An ADHD assessment is a comprehensive evaluation of whether attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder explains a young person’s difficulties with attention, activity or impulsivity. It combines interviews with the young person and family, standardised cognitive testing, questionnaires, observations and school reports — and checks for other explanations or co-occurring conditions such as learning disorders, anxiety or autism.
Signs an ADHD assessment may help
Every young person is inattentive or restless sometimes. An assessment is worth considering when difficulties are persistent, show up across settings (home, school, work, social life) and are getting in the way of learning, relationships or wellbeing.
Children
- Trouble staying on task or finishing work
- Easily distracted, forgetful or losing things
- Fidgety, always “on the go”, or talking a lot
- Acting before thinking; difficulty waiting a turn
- School reports noting focus or behaviour concerns
Teens & young adults
- Procrastination, missed deadlines, disorganisation
- Difficulty sustaining attention in study or work
- Restlessness, impulsive decisions
- Emotional overwhelm and frustration
- Bright, but results don’t match effort or ability
Why choose a comprehensive psychological assessment?
In South Australia, specially trained GPs can now diagnose and treat ADHD. A psychological assessment offers something different: a detailed picture of how a young person thinks and learns. It can:
- Map attention, working memory, processing speed and executive functioning with standardised tests
- Check for other explanations — such as learning disorders, anxiety, low mood, sleep or language difficulties
- Identify co-occurring conditions, including specific learning disorders and autism
- Combine information from home, school and the young person into one coherent picture
- Give practical, specific recommendations for home, the classroom, study and the GP or paediatrician
What the assessment involves
- Enquiry and intake. We gather background information, previous reports and school reports, and confirm the questions you want answered. If you’re unsure what’s needed, start with a Clinical Intake Consultation.
- Developmental and clinical interviews with parents or carers and the young person — history, current difficulties, strengths and goals.
- Questionnaires completed by parents, teachers and (where appropriate) the young person, to see how attention and behaviour show up in different settings.
- Standardised cognitive testing — attention, working memory, processing speed and reasoning — with breaks.
- Review and integration of school reports, observations and any previous assessments.
- Report and feedback. We aim to complete your report within 1–2 weeks of testing and talk you through the findings and recommendations.
Combined neurodevelopmental assessments
ADHD often overlaps with other conditions. Where questions overlap, we can combine an ADHD assessment with a learning (dyslexia) assessment, an autism assessment, or a cognitive assessment (including intellectual disability or giftedness) — which avoids repeating overlapping parts of the process.
What you receive
A written report explaining the results in plain language: whether the criteria for ADHD are met, the young person’s cognitive strengths and challenges, any other factors identified, and practical recommendations for home, school or study, and for your GP or paediatrician. With your consent, we share the report with your referrer and other professionals you nominate.
Cost and funding
ADHD assessments are quoted as one all-inclusive fee before you commit, covering interviews, testing, questionnaires, scoring and interpretation, and your written report. Our rate is $240 per hour, below the APS recommended $330. You can pay in full after the first session or in two instalments.
Medicare generally doesn’t cover ADHD assessments; for young people under 25 referred by a consultant paediatrician or psychiatrist, the complex neurodevelopmental disorder items may apply. The NDIS does not fund diagnostic assessments. See fees & funding.
