Date of Award

Summer 8-23-2025

Document Type

Doctoral Research Paper

Degree Name

Psy.D. in Clinical Psychology

Organizational Unit

Graduate School of Professional Psychology

First Advisor

Colby Rogers

Second Advisor

John Holmberg

Third Advisor

Meade McCue

Copyright Statement / License for Reuse

Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-Share Alike 4.0 International License.

Keywords

Clinical reasoning, Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), Complex trauma, Differential diagnosis, Trauma-informed care, Diagnostic challenges, Pediatric mental health, Comorbidity, Adverse childhood experiences (ACEs), Executive functioning, Emotional dysregulation, Neurodevelopmental disorders, Attachment disruption, Clinical decision-making, Early intervention, Systems care, Mental health disparties, Case conceptualization, Perinatal care, Intergeneration impacts

Abstract

Distinguishing Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) from Complex Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (C-PTSD) presents significant diagnostic challenges due to overlapping symptom presentations, shared neurobiological impacts, and frequent comorbidities. This paper explores the nuanced clinical differentiation between ADHD and C-PTSD, and other trauma disorders, in pediatric populations, emphasizing the importance of trauma-informed assessment, early identification, and integrative clinical reasoning. The discussion highlights how structured diagnostic reasoning can reduce uncertainty, enhance diagnostic clarity, and support effective treatment planning. As a central contribution, this paper introduces an original clinical reasoning flowchart and a case conceptualization to illustrate its practical application in real-world diagnostic dilemmas. The need for early intervention is underscored, as timely and accurate diagnosis can mitigate long-term impacts and promote more adaptive developmental outcomes. Broader implications for trauma-informed care and interdisciplinary collaboration are also discussed.

Copyright Date

6-26-2025

Publication Statement

Copyright is held by the author. User is responsible for all copyright compliance.

Rights Holder

Maria Neiers

Provenance

Received from author

File Format

application/pdf

Language

English (eng)

Extent

63 pgs

File Size

1.0 MB

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