Enhancing Psychologists' Understanding Through Explainable Deep Learning Framework for <scp>ADHD</scp> Diagnosis

ABSTRACT Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) is a neurodevelopmental disorder that is challenging to diagnose and requires advanced approaches for reliable and transparent identification and classification. It is characterised by a pattern of inattention, hyperactivity and impulsivity that is more severe and more frequent than in individuals with a comparable level of development. In this paper, an explainable framework based on a fine‐tuned hybrid Deep Neural Network (DNN) and Recurrent Neural Network (RNN) called HyExDNN‐RNN model is proposed for ADHD detection, multi‐class categorization and decision interpretation. This framework not only detects ADHD but also provides interpretable insights into the diagnostic process so that psychologists can better understand and trust the results of the diagnosis. We use the Pearson correlation coefficient for optimal feature selection and machine and deep learning models for experimental analysis and comparison. We use a standardised technique for feature reduction, model selection and interpretation to accurately determine the diagnosis rate and ensure the interpretability of the proposed framework. Our framework provided excellent results on binary classification, with HyExDNN‐RNN achieving an F1‐score of 99% and 94.2% on multi‐class categorization. XAI approaches, in particular SHapley Additive exPlanations (SHAP) and Permutation Feature Importance (PFI), provided important insights into the importance of features and the decision logic of models. By combining AI with human expertise, we aim to bridge the gap between advanced computational techniques and practical psychological applications. These results demonstrate the potential of our framework to assist in ADHD diagnosis and interpretation.