Documentation Guidelines

Psychological Disabilities, Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD)& Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) Documentation Guidelines

Psychological and psychiatric disabilities, including Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD) and Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) comprise a range of conditions characterized by emotional, cognitive, and/or behavioral dysfunction. A diagnosis by a licensed mental health professional including psychologists, neuropsychologists, psychiatrists, neuropsychiatrists, other relevantly trained medical doctors, clinical social workers, licensed counselors, and psychiatric nurse practitioners is required. The diagnostician must be an impartial individual who is not a family member of the student. The name, title, and credentials of the qualified professional writing the report should be included.

Documentation for eligibility must reflect the current impact the disability has on the student's functioning (the age of acceptable documentation is dependent upon the disabling condition, the current status of the student and the student's request for accommodations). Documentation should include:

• A clear statement of the disability, including the DSM-IV-TR diagnosis and a summary of present symptoms (based on the DSM-IV-TR or ICD-10). A summary of assessment procedures and evaluation instruments used to make the diagnosis, including evaluation results and standardized scores if applicable,
• A description of the current functional limitations in the academic environment as well as across other settings. This may include a history of presenting symptoms, duration and severity of the disorder, and relevant historical and familial data,
• Medical information relating to the student's needs, including the impact of medication on the student's ability to meet the demands of the postsecondary environment. This may include the current medication regimen and side effects (if relevant),
• Relevant information regarding current treatment,
• A specific request for accommodations with accompanying rationale. A link must be established between the requested accommodations and the functional limitations of the student in the academic environment. A diagnosis in and of itself does not automatically warrant approval of requested accommodations.

Further assessment by an appropriate professional may be required if co-existing learning disabilities or other disabling conditions are indicated. The student and the Center for Students with Disabilities collaboratively determine appropriate accommodations.

Adapted from the Guidelines for Documentation of Psychiatric Disabilities, Educational Testing Service, July 2001

For the full text of this document, please refer to to the website for ETS.org