The Vanderbilt Scales screen for ADHD and common comorbidities, including which conditions?

• A. Oppositional-Defiant, Conduct, Anxiety and Depression
• B. Schizophrenia and Bipolar Disorder
• C. Substance Use and PTSD
• D. Personality Disorders

Answer: (A)

The Vanderbilt scales are used to screen for ADHD symptoms and to identify common coexisting conditions in children. Along with ADHD symptoms, they explicitly screen for externalizing problems like Oppositional Defiant Disorder and Conduct Disorder, as well as internalizing problems such as anxiety and depression. These comorbidities are the ones most commonly seen with ADHD in pediatric practice, making them the focus of the Vanderbilt’s additional screens.

Other options aren’t part of this tool’s standard comorbidity screens. Schizophrenia and bipolar disorder are not typically assessed in school-age ADHD screening. Substance use and PTSD aren’t included in the Vanderbilt’s usual pediatric comorbidity checks, nor are personality disorders, which are not routinely diagnosed in children with this instrument. Remember, the Vanderbilt is a screening aid to flag areas needing fuller evaluation, not a definitive diagnosis by itself.