ADHD Adult Test - Important Steps in Diagnosing Adult ADHD
In an ADHD test Your doctor will ask you questions about your personal and family background as well as your school and work performance, and your environment. They will also inquire about your medical history and conduct an examination of your body.
A full ADHD assessment will include questions about your childhood as well as an examination of any drug or alcohol use. Your physician will also inquire about comorbid conditions that could mimic the symptoms of ADHD.
Signs and symptoms
If an adult suspects they might have ADHD or other disorders, it is essential to speak with a primary care physician. They can help you know what ADHD is and help you to refer you to mental health care in the event of need. You can also locate a local ADHD-specialist counselor.
A healthcare professional will employ an instrument to diagnose ADHD. This typically includes a thorough interview and an array of questions regarding symptoms. The evaluator will want to know your background and whether there were any significant events during your childhood that might have contributed to your behavior and symptoms. For instance whether you were subjected to trauma or suffered from any medical conditions in your early years of childhood.
The evaluator will then determine the severity of your symptoms. The evaluator will assess the extent to which your impairments impact your daily functioning. This could be the situation if, for instance you had difficulty keeping your job or getting along with your family members. This is an essential aspect of the diagnostic process as it will ensure that your ADHD symptoms aren't than a mental health condition like depression or anxiety.
The evaluator can 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. The evaluator will also conduct a neuropsychological, psychological or learning disabilities testing when needed. attention deficit disorder online test may provide information about working memory impairments executive function, executive function capacity as well as spatial and visual abilities.
You may be diagnosed with moderate to mild ADHD symptoms, based upon the interview and symptom assessment. These levels are based on how ADHD symptoms affect you. For instance mild ADHD symptoms will have a small impact on your work and social interactions. Moderate ADHD symptoms will have a greater impact on your daily life, and severe ADHD symptoms can interfere with all aspects of your life.
Diagnosis
It can be difficult to recognize ADHD, especially in adults. Many Internet sites offer symptom lists and questionnaires. However only a licensed mental health specialist or physician can provide an accurate diagnosis of ADHD (psychiatrists or neurologists, or family doctors). The process of evaluating involves an interview of the individual by the doctor, usually with a person who is in constant contact with the patient like a spouse, parent or sibling as well as a coach or teacher or a babysitter. Other important steps include assessing the effects of symptoms on the person at work or in school as well as at home and with family members; taking a complete medical history; and determining whether the symptoms can be 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 guide provides the symptoms used to make the diagnosis of ADHD in children and adolescents. However, because of differences between adults and children, these criteria are not always applicable to diagnosing adults with the disorder. The doctor may also employ the Brown Attention Deficit Disorder Symptom Assessment Scale for adults. It is a self-reporting 40-item test that measures different aspects ADHD symptoms.
During the clinical interview, the clinician will also be looking to learn more about the person's childhood. Many people with ADHD have poor or inconsistent memories of their childhood behavior, and the clinician will want to gather as much information as possible from teachers and relatives, as well as other people who have been in contact with the patient in the past.
The clinician will also require the patient to complete a questionnaire that looks at how they respond to certain situations, for example, having keys stolen or missing appointments. He or she could also inquire about the individual's family history as well as work history and their lifestyle. The clinician will also ask the patient for a list if they are taking any medications and their current symptoms. The clinician will then determine if the symptoms are due to other conditions, like anxiety or depression and decide on the proper treatment program.
Treatment
A clear diagnosis of adult ADHD is an essential step in getting the appropriate treatment. Certain people suffering from ADHD have comorbid disorders like anxiety and mood disorders that also require treatment. Others have physical ailments which affect their symptoms. Whatever the reason of symptoms is, most people suffering from this disorder can benefit from the combination of psychotherapy and medication.
Generally an expert in mental health will conduct the test for ADHD. The doctor will go over the medical history of the patient and inquire about work, school and personal issues. He may also conduct an examination of the psychological or ask to speak with a spouse, parent or sibling for more details that can't be obtained from questionnaires. Depending on the situation a physical or neurological 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 might interview family members, co-workers or teachers to get more information. He may ask you or your child to recall how you acted as a kid. Some experts believe this interview is a crucial element of a thorough ADHD assessment for both adults and children.
Other tests might include a psychological examination and cognitive behavioral therapy to address troublesome thoughts or behavior, such as "thought distortions" or self-defeating beliefs. A cognitive behavioral therapist will help you or your child replace these destructive habits and beliefs with healthier ones.
Your therapist will assist in establishing strategies to improve your organizing abilities. For instance, using a daily planner and creating lists of tasks. They can also help you learn skills to reduce impulsive and risk-taking behaviors and build confidence. They can also suggest a support groups like an ADHD or life coach.
Some people suffering from ADHD find relief by taking stimulant drugs, such as methylphenidates or amphetamines. These medications are believed by experts to increase levels of dopamine in the brain, a neurotransmitter which affects attention and motor coordination. However, these medications are only prescribed to those with a clear diagnosis and meet certain criteria for the disorder.
Counseling
In some instances, individuals might be referred an expert for ADHD but not having the disorder. This can cause stress for those being referred (long waiting lists, long assessments and then finding out they do not have ADHD) as well as a the use of healthcare resources, and higher costs. Inappropriate referrals may also cause overdiagnosis of ADHD (increasing the risk of stimulant use, which could be a source of diversion and abuse in some cases) and can increase the number of people diagnosed when their symptoms are caused by other psychiatric disorders, such as depression or anxiety.
A thorough ADHD assessment should include a detailed diagnostic interview conducted by a trained professional. This may include questions about the person's everyday life including school, work relationship with family and friends as well as alcohol and/or drug use, driving record medical issues, as well as mental health history from the time of their childhood. The examiner will want to determine if any of the criteria to diagnose ADHD are applicable to the individual (inattentiveness hyperactivity, impulsiveness and inattention). They will also determine if their symptoms can cause impairment.
Standardized questionnaires and scales of ratings can be useful for to assess ADHD symptoms. These can be administered by the evaluator, or completed by an independent source such as a spouse. They can be extremely useful when a person is not sure of their own symptoms or believes there are other causes for their issues. The evaluator may also ask the person to fill out a retrospective ADHD behavior profile from their childhood.
Psychological testing is commonly used to provide a complete evaluation of a person's cognitive and emotional, as well as behavioral functioning. This could include clinical interviews, rating scales, behavioral observations, neuropsychological tests, intelligence tests and mood tests. This gives a greater picture than a single diagnostic interview and can assist in determining the treatment, accommodations, and intervention plans.