The following is a list of areas often assessed by a psychologist when identifying whether someone has attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD):
- Attention: Individuals with ADHD can at times do well on attention tests as they are conducted in a setting with minimal distractions, one-one-one interaction, and repetition of instructions, among other factors. These luxuries are not always present in the real-world (e.g., a classroom or workplace). Attention tests can range from very brief (several seconds) to much longer (20-30 minutes), though most are still well below a standard class or meeting length. Understanding these limits can help inform recommendations. Further, there may be differences in the ability to attend to visual as compared to auditory information
- IQ: Provides a general idea of their overall cognitive abilities
- Academic Achievement: Learning disorders are very common in those with ADHD. Performance on these tests can also be compared to grades to help identify gaps between knowledge and performance
- Executive Functioning: Organization, sustained effort, and self-regulation are key areas affected by ADHD
- Visual Processing: While visual processing itself is generally not impaired in ADHD, individuals with ADHD may struggle to organize and analyze visual information (e.g., drawing a complex figure)
- Language: Receptive language deficits (understanding what is being said to you) can mimic inattention. Children with ADHD can also struggle with higher-order language skills, such as organization, formulation, and retrieval
- Memory: What appears to be a memory problem in children with ADHD is frequently an attention problem, which prevents the information from being encoded. Naturally, the information then cannot be stored or retrieved. Individuals with ADHD may also struggle with more open-ended memory questions, as compared to more structured questions or those with cues
- Speed: This domain includes processing speed (incoming information) and responding speed (outgoing information). Individuals with ADHD often demonstrate variable speed, at times rushing through tasks at the expense of accuracy, and other times requiring excessive time to complete tasks.
- Fine Motor: Those with ADHD often exhibit fine motor deficits, including poor handwriting and clumsiness
An assessment generally includes a review of records (e.g., school grades), an interview (with the parents, child, and any other providers/teachers), and the completion of rating scales (by parents, teachers, and/or other important people in the individual’s life).
Reference:
Sparrow, E.P., & Erhardt, D. (2014). Essentials of ADHD assessment for children and adolescents. Hoboken, NJ: John Wiley & Sons, Inc.