Adult ADHD Testing
An adult ADHD assessment requires at least two appointments due to it being a detailed process. The diagnostic criteria for ADHD are very specific, and even if you are sure you have many of the symptoms, it must be professionally diagnosed. Our psychologists follow recommended standards of practice when evaluating a patient for ADHD.
There is no test that confirms a diagnosis of ADHD. One reason is that symptoms are not enough to diagnose ADHD. Even tests that directly measure attention may show that a patient has difficulty focusing, inattention, and distractibility, but this alone does not result in an ADHD diagnosis. Individuals may have problems with attention for various reasons, and we are required to rule out other possible causes of your difficulty concentrating and other symptoms.
Parts of an ADHD Assessment
The basic parts of an ADHD evaluation include:
1. Conducting a detailed clinical interview with the patient. We may ask for prior medical records, academic records, and/or collateral interviews with other people in the patient's life.
2. Administering symptom rating scales to the patient and, usually, at least one other person who knows the patient well (e.g. a parent, best friend, spouse, coworker).
3. Ruling out other possible explanations for the symptoms. This is why we ask about way more than just your attention problems during the evaluation.
Types of ADHD Tests We May Use
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ADHD symptom rating scales
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IQ testing and/or achievement testing to rule out a learning disorder and to assess cognitive strengths and weaknesses.
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Tests of attention and other aspects of executive functioning.
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Psychological tests to examine for other mental health problems that may be causing or contributing to the symptoms.