was
translated from English and then went through
reverse translation as well. Some elements in the
wording were changed to reflect the same
meaning, according to the findings from the pilot
study
 The Main Study:
 2,994 children and adolescents with Greek
nationality in the majority, ages 4-21 from all sectors
of Greece
 ADHD sample: 775 children

19. Psychometrics
 The Greek ADHD RS-IV has good validity and
reliability, as was proven statistically after the
relevant clinical study conducted
 The test is good for screening procedures
 The test is good for diagnosis if in context and in
conjunction with a full diagnostic procedure where
data is gathered from other sources as well
 The same has been found for the ADHD RS-IV in
studies conducted for both the USA and Europe
(Zhang, Faries, Vowles, Michelson, 2005)

20. References
American Psychological Association. (2013). Attention
Deficit/ Hyperactivity Disorder. Retrieved from:
http://www.dsm5.org/documents/adhd%20fact%20sheet.
pdf
Kalantzi-Azizi, A., Aggeli, K. & Efstathiou, G. (2012).
Ελληνική κλίμακα αξιολόγησης της ΔΕΠ/Υ-IV. Athens,
Greece: Πεδίο
Weis, R. (2014). Abnormal child and adolescent
psychology. Thousand Oaks, CA: SAGE.
Zhang, S., Faries, D.E., Vowles,M. & Michelson, D. (2005).
ADHD Rating Scale-IV: psychometric properties from a
multinational study as a clinician-administered
instrument. International Journal of Methods in
Psychiatric Research.14(4).186-201. doi: 10.1002/mpr.7