At Oakwood Counseling, guiding you through the ADHD testing experience is a collaborative, transparent journey—one that respects your concerns, values your family’s input, and honors our shared goal of clarity and care. When you choose us for ADHD testing, you’re stepping into an empathetic and evidence-informed approach to evaluating this neurodevelopmental condition.
1. The Initial Consultation
The first step we take is a welcoming consultation with you—our client, parent, or healthcare provider—to understand why you’re seeking an ADHD evaluation. We hear your stories: challenges with attention problems, episodes of impulsive behavior, and disruptions in social situations. This meeting helps us note any family history or family health history suggesting ADHD or other mental health disorders. It’s the cornerstone of an accurate ADHD diagnosis.
2. Family, History, and Behavioral Observations
You’ll share details about hyperactive-impulsive symptoms—those restless bursts of motion and speech—that might have surfaced in early school years or at home. We explore family members’ observations, including how symptoms of hyperactivity-impulsivity affect interactions, daily routines, or performance in school or work. This holistic intake ensures we honor your family history while distinguishing ADHD from other mental health conditions like anxiety disorder.
3. A Physical Exam: Ruling Out Other Factors
Before launching into testing, we may collaborate with a healthcare provider to ensure a recent physical exam is conducted. This step ensures that unseen medical or physiological factors aren’t masquerading as ADHD-like attention problems.
4. Administering Rating Scales and ADHD Screening Tools
Next comes structured assessment—our rating scales are standardized, validated tools that capture the full spectrum of ADHD symptoms, both hyperactive-impulsive symptoms and inattentive behavior. These tools often include parent- or teacher-completed questionnaires, which help us compare behaviors across settings. Rather than a single test, our ADHD screening involves multiple measures, ensuring thorough evaluation. The notion of a single test for diagnosing ADHD is misleading—meaningful assessments must be comprehensive.
5. Clinical Observation and Interviews
Complementing rating scales are our clinical interviews with you, and when appropriate, family members and educators. We observe impulsive behavior, how attention problems manifest in conversation, and note how individuals navigate social situations. Are there patterns like impulsivity in dialogue, distractibility amid questions, or hyperactivity during waiting periods? These observations, combined with structured evaluations, guide us toward a well-rounded ADHD diagnosis.
6. Evaluating Against Diagnostic Criteria
Understanding ADHD means aligning observed behaviors with formal diagnostic criteria—typically DSM-5 standards. We assess whether there are adequate —and age-appropriate—symptoms across settings, how long they’ve persisted, and whether they impair daily functioning. We consider types of ADHD (for example, inattentive, hyperactive-impulsive, or combined)—the types of ADHD classification that helps tailor treatment and intervention.
7. Considering Co-Occurring Conditions
Many individuals with ADHD also encounter other mental health disorders like anxiety disorder or mood-related mental disorders (like depression). Our approach involves noting overlapping symptoms, ensuring a clear differentiation: is an inability to focus due to ADHD, anxiety, or both? By exploring this, our ADHD evaluation becomes precise and individual.
8. Finalizing Your ADHD Diagnosis
Once the assessment is complete, we synthesize everything—rating scales, clinical interviews, observations, physical health inputs, and the diagnostic criteria—to optionally produce an ADHD diagnosis if warranted. We never rely on a single test but instead evaluate the totality of evidence.
9. Sharing Results & Collaborating on Next Steps
When we deliver results, we clearly explain which symptoms of ADHD were present—whether inattention, hyperactive-impulsive symptoms, or both—and how they impacted functioning in social situations, school, or home. We discuss the type of ADHD diagnosed, the diagnosis of ADHD, and whether any potential co-existing mental health conditions are identified.
10. Moving Forward: From Testing to Therapy
ADHD testing isn’t the end—it’s the beginning. We discuss intervention—often recommending behavioral therapy as a front-line treatment. We can integrate behavioral therapy focused on managing impulsive behavior, improving executive functioning, or enhancing social skills. We may also involve family members in therapy, using their insights to reinforce behavioral strategies at home.
Why Our Process Stands Apart
- Thoroughness beyond a single test: We avoid superficial screenings or one-off tools. Instead, we invoke robust, multi-informant ADHD screening grounded in rating scales, interviews, and direct observation.
- Precision via diagnostic criteria: Every diagnosis is matched to recognized diagnostic criteria, ensuring clarity for both families and referral sources.
- Holistic care: Our process respects the full person—considering family health history, physical wellness, and the interplay of co-occurring mental health disorders.
- Strength-based therapy: A diagnosis of ADHD doesn’t define you. Our recommendation for behavioral therapy focuses on empowerment, skill development, and adaptation.
- Context-sensitive feedback: Whether it’s navigating social situations, managing impulsive behavior, or booster strategies for focus, all recommendations are rooted in real-world relevance.
We Can Help
At Oakwood Counseling, ADHD testing is more than scoring checkboxes—it’s an empathetic, evidence-based pathway toward understanding. Through comprehensive evaluation, a clear application of diagnostic criteria, and thoughtful collaboration with you and your family, our team strives to offer clarity, compassion, and a grounded plan for moving forward—often with behavioral therapy and context-aware support rooted in your unique needs.
You aren’t just receiving an evaluation—you’re being heard, assessed, and guided. And that’s how we bring clarity to ADHD testing at Oakwood Counseling.
