The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM) is published by the American Psychiatric Association. It is the primary system used to classify and diagnose mental disorders in the United States. The numbers shown after DSM refer to the edition. The DSM IV is the current edition and was first published in 1994. A revision to the DSM IV was released in June 2000, bringing it up to date with the current statistics and the latest research results.
The term ADD was first used in the 1980 edition of the DSM III. In 1987, ADD was changed to ADHD in the DSM IIIR. ADHD is the term currently used in the DSM IV edition.
What is the Difference Between ADHD and ADD?
ADHD stands for Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder. ADHD is broken down into three subtypes:
- Predominantly Inattentive Type
- Predominantly Hyperactive-Impulsive Type
- Combined Type
The addition of the subtypes to the diagnosis of ADHD replaced the need for ADD as a categorization. The three subtypes covered all aspects of the disorder and were all placed under the umbrella of ADHD.
The predominately inattentive type of ADHD was formerly known as ADD. ADD stands for Attention Deficit Disorder. ADD is the term used to describe individuals who have a poor attention span and are easily distracted, but do not have the hyperactivity or impulsiveness found in those with ADHD.
The predominantly hyperactive-impulsive type is used to describe individuals who are hyperactive and impulsive. They do not have the inattention problems that are seen in the predominantly inattentive type of ADHD. An individual diagnosed with the combined type of ADHD will have the symptoms of both the hyperactive-impulsive, and the inattentive types of ADHD.
The change from ADD to ADHD was made to better categorize this disorder. ADD does still exists, although we do not hear the specific term used by those in the medical field.