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Referral for Assessment of Adult ADHD
University students who are requesting assessment for ADHD may begin
the process by scheduling an intake appointment in 123 Berkshire
House. Following the intake appointment, a two hour interview
appointment may be scheduled to begin the assessment process. The
assessment itself will generally consist of one 4 hour appointment
which includes a clinical interview and neuropsychological testing,
all to be conducted by CCAD. The fee for the complete assessment
service rendered at CCAD is $425, payable by cashier's check or money
order. This would not cover psychopharmocology referrals should they
be needed.
Adult Assessment
The diagnosis of ADHD is primarily made by clinical exam. The
following procedure is considered standard practice and is followed at
this University of Massachusetts site to assess ADHD.
- Clinical Interview
A thorough diagnostic interview begins the assessment process. In the
course of the interview, information is gathered in the following
areas: developmental history, health history, school history,
employment history, social history, childhood and present behavior
patterns, alcohol/drug history, and psychiatric history.
A complete medical interview is essential to the clinical interview
process as well. It is used to rule out other medical conditions to
which ADHD may be secondary.
- Neuropsychologic Assessment
Neuropsychologic deficits are part of the ADHD syndrome. The battery
at our site consists of testing in the following areas: attention,
memory, intellectual functioning, and academic achievement. Patterns
of test score performance, test-taking behavior, and results of a
psychological symptom checklist are analyzed to determine if they are
consistent with a diagnosis of ADHD.
Treatment
- Pharmacological
Both stimulant and anti-depressant medications have been useful for some
adults with ADHD. They are not indicated for everyone due to certain
medical and psychological conditions.
- Psychotherapy
Even though ADHD is considered to be a biological disorder,
psychotherapy may augment pharmacological treatment. It has been
suggested that this type of treatment may be particularly helpful in
assisting individuals diagnosed with ADHD in dealing with issues of
self-esteem and interpersonal skills, in teaching medication
management, and in providing career assessment and counseling.
- Academic Support Services
At the University of Massachusetts/Amherst, students diagnosed with
ADHD are eligible to receive academic support services through the
Program for Students with Psychological and Medical Disabilities. In
this Program they will be assigned a case manager who will be
available to meet by appointment in order to monitor academic progress
and to assist in the implementation of reasonable accommodations as
needed. Students with ADHD are included under Section 504 of the
Rehabilitation Act of 1973 as well as the Americans with Disabilities
Act of 1990.
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