For an initial screening for ADHD, what is the most appropriate step for a school social worker to take?

• A. Have the student complete a written assessment.
• B. Call the student's parents to interview them about behavior at home.
• C. Ask the student's teacher to complete an observational assessment during instruction.
• D. Visit the student's classroom and personally conduct an observational assessment of the student's behavior.

Answer: (D)

Direct, in-context observation of the student during typical classroom instruction is the most informative first step when screening for ADHD in a school setting. Watching how the student behaves in real time during labeled tasks, transitions, and group work provides objective data on attention, distractibility, activity level, and impulse control within the actual demands of school work. This in-class vantage point helps distinguish patterns that are truly characteristic of ADHD from behaviors that might arise from temporary frustration, boredom, or environmental factors, and it sets a solid foundation for what data to collect next.

Written assessments and informant interviews are valuable pieces of the overall assessment, but they capture perceptions or reports from limited moments or contexts. A teacher’s completed observations are helpful, yet they reflect only one setting and a finite window of time. Home interviews add context but don’t reflect school functioning where ADHD symptoms often have their greatest impact on learning. Beginning with direct classroom observation ensures the screening is grounded in the student’s school performance, guiding subsequent steps in a comprehensive, multi-method evaluation.