Benefits of Neuropsychological Testing for ADHD
Over six million people in the United States have been diagnosed with ADHD, but more recent scholarship has shown that ADHD is under diagnosed in women and people of color. There is an untold number of individuals who struggle with ADHD every day. Even if attention deficit disorders aren’t life threatening, they can make it a little harder to complete your tasks every day. If you’ve suspected that you have ADHD (or if you’ve been informally diagnosed), you can confirm it with a neuropsychological evaluation. Not sure if you’re ready to take that step? Here are a few reasons to look into free ADHD testing.
The Results are Less Biased
Numerous studies show that young boys are more likely to be diagnosed with ADHD than girls, but often, it’s because teachers and parents over diagnose boys who have trouble sitting still at the dinner table or paying attention in class. ADHD is believed to occur equally as often in girls, but because it manifests as a quiet dreaminess, the symptoms are usually unnoticed. Likewise, white children are diagnosed with ADHD significantly more than black American and Hispanic/Latino children, suggesting a racial confirmation bias. In sum: ADHD diagnoses largely coincide with race and gender.
Neuropsychological evaluations are cognitive assessments that follow your day-to-day cognitive functioning. You’ll also complete a comprehensive questionnaire and complete an interview with a physician. The results are more likely to correctly identify any disordered thinking.
You’ll Have a Better Idea of How your Mind Works
Even if you’ve found workarounds for your ADHD all your life, there may be other tools that you can use to make your day-to-day tasks a little bit easier. Your ADHD testing can give you a complete view of how you think, what your strengths are, and some tips to improve your areas of weakness. For example, individuals with ADHD may have trouble focusing on a written text. If you listen to the text being read to you while working with your hands, you are more likely to remember the text later.
Get Approved for Accommodation
Not many people understand that learning disorders such as ADHD, autism, and dyslexia really are disorders, and as such, are deserving of accommodation. Individuals with ADHD, for example, can request that they take graduate-level exams in separate rooms and that they have extra time to complete their tests. If you would like GMAT, LSAT, or MCAT accommodations, however, you’ll often need to some written proof from a professional. A neuropsychological evaluation is a great way to get access to the resources you need.
Even if you’ve been told that you “don’t seem to have ADHD,” you can still meet with a neuropsychologist to find out for sure. No matter what you are experiencing, there is help available.