ADHD Adult Test - Important Steps in Diagnosing Adult ADHD
During an ADHD screening the doctor will ask you about your personal and family history, work environment, and school performance. They will also take an medical history, which may include physical examination.
A full ADHD assessment will include questions about your childhood and a review of any drug or alcohol consumption. Your doctor will inquire about any conditions that might be similar to the symptoms that are a result of ADHD.
Signs and symptoms
If you suspect that an adult may have ADHD, it is important to talk with your primary care physician. adhd testing in adults can assist you to understand what ADHD is and can refer you to a mental health professional, if needed. You can also locate an ADHD-specialist in your area.
To determine ADHD, a medical professional will use an evaluation tool. Usually, this is a lengthy interview as well as a series of questions about symptoms. The examiner will want to know your background and whether there were any significant events during your childhood that could be a factor in your behavior and symptoms. The evaluator can inquire if you experienced trauma or a medical condition during your early childhood.
The evaluator will then determine the severity of your symptoms. It will be determined by how much the impairments you suffer from affect your daily functioning. For example, if you have a significant problem maintaining your job or getting along with your family members, this would be considered to be an impairment. This is a crucial part of the diagnostic process, since it guarantees that your ADHD symptoms are not better than a mental health condition like anxiety or depression.
In addition to conducting a thorough clinical interview, the examiner may also use standardized behavioral rating scales or ADHD symptom checklists. These tools can help to identify if you have six or more established ADHD symptoms in one of the two main categories -- inattention or hyperactivity-impulsivity. If necessary, the evaluator may also conduct neuropsychological, psychological or learning disability testing. These tests can reveal the existence of working memory deficiencies and executive functions abilities, visual and spatial skills and other factors.
You may be diagnosed with moderate or mild ADHD symptoms based on the interview and symptom assessment. These are different levels of the disorder and they reflect how your ADHD symptoms impact you in your daily life. For instance, mild ADHD symptoms will have minimal effect on your work and social interactions. Moderate ADHD symptoms have a greater impact on your daily life. The most severe ADHD symptoms can affect every aspect of your life.
Diagnosis
Diagnosing ADHD isn't always easy, especially for adults. While more helpful hints offer checklists of symptoms and questionnaires, the most legitimate diagnosis of ADHD is made by an accredited mental health professional or physician (psychiatrist or neurologist or family doctor). The process of evaluating involves an interview with the person by the clinician, preferably with a person who is in close contact with the patient like a spouse, parent or sibling; teacher or coach; or a babysitter. Other important steps include evaluating the person's symptoms at work, school, at home and among friends. Making a complete medical history is an important step.
When looking at an adult's health, the physician will compare the patient's symptoms with those listed in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders Fifth Edition. This guide provides the symptoms that are used to make the diagnosis of ADHD in children and adolescents. These criteria might not be applicable to adults due to the distinct characteristics between adults and children. The doctor may also employ the Brown Attention Deficit Disorder Symptom Assessment Scale for adults. It is a 40 item self-reporting test that assesses various aspects of ADHD symptoms.
During the interview, the therapist may also want to know more about the child's past. Many adults suffering from ADHD have poor or inconsistent memories of their childhood behavior, and the clinician will need to collect as much information as possible from teachers and relatives, and other people who knew the individual in the past.
The clinician will also ask the patient to fill out the questionnaire to determine how the person responds to certain situations, such as missing his keys or not attending appointments. The clinician might also inquire about the individual's family history as well as work history and their lifestyle. The physician will also ask the individual for a list if they are taking medications and the current symptoms. The physician will then determine whether the symptoms are caused by other conditions, such as anxiety or depression and decide on the proper treatment plan.
Treatment
An accurate diagnosis of adult ADHD will help you get the best treatment. Certain people suffering from ADHD also have comorbid disorders like anxiety and mood disorders that require treatment. Others suffer from physical issues that affect their symptoms. Regardless of what's behind the symptoms, the majority of adults suffering from this disorder have significantly ameliorated by a combination of medications and psychotherapy.
In general, a mental health professional will conduct the ADHD assessment. The doctor will look over medical history and ask questions about school, work and personal issues. He may also conduct a psychological exam or request to talk to a spouse, parent, sibling or significant other for more details that can't be gleaned from questionnaires. Depending on the situation, an examination of the brain or a physical exam might be required.
The evaluator will use rating scales and other tools to determine if you or your child has established symptoms of inattention or hyperactivity/impulsivity for the past six months. The evaluator may interview family members, teachers or colleagues for additional details. He may ask you or your child to recall what you did when you were a child. Some experts believe that this interview is a crucial part of a thorough ADHD evaluation for adults as well as children.
Other tests may include a psychological test and cognitive behavioral therapy in order to address issues with behavior or thoughts such as "thought distorsions" or self defeating beliefs. A cognitive behavioral therapist will help you or your children replace these harmful habits and beliefs with healthier ones.
Your therapist will assist you in developing strategies to improve your organization abilities. For instance using a daily planner and making lists of tasks. They can also help you learn skills to reduce impulsive and risk-taking behaviors and increase your confidence. They can also suggest a support group, such as a ADHD or life coach.
Adults suffering from ADHD may benefit from stimulant medications such as amphetamines or methylphenidates. These drugs are believed to increase levels of dopamine in the brain, a neurotransmitter which affects motor coordination and attention. However, these drugs are only recommended for those who have a clear diagnosis and meet certain requirements for the disorder.
Counseling
In some cases, patients are directed to a specialist, without having ADHD. This can cause distress to those referred, inefficiency of healthcare resources, and a rise in costs. Inappropriate referrals can also result in an over-diagnosis of ADHD (increasing the risk of stimulant use which can be a source of diversion and abuse in certain cases) and may increase the number of people who are diagnosed with ADHD even though their symptoms are related to other mental disorders like anxiety or depression.
A thorough ADHD assessment should include a detailed diagnostic interview conducted by a trained clinician. This may include questions about the person's day-to-day life at work, school, relationship with friends and family, drug and/or alcohol use, driving record medical conditions, and mental health history since childhood. The examiner will want to see how many of the criteria used to diagnose ADHD apply to the person (inattentiveness, hyperactivity and impulsiveness). They will also look at whether the symptoms are caused by impairment.
Standardized questionnaires and rating scales to assess ADHD symptoms can be helpful. They can be administered by the evaluator, or by an independent source like spouse. These tests are especially useful for people who are unsure about their symptoms or suspect they have other causes for their problems. The evaluator may also ask the patient to complete an retrospective ADHD profile of their childhood behavior.
Psychological testing is a method to evaluate a person's cognitive functioning as well as emotional and behavioral state. This could include behavioral observations ratings scales, neuropsychological tests. This provides a greater picture than a diagnosis conversation by itself, and can be used to inform accommodation interventions, and treatment plans.