Listing 12.11 · Mental disorders
Neurodevelopmental disorders
To be approved under this listing, a claim must meet the specific combination of criteria below — and the medical records have to prove it.
- A
Medical documentation of frequent distractibility, difficulty sustaining attention, hyperactivity / impulsivity (ADHD), OR significant difficulties in learning/using academic skills, OR motor difficulties.
In plain terms: Have you been diagnosed with ADHD, a learning disorder, or motor coordination disorder?
Evidence required:Treating physician report - B
Understand, remember, or apply information — degree of limitation: extreme, marked, moderate, mild, or no limitation.
In plain terms: When you're given new information — like instructions for a task or directions — how hard is it for you to understand and remember and apply it?
- B
Interact with others — degree of limitation.
In plain terms: How are you doing being around people — family, friends, or strangers? Are interactions with others a real struggle, or manageable?
- B
Concentrate, persist, or maintain pace.
In plain terms: How is your concentration these days? Can you stay on task — like reading or watching a show — or do thoughts skip and you lose focus?
- B
Adapt or manage oneself.
In plain terms: How are you doing managing your daily life — basic things like hygiene, meals, getting up and out the door?
Estimate the odds
Historical approval rates for a claim like this — by state, age, and stage.
Approval odds by condition
How claims for this body system fare through the process.
Other mental disorders listings
Source: SSA Listing of Impairments (Blue Book), 20 CFR Part 404, Subpart P, Appendix 1 · Updated 2026-06-18. Criteria paraphrased for readability; see the official SSA text linked above. Not legal or medical advice — whether a specific medical record meets Listing 12.11 is an individualized judgment SSA makes on the evidence.