CAT-A / CAT-C

Clinical Assessment of Attention Deficit Adult & Child

Details

Purpose

Comprehensively assesses ADD/ADHD

Authors

Bruce A. Bracken, PhD, and Barbara S. Boatwright, PhD

Administration Formats

Print
Digital

Additional Details

Assess for ADD and ADHD in Adults and Children

The CAT assesses symptoms of attention-deficit disorder and attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder in adults and children. 

The CAT-A is now available on PARiConnect for administration and scoring.  The CAT  desktop software has been discontinued. New to PARiConnect? Our  training materials make it easy to learn.

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Features and benefits

  • Includes adult and child information together in one manual.
  • Item content, clinical scales, and clusters are similar and parallel between adult and child forms.
  • Assesses behaviors that correspond to DSM-IV
    • Clinical symptoms: inattention, hyperactivity, impulsivity
    • Multiple contexts: school/work, social, personal
    • Differentiates sensations (internal) from actions (external)
  • Administration and scoring are available on PARiConnect.
  • The Score Report includes item responses for easy reference.
  • When running the Score Report, you may select alternate norm groups based on demographics.

CAT-A

The CAT-A is a 108-item self-report instrument that is sensitive to the symptomatology of attentional deficits both with and without hyperactivity for adults.

  • Consists of two parts: Part 1 (Childhood Memories) assesses the individual’s memories of his or her behaviors and sensations as a child; Part 2 (Current Symptoms) assesses parallel issues in adulthood.
  • Clinical index scores are provided for both parts separately and for the summation of the parts.
  • Three validity scales—Negative Impression, Infrequency, and Positive Impression—are embedded within the instrument.
  • The CAT-A was standardized on a sample of 800 adults ages 19-79 years. The sample was well-matched to the U.S. population for gender, race/ethnicity, and education level.
  • Linkage to DSM-IV diagnostic criteria with comprehensive content coverage both within and across scales/clusters assists you in rendering differential diagnoses.
  • Context clusters indicate contexts in which ADD/ADHD symptoms are most problematic, whereas locus clusters indicate the extent to which ADD/ADHD symptoms are experienced internally as sensations or experienced as symptoms on which overt behaviors are acted.

CAT-C

The CAT-C is a 42-item assessment instrument with three parallel forms: a Self-Rating Form, a Parent Rating Form, and a Teacher Rating Form.

  • Standardized on a sample of 800 children and adolescents ages 8-18 years, 800 matched parents of these children, and 500 teachers of these children.
  • Concurrent validity, assessed through comparison with the Conners’ Rating Scales, the ADHDT, the CAB, and the CAD, revealed moderate-to-high correlations for both nonclinical and combined clinical samples across all three rating forms.
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Photo of Clinical Assessment of Attention Deficit
Age Range 8 years to 79 years
Admin Time Adult (CAT-A): 20–25 minutes; Child (CAT-C): 10–20 minutes
Qualification Level B

Shop by Bundled Kits

CAT-A Introductory Kit

5651-KT
$314.00
5651-KT
What's Included

CAT-C Introductory Kit

5652-KT
$542.00
5652-KT
What's Included

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FAQs

Why should I include the CAT-A in my battery of tests for adult ADHD referrals?

The CAT-A assesses both childhood and current features of ADHD, allowing you to gain a fuller picture of the presentation and impact of their symptoms. It can be used on its own but is best utilized when complemented by other rating scales (e.g., BRIEF-A, PAI) and performance-based tests (e.g., NAB modules, WCST, VSVT) for a comprehensive assessment.

How does the inclusion of retrospective childhood symptoms on the CAT-A help me develop a treatment plan for my client with ADHD?

Two sets of rating points provide a more robust characterization of the nature and impact of ADHD symptoms across a client’s life. In tandem with a clinical interview and collateral information, you can gain a rich understanding of your client’s history, and how past struggles have maintained or evolved to impact their present functioning.

I want to start administering the CAT-A on PARiConnect. Can you offer some tips on administering and scoring online?

The CAT-A i-Admin and Score Report allow you more flexibility in administration and scoring. As with many other rating scales from PAR, you can email the i-Admin to a client ahead of your session or have them complete it on your computer in-office. If your client has trouble with online administration, you can convert the administration to paper, manually enter their responses on PARiConnect, and generate the Score Report. Your first step is sign up for a free account and learn how to navigate PARiConnect.