Psychological ADD Testing

Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD), currently known as Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), is a developmental disorder that can occur in children as well as in adults. People suffering from the disorder are hyperactive, restless, unable to focus their attention for extended periods of time and are easily distracted.

Diagnosis

• However, there is no simple test for ADHD. The Center for Disease Control and Prevention states that many other psychological conditions have symptoms similar to ADHD, making diagnosis of the disorder a complex process.

Evaluation

• If ADHD is suspected then the evaluation process involves a series of tests. These may include a full psychosocial, mental, physical and nutritional examination. A psychological evaluation will include complete psychological testing as well as intelligence testing. In the case of a child, both the child and his family must be psychologically evaluated.

Testing

• According to the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, when diagnosing a patient with ADHD it is not obligatory to perform psychological testing. However, should the patient have a history of poor performance in the areas of mathematics and language, or demonstrate poor cognitive skills relative to his intellectual potential, then psychological tests are advised.

  Specific types of psychological tests include the Bender Gestalt Test which evaluates how information is processed and the WAIS-III which looks at the patient's intelligence quotient or IQ.