Steps in the Evaluation Process | Child Evaluations | Adult Evaluations

Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) 

Although there are no standardized tests whose results are definitive when conducting an evaluation of attention, continuous performance tests, tests of language processing, auditory memory (which also require auditory attention), and visual processing speed/scanning (which also require visual attention), can provide some insight into how someone initiates and sustains attention and how he/she/they are able to direct and control cognitive processes.

Our evaluations use a variety of methods to identify attention deficits, such as:

  • Obtaining a thorough history via interview

  • Use of rating scales completed not only by the examinee, but also by significant others and relatives, and/or teachers/coaches/colleagues/employers

  • Use of standardized measures such as continuous performance tests, tests of executive functioning, memory, and processing speed

  • Observation

  • Symptom and performance validity testing

The term Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) refers to a pattern of inattention and/or hyperactivity-impulsivity (at least six-of-nine inattentive or hyperactive-impulsive symptoms must be present in children, five-of-nine symptoms in people seventeen years old and older) that significantly interferes with functioning or development in two or more settings that is not better explained by other exclusionary factors (e.g., anxiety disorder, mood disorder, etc.). There must also be evidence that symptoms were present prior to age twelve.

Our evaluations for ADHD are quite comprehensive in that they include assessment of the following:

  • Inattention

  • Distractibility

  • Hyperactivity-impulsivity

  • Executive functioning

  • Memory

  • Processing speed

We also evaluate academic achievement, language, and psychological factors (e.g., anxiety, depression) to some extent in order to rule out other factors that may play a role in one’s ability to initiate or maintain attention. For instance, if someone has difficulty processing language due to a language disorder, he/she/they may have difficulty paying attention to an instructor. If someone has poor math skills due to a learning disability in math, he/she/they may have difficulty attending a math course.