ADHD Adult Test - Important Steps in Diagnosing Adult ADHD
During an ADHD screening the doctor will talk to you about your personal and family background, your work environment, and school performance. They will also request your medical history as well as conduct an examination for physical health.
A full ADHD assessment will include questions about your childhood as well as an examination of any drug or alcohol consumption. Your clinician will also ask about comorbid conditions that could cause symptoms similar to ADHD.
Signs and symptoms
It is essential for adults who suspect they might be suffering from ADHD to speak with their primary care physician. They can help you know what ADHD is and help you to refer you to a mental health professional in the event of need. You can also find an expert local counselor who specializes in ADHD.
A healthcare professional may use a tool to diagnose ADHD. This typically involves a thorough interview as well as several questions about the symptoms. The examiner will want to know your history, and if there were any significant childhood events that might have contributed to your symptoms or behavior. For example whether you were subjected to trauma or medical conditions in your early years of childhood.
The evaluator then determines the severity of your symptoms. The evaluator will assess how much impairments affect your daily activities. This is the situation if, for instance, you had significant difficulties maintaining your job or getting along with your family members. test for adult adhd is an essential part of the diagnosis process as it will ensure that your ADHD symptoms are not better explained by another mental health disorder such as depression or anxiety.
The evaluator may also administer ADHD symptoms checklists or rating scales. 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 examiner might also conduct neuropsychological psycho-educational or learning disability tests. These tests may provide information about working memory impairments as well as executive function abilities as well as spatial and visual abilities.
It is possible that you'll be diagnosed with moderate, mild or severe ADHD symptoms based on your interview and symptom evaluation. These are different levels of the disorder, and they reflect the way your ADHD symptoms impact your daily life. For instance, mild ADHD symptoms will have a little impact on your social interactions and work. Moderate ADHD symptoms have a greater impact on your daily life. Extreme ADHD symptoms can affect every aspect of your life.
Diagnosis
It can be difficult to recognize ADHD, especially in adults. Although many Internet websites offer checklists of symptoms and questionnaires, the only reliable diagnosis of ADHD is determined by an accredited mental health specialist or a doctor (psychiatrist, neurologist or family physician). The process of evaluating involves an interview with the person by the clinician, preferably with someone else in close contact with the person, such as spouse, parent or sibling as well as a coach or teacher or a babysitter. Other important steps include determining the effects of symptoms on the person in school or at work as well as at home and with family members; taking a complete medical history; and determining whether the symptoms are better explained by a different condition.
When conducting an evaluation of an adult, the physician will compare the patient's signs to those described in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders Fifth Edition. This manual outlines the symptoms that are used to diagnose ADHD in adolescents and children. However, because of differences between adults and children the criteria aren't always applicable to diagnosing adults with the disorder. The doctor may also employ the Brown Attention-Deficit disorder Test for Symptom Assessment Scale for adults that is a self-report test with 40 items that evaluates various aspects of the symptoms of ADHD.
During the clinical interview the clinician will want to learn more about the person's childhood. Many people with ADHD don't recall their childhoods well or at all. The clinician will need to get as much information from the person's parents teachers, relatives, and others who have been around them in the past.
The clinician will ask the patient to complete a survey to assess how they react to certain situations such as not attending an appointment or losing their keys. The clinician will also discuss the individual's life style and family and work history. Additionally, the doctor will request the list of medications the patient is taking as well as the current symptoms. The clinician will determine if the symptoms are related to other disorders like depression or anxiety disorders and then determine the most appropriate treatment plan.
Treatment
Accurate diagnosis of adult ADHD will allow you to receive the best treatment. Some people with ADHD may also suffer from comorbid disorders like mood disorders and anxiety, which require treatment. Some suffer from physical ailments which affect their symptoms. No matter what the cause of the symptoms, the majority of adults suffering from this disorder will benefit from an individualized psychotherapy program and medication.
Generally an expert in mental health will perform the evaluation for ADHD. The doctor will go over the medical history of the patient and inquire about school, work and personal life. The doctor may also request to talk to your spouse, parent, child, or significant other in order to get more details that can't be obtained from a questionnaire. Depending on the situation a physical or neurological exam could 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 co-workers for more details. He may ask you or your child to recall what you did as a child. Some experts believe that this interview is the most important part of an in-depth ADHD evaluation for children and adults.
Other tests may include a psychological exam and cognitive behavioral therapy to address issues with behavior or thoughts like "thought distorsions" or self defeating beliefs. A cognitive behavioral therapist will help you or your child change these bad habits and beliefs with healthier ones.
Your therapist will assist you in developing strategies to improve your organizing skills. For example, using a daily planner and creating lists of tasks. They can teach you how to control your impulsive behavior and help you reduce risk-taking. They can also suggest support groups, like life coaches or ADHD coach.
Adults suffering from ADHD might find relief from stimulant medication like amphetamines and methylphenidates. These drugs are thought to increase the brain's natural levels of dopamine, a neurotransmitter that affects motor coordination and attention. These drugs are only prescribed to patients with a clear diagnosis of the disorder and who meet the requirements.
Counseling
In some cases, people are referred to a specialist even though they don't have ADHD. This can cause stress to those who are referred to, inefficiency of healthcare resources, and increased costs. Unsuitable referrals can lead to an overdiagnosis of ADHD which could increase the risk of stimulant abuse and diversion in certain cases.
A detailed diagnostic interview should be conducted by a trained clinician as part of a comprehensive ADHD evaluation. This could include questions about the person's life in general, school or work, their relationship with family and friends, drinking and drug usage as well as driving history, medical issues and their mental health history since childhood. The examiner will look to see how many of the criteria to diagnose ADHD apply to the person (inattentiveness as well as hyperactivity and impulsiveness). They will also determine if their symptoms can cause impairment.
Standardized questionnaires and scales of rating for assessing ADHD symptoms can be useful. These can be administered by the evaluator, or provided by an independent source, such as a spouse. These tests are especially useful for those who aren't sure about their symptoms or believe they may have other reasons for their issues. The evaluator may also ask the patient to complete a retrospective ADHD behavior profile from their childhood.
Psychological testing is commonly used to provide a complete evaluation of a person's cognitive, behavioral and emotional functioning. This can include clinical interviews ratings scales and behavioral observations, as well as neuropsychological tests, intelligence and mood tests. This provides a more complete picture than a diagnostic interview alone and can assist in determining the treatment, accommodations, and intervention plans.