Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder

Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) is a disorder of brain development that results in hyperactive/impulsive and/or inattentive behaviour.  Hyperactive/impulsive behaviours may include excessive fidgeting, not listening when spoken to, difficulty working quietly, excessive movement, impatience, trouble waiting turns, and blurting out or interrupting, among others.  In comparison, inattentive behaviours may include excessive daydreaming, distractability, carelessness in work or activities, disorganization, and difficulty following instructions, among others.

Current research indicates that ADHD behaviours arise as a result of impaired cognitive abilities known as executive functions.  Executive functions refer to higher order thinking skills than allow an individual to achieve a goal and include such behaviours as inhibition (stopping an automatic behaviour or response to determine its appropriateness), flexibility (being able to “go with the flow”), and working memory (ability to maintain and reorganize information in your mind).  Children with ADHD often have difficulties in these and other areas of functioning, which are important to understand the nature and extent of their difficulties.

At Inspire, we endeavor to adhere to strong clinical practices regarding the psychological assessment of ADHD.  Our process typically includes an evaluation of an individual’s cognitive ability, executive functioning, behavioural difficulties, symptoms of hyperactivitiy/impulsivity and inattention, and mental health (i.e., anxiety and/or depression).  For school-aged children, an evaluation of their academic achievement is also often beneficial as the information can be very useful to schools in understanding the child’s needs and planning for their academic future.

For more information about ADHD assessment or to speak with our team about undertaking an assessment, please email us at info@inspirechildpsychology.ca.