Executive Functioning
An executive functions screening is a brief psychological screen to determine if you would benefit from further evaluation for a neurological condition (namely, Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder) that could be affecting your overall functioning. It is designed to be brief in order to give you a quick determination (typically within a week or two) if an executive function deficit is suspected. If it is, you can begin to pursue temporary corrective measures to compensate for the apparent deficit, such as academic/workplace accommodations and/or medication intervention (prescribed by a neurologist or psychiatrist). The screening is faster, much less costly than a full psychoeducational battery, and more comprehensive than giving you a self-report form. By measuring executive functioning, the underlying component to ADHD etiology, the screening goes beyond solely testing your attentional capacity, which could be affected by several other psychological conditions such as depression or anxiety.
If you believe that there are multiple factors that could be creating functional difficulties, such as a history of or current concerns of depression, anxiety, learning disabilities, processing problems, or head injury, it is suggested you have a full psychological assessment conducted, as the screening does not evaluate these areas. Also, if you require a definitive diagnosis to be made, opt for the full psychological assessment.
What Is The Screening NOT Intended To Do?
The screening is not intended to be a comprehensive assessment of ADHD or any related neurological condition. A diagnosis of ADHD or any other condition will not be made as part of the screening. The results of the screening should not be taken as an indication of the need for long-term medication or academic accommodation options.
Who Could Benefit?
· Patients with a previous diagnosis who desire an updated analysis of whether or not ADHD is still affecting them;
· Patients who have been suspected to have ADHD throughout their lives by teachers, parents, spouses, etc. but have not been tested previously;
· Patients with the ADHD diagnosis who are being treated but still have difficulty and would benefit from learning about what specific executive functions are impaired; or
· Patients experiencing social and academic difficulty with other conditions (such as learning disability, processing disorder, depression, anxiety) being ruled out.
