8-12 week wait for intake; comprehensive assessment follows over ~90 days
Traditional ADHD evals are old school
Diagnostic criteria outlines ADHD as an ongoing pattern of three different types of observable symptoms:
· Difficulty paying attention (inattention)
· Being overactive (hyperactivity)
· Acting without thinking (impulsivity).
ADHD evals include behavioral questionnaires from parents and teachers; parent interview to obtain developmental, learning and behavioral history; screening for comorbid social-emotional symptoms, neurocognitive testing of attention, working memory, and processing speed; verbal feedback; and a written summary report of findings. A thorough evaluation should examine many other problems, like anxiety, depression, and certain types of learning disabilities can have similar symptoms.
Although the symptoms of ADHD begin in childhood, ADHD is not just a childhood disorder. ADHD can continue through adolescence and adulthood. For adults, ADHD-specific interviews and emotional rating scales are included for the client, and if at all possible, collateral sources such as parents or spouses to validate childhood and current symptoms and functioning. Particular emphasis is given to evaluate functional impact on activities of daily living.
Traditional ADHD evaluations may stop there, because diagnoses based on observations is where the diagnostic manual stops (for now). Dr. M’s approach does not, however. Current research indicates ADHD (and other disorders, too) is often complicated by what is not always overtly observable to others. For instance, we can observe how fidgety or hyperactive one is, but how one plans for a long-term project or remembers where their backpack 🎒 is not as readily observable. Executive functioning weaknesses (see below for more about EF) may become especially pronounced. Because executive functioning is not always observable, it takes a more nuanced approach to understand this important cognitive skill.Even though hyperactivity tends to improve as a child becomes a teen, problems with inattention, disorganization, and poor impulse control often continue through the teen years and into adulthood.
Initial diagnostic or re-evaluations for children and adults
Those on the autistic spectrum frequently have significant difficulties with social and communication skills. Their language may be slow to develop, and their speech may include peculiar patterns or a formal, monotone voice pattern. Pragmatic language issues may include problems understanding tone of voice, facial expressions, or body language. Older children and adolescents may have trouble understanding figures of speech, humor, or sarcasm.
Social problems may include difficulty understanding other people’s feelings, a lack of pretend play (for children), and an impaired ability to develop friendships. Additionally, there is frequently an insistence on sameness and routine, difficulty with change or transitions, and they may have unusually focused interests in a very particular area (which they often love to talk about, but are not good at noticing the cues that everyone else doesn’t have the same degree of interest).
Given ASD is a spectrum, there is a lot of variation in how autism looks from person to person. An autism diagnosis reflects this by using Support Levels of 1, 2, or 3 to show how much support a person needs. Level 3 means that a person needs a high level of support, while Level1 means less support is needed.
Now offering Tricare ABA update outcome measures
Dr. Maybouer is a Tricare Autism Diagnostic Provider and able to provide remote admistration of ABA update outcome measures, including required Vineland-3, SRS-2, PSI-4-SF/SIPA. Please note, Tricare indicates outcome measure authorizations “will only be issued to one provider. HNFS will not authorize multiple providers for the same outcome and will not divide the Vineland-3, SRS-2, PSI-4-SF/SIPA amongst multiple providers.”
Therefore, all three measures must be administered as a package. Please check your due date to ensure adequate authorization. The Tricare West website has an excellent summary page at
SOCIAL-EMOTIONAL AND BEHAVIORAL FUNCTIONING
ANXIETY, DEPRESSION, OR BEHAVIORAL CONCERNS
A social-emotional assessment includes emotional and personality testing and provides in-depth information regarding an individual’s functioning in both of these areas. If previous cognitive testing exists, or if it seems fairly certain that cognitive limitations do not bear on the case, an abbreviated psychological evaluation can be an invaluable resource for providing diagnostic clarification and treatment recommendations. This might include assessment to see if a person is depressed or has an anxiety disorder. Emphasis is on identifying underlying clinical issues, client personality features, and providing specific therapeutic recommendations.
COGNITIVE FUNCTIONING
Identifying Giftedness and Intellectual Disabilities
Cognitive assessments or intelligence tests are often used to identify cognitive strengths and weaknesses. When interpreted in combination with comprehensive background information and parent and teachers interviews, the results of cognitive tests can assist with the development of individualized intervention and/or learning plans. Cognitive testing is most typically requested for placement in gifted programs, or in conjunction with scales of adaptive functioning/life skills, as a means to determine developmental delays or intellectual impairment.
Welcome to The Testing Psych, PLLC Website!
UPDATES:
Psychological assessment services in NC and PSYPACT states. NOW OFFERING TRICARE ABA UPDATES!
Assessments are remote via secure Telehealth link. Assessments utilize only statistically sound, evidence-based clinical measures via advanced technological administration. (It’s legit, I promise)!
Intakes are currently scheduling about 8-12 weeks out; please be aware Dr. M’s assessments are meticulously comprehensive, unfolding over approximately 90 days (excluding Tricare ABA updates, which have quicker turnaround due to their limited nature).