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What is ADHD?
Curious if you, or someone you know, has Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD)?
It is a diagnosis that can get thrown around a lot but what does it actually mean?
ADHD is classified as a neurodevelopmental condition, meaning different factors at birth or early childhood (e.g., genetics, birth trauma, immune disorder, infectious disease, nutritional factors, physical trauma, etc.) impact the way one’s brain develops. This can cause one to develop strengths and challenges that are different from what’s “typical” (https://adhdaware.org.uk/what-is-adhd/neurodiversity-and-other-conditions/). This is important to note, as individuals with ADHD are often labeled as lazy or willfully not following through, when they may actually be struggling with the impacts of a developmental difficulty. ADHD is connected to brain-behavior relationships involving executive functioning (e.g., attention, impulse control, self-regulation, organization/planning, and working memory).
How does ADHD get diagnosed?
The gold standard to diagnose ADHD is comprehensive testing. This is the best way to ensure an accurate diagnosis. This includes clinical interviews with multiple informants, cognitive and neuropsychological measures, and administering rating scales conducted by a clinician who is trained in interpreting this testing data.
According to the MedCentral:
“It is widely known that while interviewing is the most commonly employed approach to ascertain an ADHD diagnosis, it is quite flawed and additional steps are required for diagnostic accuracy. In short, clinical interviews are troubled by issues with validity due to an individual’s poor recall of childhood experiences, lack of insight about ADHD symptoms,
and/or the possibility of positive illusory bias.”
(https://www.medcentral.com/behavioral-mental/adhd/diagnosis-which-assessment-tools-to-use-and-why).
Why is this important?
Many providers, often due to the demand for additional support for those struggling with ADHD, may provide ADHD diagnoses without fully exploring an individual’s unique profile, using evidenced-based measures, and supplementing their clinical intuition with data. This can lead to “missing” other causes of or co-occurring difficulties which can produce similar symptoms to ADHD, without ADHD always being the underlying cause.
Who Benefits from ADHD Testing?
Both children and adults benefit from figuring out whether they have ADHD. For children, this diagnosis informs their optimal learning style. Mainstream approaches may not be best suited for someone with ADHD, for example, if a child benefits more from hands on or visual learning. Additionally, knowing how to set a child up for success can help them approach their homework and schoolwork in a more efficient way. This allows the child to feel more capable and less emotionally taxed, leaving more room to learn.
Adults benefit from knowing if they have ADHD to optimize their learning style as well. Whatever demands come with a job can be better managed by knowing your skillset, particularly if supports are needed in certain areas. For some, adding accommodations like visual cues, or learning to pace their workday, can greatly benefit ability to focus. Knowing how to play to one’s strengths and support their weaknesses can decrease frustration and increase their ability to enjoy life.
For children and adults alike, academic accommodations may be needed to level the playing field. Extra time, a reduced-distraction setting, and help with learning how to approach multi-step tasks can help one to increase their efficiency. This is helpful for school-aged children and adults seeking college or graduate studies, as learning and performing are major tasks in the school setting.
Why Does the Type of ADHD Testing Matter?
Like with any medical testing, accuracy in diagnosis is key to effectively treating symptoms. A lot of variables affect our attention, so it is important to understand the etiology of one’ssymptoms. There can be consequences for a false positive if someone is diagnosed with ADHD but their underlying problem is in fact, anxiety. If someone is prescribed a stimulant medication (common for ADHD), it can actually make one’s anxious symptoms worse and thus worsen their attentional abilities.
Comprehensive testing takes into account that a lot of variables affect our attention. A trained assessor knows the nuances involved and takes that into consideration when ruling diagnoses in or out.
Additionally, ADHD has a high prevalence for being connected to other disorders. According
to a 2016 national parent survey cited by MedCentral, 6 in 10 children with ADHD had at
least one other mental, emotional, or behavioral disorder. The most common co-occurring
conditions include :
And when emotions start to rise, try these tricks in the moment:
- 52% behavioral or conduct problems
- 33% anxiety disorders
- 17% depression
- 14% autism spectrum disorder
- 1% Tourette syndrome
(https://www.medcentral.com/behavioral-mental/adhd/adhd-remote-learning-pandemic)
The bottom line is ADHD is complex. In order to provide an accurate diagnosis that takes into account the full diagnostic picture, it is necessary to provide thorough testing.
Benefits of Comprehensive Testing
One of the best things comprehensive testing provides is a detailed report of how someone’s brain functions – including strengths and areas of struggle, based on a detailed integration of their testing data. When one knows their neurological learning profile,complete with unique strengths and challenges, they can chart a path forward. It’s like building a map of your brain so you can program your GPS to reach your destination while knowing the way points you will need to stop at along the way. Conversely, the less data a clinician has, the less they are able to provide results that take in the holistic and specific needs of the individual while also helping you understand the steps you may need to take to reach your goals.
At CCTA, we love being able to set our clients up for success. We also take pride in providing holistic understanding of one’s strengths and struggles taken within the context of your life and lived experiences. Our comprehensive testing provides you with your specific learning profile and subsequent recommendations we tailor specifically to your needs.
Interested in learning more about the benefits of our approach to ADHD testing? Contact us to learn more about our testing services and we are happy to offer a free consultation to help pair you with a clinician with the best match expertise for your concerns.
Jessica Pavlick is a Licensed Psychologist and Associate Professor at The George Washington University. She specializes in individual psychotherapy with adults with depression and anxiety, and completing comprehensive psychological assessments for individuals across the lifespan.
