What Happens During an Adult ADHD Assessment?
What is an adult ADHD assessment?
If you're considering an ADHD assessment, you may be wondering what actually happens.
An assessment isn't simply a questionnaire or a computer test.
A comprehensive assessment aims to understand your experiences across your life, how difficulties affect you now and whether ADHD provides a meaningful explanation.
Looking at your history
Because ADHD is a neurodevelopmental condition, understanding your earlier development is an important part of the assessment.
You may be asked about:
your childhood
school experiences
attention and behaviour
organisation
relationships
developmental history
family history.
Where available, childhood school reports or information from parents can also be useful.
Looking at your current functioning
The assessment considers how difficulties show up in your life now.
This may include:
work or study
organisation
relationships
time management
attention
impulsivity
everyday responsibilities
emotional and behavioural functioning.
The focus isn't simply on what you find difficult. Your strengths and coping strategies are also important.
What about questionnaires?
Rating scales and questionnaires can provide useful information about ADHD symptoms.
However, they are only one part of the assessment and shouldn't be used in isolation to diagnose ADHD.
A comprehensive assessment considers questionnaire results alongside your history, functioning and other relevant information.
What if it isn't ADHD?
An assessment may confirm ADHD, but it may also identify another explanation for your difficulties.
Sometimes several factors are contributing.
This is why a good assessment considers other possible explanations and co-occurring conditions rather than simply looking for evidence of ADHD.
What happens after the assessment?
The most useful outcome is clarity.
You should come away with a better understanding of what is contributing to your difficulties, your strengths and what support or next steps may be helpful.
At thegrowspace, the aim isn't simply to give you a label. It's to help you understand the bigger picture.