Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder

(ADHD) Assessments

What is ADHD?


What You Need to Know

ADHD stands for Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder, and it's a condition that affects the way your brain works. Think of your brain as a superhero trying to focus on tasks, but with ADHD, sometimes it's like there are a bunch of villains trying to distract it.

The Attention Part: One of the main challenges with ADHD is paying attention. Imagine trying to focus on your homework while your mind keeps wandering off to other things like that new video game or what you're going to have for dinner. That's what it can be like for someone with ADHD.

The Hyperactivity Part: Another aspect of ADHD is hyperactivity, which means having a lot of extra energy. It's like you've had one too many cups of coffee, and you can't sit still. You might fidget, tap your foot, or just feel like you need to move around all the time.

Impulsivity: Sometimes, people with ADHD also act before they think. It's like pressing "send" on a text message without checking it first, even if it might not be a good idea.

How It Affects School: ADHD can make school more challenging. Staying focused in class, remembering assignments, and staying organized can be tough. But it's important to remember that having ADHD doesn't mean you're not smart or capable—it just means you might need some extra support to succeed.

“Our greatest glory is not in never failing, but in rising up every time we fail.”

— Ralph Waldo Emerson

Testing For ADHD

There are many ways to test for ADHD, some assessors will do an interview, some tasks will be on the computer, or involve forms for you to fill out or special tasks for you to complete. Your assessor should decide the best battery for you and discuss it with you prior to testing.

Telehealth Testing

Testing in the Comfort of Your own Home

  • Accessibility: Telehealth eliminates geographical barriers, allowing individuals to access psychological testing and assessments regardless of their location.

  • Convenience: Telehealth eliminates the need for travel to a physical location, saving time and reducing logistical challenges such as transportation and scheduling conflicts.

  • Privacy and Confidentiality: Telehealth platforms use secure and encrypted communication channels, ensuring privacy and confidentiality during psychological testing and assessments.

  • Comfort and Familiarity: Being assessed in the comfort of one's own environment can help individuals feel more relaxed and at ease, leading to more accurate assessment results.

  • Flexibility in Scheduling: Telehealth allows for greater flexibility in scheduling appointments, making it easier for individuals to find a time that works for them.

  • Continuity of Care: Telehealth facilitates continuity of care by allowing individuals to receive psychological testing and assessments from the same provider, even if they are unable to meet in person due to travel or other constraints.

FAQs

  • At Growth Accelerated, we do not accept insurance for assessments. A psychological practice may opt not to accept insurance and require an insurance opt-out form for assessment services primarily due to the low reimbursement rates for testing, which often do not justify the time and resources required by providers. Psychological testing involves extensive evaluation, interpretation, and report writing, which can be time-consuming and labor-intensive. However, insurance reimbursement rates for testing are typically lower compared to other mental health services, such as therapy sessions.

    By not accepting insurance and requiring an insurance opt-out form, the practice can set its own fees for assessment services, ensuring that the compensation reflects the expertise and time invested by providers. This approach allows for fair compensation and ensures that the quality of testing services remains high. Additionally, opting out of insurance provides greater flexibility and autonomy for the practice, allowing therapists to focus on delivering comprehensive and personalized assessments without being constrained by insurance company requirements or limitations.

    Overall, the decision not to accept insurance and require an insurance opt-out form for assessment services is often driven by the need to maintain adequate compensation for psychological testing, which may not be achievable through insurance reimbursement due to low rates. This approach enables practices to prioritize quality of care, fair compensation for providers, and flexibility in service delivery.

  • You will typically spend several hours completing the entire assessment. Some of that time may be with the clinician and some of it may be on your own completing forms. Once you have finished all of the items and returned them to your clinician, they will score them, interpret them, and write up a report for you.

    The report will include background that you shared with your clinician, results from your report an interpretive summary of all of the information provided and if appropriate, a diagnoses and recommendations. This report will be yours to take with you. If you need the report sent to someone you will be asked to fill out a release of information and the report will be faxed to the appropriate entity.

  • The purpose of testing is to investigate a presenting problem and to help people figure out what is going on for them and what might be helpful for them.

    Sometimes testing confirms exactly what we thought might be going on, and then we can make recommendations to help them furhter. Other times, testing reveals that what we suspected is not the issue at all, and it may be something else. In which case we can make recommendations to help with that.

    In some cases, which can be very frustrating, testing comes up with absolutely nothing. While, as an assessor and as a client, we hate when this happens, we cannot force testing to show us something that is not there. We can still suggest strategies to help with whatever you may be struggling, but we may not be able to provide a diagnosis or the referral you were hoping for.

It is not our differences that divide us. It is our inability to recognize, accept, and celebrate those differences.”


Audre Lorde

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