Adult ADHD Evaluations
Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is more than having trouble sitting still or daydreaming at work/school.
Adults with ADHD often struggle with organization. Some adults with ADHD can only complete a task when there is a deadline. Others have trouble with time management. Some adults with ADHD can focus intently on tasks they are interested in but have trouble maintaining focus on anything that is not immediately engaging.
For many, these difficulties have been present since childhood but were never recognized. Others begin questioning ADHD later in life when increasing demands at work, home, or school make longstanding difficulties harder to compensate for.
At Red Pine Neuropsychology, adult ADHD evaluations are designed to answer an important question:
Are your difficulties best explained by ADHD, or is something else going on?
Because not every person needs the same level of testing, two types of ADHD evaluation are available.
Focused Adult ADHD Evaluation
Fee: $895
The focused ADHD evaluation is designed for adults whose primary question is whether they meet criteria for ADHD.
ADHD is diagnosed primarily through a careful assessment of symptoms, developmental history, functional impairment, and alternative explanations for attention difficulties. Extensive cognitive testing is not necessary in every case.
The focused evaluation includes:
A detailed clinical and developmental interview
Systematic review of current and childhood ADHD symptoms
A few select objective tests of attention and executive functioning
Assessment of how symptoms affect work, school, relationships, and everyday functioning
Standardized ADHD questionnaires
Screening for common conditions that can resemble or contribute to ADHD symptoms, including anxiety, depression, sleep problems, and other relevant factors
Review of relevant records or collateral information when available
Diagnostic formulation and recommendations
Written report documenting the findings
Feedback to review the results and recommendations
This option is often appropriate when ADHD is the primary concern and there are no significant neurological or broader cognitive concerns that need to be ruled-out.
If ADHD is diagnosed, the written report can be shared with your physician, psychiatrist, therapist, or other treatment provider. Decisions regarding medication are made by the prescribing physician (and not by Red Pine Neuropsychology).
Comprehensive ADHD Evaluation
Fee: $1,500
Some adults benefit from a more extensive evaluation.
The comprehensive evaluation includes everything involved in the focused ADHD assessment, along with formal neuropsychological testing to provide a broader understanding of cognitive functioning.
Depending on the clinical question, testing may examine areas such as:
General intellectual functioning
Attention and sustained concentration
Processing speed
Working memory
Executive functioning
Cognitive flexibility and inhibition
Learning and memory
Performance validity
This option may be especially useful when:
The diagnostic picture is complicated or unclear
ADHD symptoms overlap substantially with other psychiatric or medical concerns
There is a history of concussion, traumatic brain injury, neurological illness, or other conditions that could affect cognition
Attention or memory problems are relatively new rather than longstanding
There are broader concerns about cognitive functioning beyond ADHD
More detailed documentation of cognitive strengths and weaknesses would be useful
The comprehensive evaluation includes a detailed written neuropsychological report and a feedback appointment to review the findings and recommendations.
Which Evaluation Is Right for Me?
You do not need to determine this on your own.
For many adults seeking clarification about possible ADHD, the Focused Adult ADHD Evaluation is sufficient. More extensive neuropsychological testing is recommended when there is a clinical reason to believe it will provide meaningful additional information.
Before scheduling, we can briefly discuss your concerns and determine which type of evaluation is most appropriate.
The goal is to not perform more testing than necessary. It is to conduct the level of assessment needed to answer your questions confidently and responsibly.
What Can Look Like ADHD?
Difficulty concentrating does not always mean ADHD.
Similar symptoms can occur with uncontrolled:
Anxiety
Depression
Chronic stress
Poor or insufficient sleep
Trauma-related symptoms
Substance use
Medication effects
Medical or neurological conditions
Other cognitive or psychiatric concerns
A thorough ADHD evaluation considers these possibilities rather than relying solely on a symptom checklist.
What happens after the evaluation?
After the evaluation is complete, you will receive feedback explaining:
Whether the findings support an ADHD diagnosis
Factors that may be contributing to your symptoms
Your individual pattern of strengths and difficulties
Treatment and practical recommendations
Appropriate next steps
You will also receive a written report that can be shared with other healthcare providers with your permission.
Frequently asked questions about adult ADHD evaluations
-
No. Adult ADHD evaluations are available without a physician referral.
-
No. Red Pine Neuropsychology provides diagnostic assessment and recommendations but does not prescribe medication.
If ADHD is diagnosed, your report can be shared with your primary care physician, psychiatrist, or another prescribing clinician. The prescribing provider ultimately determines whether medication is appropriate.
-
No. Childhood records can be helpful when available, but many adults do not have access to old report cards or school records. The evaluation can still proceed using a detailed developmental history and other available information.
-
No. ADHD is a clinical diagnosis. Cognitive testing can provide useful information, but diagnosis depends on the broader pattern of developmental history, symptoms, functional impairment, and other possible explanations.
-
The length varies depending on the complexity of the referral question and the amount of testing needed; however, you should typically expect to set aside at least two hours for the focused ADHD assessment and three hours for the comprehensive assessment.
Some aspects of the evaluation, such as completing standardized questionnaires, can be completed by the patient at home prior to arriving. -
Yes. You will receive a written report summarizing the findings, diagnostic conclusions when appropriate, and individualized recommendations.
-
Yes, with your written authorization, results can be shared with other healthcare providers involved in your care.
-
Yes.
Strong grades or academic success do not automatically rule out ADHD.
Some adults may have compensated for attention or executive-function difficulties during their childhood due to a high level of inherent intellect, strong structure maintained by parents/teachers, significant effort, perfectionism, deadline pressure, or other strategies.
The more useful question is not simply:
"Were you successful?"
It is:
"What did it take for you to be successful?"
For some people, ADHD becomes much more noticeable when external structure decreases and responsibilities become more complex—for example, during college, graduate school, career advancement, parenthood, or other major life transitions.
-
If you are currently taking medication for ADHD, that does not prevent you from completing an evaluation.
Whether medication should be taken on the day of testing depends on the purpose of the evaluation and your individual circumstances. Instructions can be discussed before your appointment so that testing is conducted in a way that best addresses the referral question.
Do not change or stop a prescribed medication unless instructed to do so by the prescribing clinician.
-
A diagnosis is most useful when it helps guide what comes next.
Depending on your circumstances, evaluation results may help inform:
Conversations with your prescribing physician about medication
Psychotherapy or ADHD-focused coaching
Strategies for organization, planning, and time management
Workplace strategies
Academic accommodations when appropriate
Approaches to reducing procrastination and improving task initiation
Systems for managing appointments, deadlines, and daily responsibilities
Treatment of co-occurring anxiety, depression, sleep problems, or other concerns
The recommendations are based on the pattern of findings from your evaluation rather than a generic list of ADHD strategies.
-
That is still useful information.
The goal of testing is to understand why you are struggling, not simply to assign a diagnosis.
If the findings suggest that ADHD is not the best explanation, the evaluation may help identify other factors contributing to attention or executive-function difficulties and provide recommendations for addressing them.
In many cases, diagnostic clarification can be just as valuable as receiving the diagnosis someone initially expected.
Adult ADHD evaluations in Farmington, Utah
Red Pine Neuropsychology provides comprehensive ADHD evaluations for adults in Farmington, Utah, serving patients throughout Davis County and the greater Salt Lake City area.
A physician referral is not required.
Ready to get some clarity?
If you have been wondering whether ADHD could explain longstanding difficulties with attention, organization, time management, or follow-through, an evaluation can help clarify what is happening and what may help.
Existing patient?