COMPREHENSIVE ADHD ASSESSMENT FOR ADULTS IN CALGARY

Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is the current term for a specific developmental disorder seen in adults that includes deficits in behavioural inhibition, sustained attention and resistance to distraction, and regulating one’s activity level to the demands of a situation, including hyperactivity or restlessness. Sarra Wong is an experienced psychologist with over 20 years of experience and can help you develop coping strategies to deal with the issue. At Constellation Psychology in Calgary, we offer assessment services to help you determine the extent of the issue and develop strategies that focus on your growth and development.

ADULT-RELATED DIFFICULTIES

There are currently three subtypes of ADHD including:

Inattentive presentation

Hyperactive presentation

Combined presentation

ARE YOU AN ADULT WHO BELIEVES YOU MAY HAVE AN UNDERLYING ATTENTION PROBLEM?

Adults with ADHD have always lived with their condition, so they may not recognize their symptoms as being different from the normal population. They may be very confused as to why they are experiencing problems.

Experiences from their childhood may lead them to believe that they are not very smart or capable. They may believe that they are lazy and unmotivated or suffer from other mental illnesses.

Due to the frequency of associated disorders occurring with ADHD, the adult with ADHD will frequently arrive at the physician’s office complaining of symptoms of insomnia, unstable moods, anxiety, depression, lack of motivation, disorganization and procrastination.

Many adults seek out an ADHD assessment after their child has been diagnosed and they become familiar with the disorder

RED FLAGS FOR ADULT ADHD

A lifelong history of difficulty with attention, disruptive or impulsivity

Organizational skill problems (time management difficulties, misses appointments, frequent late and unfinished projects)

Erratic work history (changes jobs frequently, unprepared for meetings, projects not completed on time, reports of coworkers, employers and clients being frustrated with them)

Anger control problems (argumentative with authority figures, over controlling as a parent, fighting with coworkers or child’s teachers)

Marital problems (spouse complains that he/she does not listen, speaks without thinking, is impulsive, forgets important events)

Being over-talkative, interrupts frequently or inappropriately, speaks too loudly

Parenting problems (difficulty establishing and maintaining household routines, inconsistency in dealing with the children)

Money management problems (making impulsive purchases, running out of money, failing to pay bills or do taxes, history of bankruptcy)

Substance use or abuse, especially alcohol or marijuana, or excessive caffeine use

Frequent accidents

Problems with driving (speeding tickets, serious accidents, license revoked, or being overly cautious when driving to compensate for attention problems)

Being a parent of a child with ADHD

A college student who is frustrated, having to reduce their course load, or having difficulty completing assignments

The adult may be successful but shows impairment when compared to their potential

An adult who is expending more energy than others to do the same amount of work

An adult who is using coping strategies to compensate for their weaknesses, but still experiencing problems with their career and work relations or becoming a workaholic

THE ASSESSMENT PROCESS

A typical ADHD assessment takes approximately 10 hours to complete. It involves the administration of the following measures to obtain a comprehensive assessment of an individual’s functioning:

A measure of intelligence

WPPSI-IV (ages 2.5 to 7),

WISC-V (ages 6.5 to 17)

WAIS-IV (ages 18+)

A measure of achievement

WIAT-III (Wechsler Individual Achievement Test) assesses reading, math, written language, and oral language abilities. This measure will assist in determining if the individual has any underlying learning difficulties typically associated with ADHD

Common academic problems include poor reading comprehension, difficulty putting words to paper, and poor math calculation skills

Behavioural checklists (BASC-3, Conners, CAARS)

Computerized measures (CPT, CATA, IVA-AE-2)

Measures of executive functioning (BRIEF2)

Measures of neuropsychological functioning (NEPSY)

Measures of adaptive functioning (ABAS-3)

CHOOSE HELP

A thorough assessment of ADHD will help improve your relationship with people and work.