When determining whether a person meets diagnostic criteria for ADHD (often called ADD), it is important to keep in mind that this is a clinical diagnosis, and there is no definitive test that can determine whether a person has ADD/ADHD. Also, many different problems and conditions can have a negative impact on attention that need to be ruled out in evaluations of ADD/ADHD. For example, depression, anxiety, stress, sleep deprivation, memory problems, and slow processing speed can all have a negative impact on attention and might look like ADD/ADHD. So, a determination of whether ADD/ADHD is the appropriate diagnosis is actually rather tricky. A proper diagnosis leads to more effective treatment recommendations.

ApaCenter evaluations for ADD/ADHD typically include the following:

• Comprehensive review of the client’s history and a client interview
• Behavioral checklists and self-report measures
• Testing in the areas of cognitive abilities, academic skills, and auditory processing
• Computerized tests of attention
• Comprehensive emotional evaluation (in some cases)