Comprehensive ADHD Testing for Children and Adolescents
Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) is one of the most common neurodevelopmental conditions affecting children and adolescents. ADHD may impact attention, concentration, impulse control, emotional regulation, organisation, academic performance, social relationships, and daily functioning.
Children with ADHD may present with symptoms such as inattention, forgetfulness, distractibility, excessive activity, difficulty remaining seated, poor organisation, emotional outbursts, impulsive behaviours, or challenges completing tasks. Left unrecognised, these difficulties can affect learning, self-esteem, family relationships, and social development.
A comprehensive ADHD assessment helps parents gain a clearer understanding of their child’s strengths and challenges, identify whether ADHD symptoms are present, and obtain recommendations to support academic, emotional, and behavioural development.
Our child ADHD assessments are conducted by experienced psychologists using internationally recognised assessment instruments and evidence-based diagnostic approaches.
Assessment Options
Option 1 – Comprehensive Child ADHD Assessment
Fee: $600 (Inclusive of Psychological Report)
Assessment Administration
This assessment consists of:
60-Minute Clinical Interview
A psychologist will conduct a detailed interview with parents and, where appropriate, the child or adolescent.
Areas explored include:
- Developmental history
- Pregnancy and birth history
- Early childhood milestones
- Academic functioning
- Learning behaviours
- Social and emotional development
- Behaviour at home
- Behaviour at school
- Attention difficulties
- Hyperactivity symptoms
- Impulsivity
- Emotional regulation
- Family history
- Existing supports or interventions
Behavioural Rating Measures
Following the clinical interview, the questionnaires will be emailed to parents and relevant informants for completion.
Assessment battery includes:
DIVA 2.0 (Child Version)
Diagnostic Interview for ADHD in Children and Adolescents
Conners-4
Conners Fourth Edition Parent and Teacher Rating Scales
BASC-3
Behaviour Assessment System for Children – Third Edition
Why These Tests Were Selected
ADHD is a complex condition that affects multiple aspects of functioning beyond attention alone. Comprehensive assessment requires information from several environments and informants.
The selected measures provide a broad evaluation of symptoms, behavioural functioning, emotional regulation, executive functioning, and adaptive behaviours.
DIVA 2.0 (Children)
The DIVA for children and adolescents is a structured diagnostic interview aligned with DSM criteria.
It evaluates:
- Inattention symptoms
- Hyperactivity symptoms
- Impulsivity
- Age of symptom onset
- Functional impairment
- Symptom persistence across settings
Structured interviews help improve diagnostic consistency and reduce reliance on informal clinical judgement.
Conners-4
The Conners Fourth Edition is among the most widely used ADHD rating scales internationally.
The instrument evaluates:
- Inattention
- Hyperactivity
- Impulsivity
- Executive functioning
- Emotional dysregulation
- Peer relationships
- Learning problems
- School functioning
Conners-4 gathers information from multiple informants, allowing comparison between home and school environments.
This multi-informant approach is particularly important because ADHD symptoms must typically be observed in more than one setting.
BASC-3
The Behaviour Assessment System for Children (BASC-3) provides a broad assessment of behavioural and emotional functioning.
Domains assessed include:
- Attention problems
- Hyperactivity
- Anxiety
- Depression
- Conduct difficulties
- Emotional regulation
- Social skills
- Adaptive functioning
- Executive functioning
BASC-3 assists clinicians in identifying co-occurring emotional or behavioural concerns that may resemble or overlap with ADHD symptoms.
Suitable For
Option 1 is recommended for:
- Children suspected of having ADHD
- Students experiencing academic difficulties
- Children with behavioural challenges
- Parents seeking diagnostic clarification
- School accommodation requests
- Families wanting a comprehensive behavioural assessment
Benefits
- Comprehensive evaluation across multiple settings
- Parent and teacher perspectives included
- Broad assessment of emotional and behavioural functioning
- Identifies strengths and weaknesses
- Supports educational planning
- Useful for school-based interventions and accommodations
Option 2 – Extended Comprehensive Child ADHD Assessment
Fee: $950 (Inclusive of Psychological Report)
Assessment Administration
Option 2 includes everything in Option 1 plus:
Conners Continuous Performance Test – Third Edition (CPT-3)
The CPT-3 is a computerised assessment measuring sustained attention and inhibitory control.
Testing duration is approximately 14 minutes.
Areas assessed include:
- Sustained attention
- Vigilance
- Impulsivity
- Response consistency
- Reaction time
- Inhibitory control
- Variability in attention
How Option 2 Differs from Option 1
While Option 1 focuses on clinical interviews and behavioural rating scales, Option 2 introduces an objective measure of attentional functioning.
Behavioural questionnaires rely on observations made by parents and teachers, whereas CPT-3 provides direct performance-based data.
Combining subjective reports with objective testing can improve diagnostic confidence, particularly in more complex cases.
Suitable For
Option 2 is particularly recommended for:
- Complex presentations
- Cases where symptoms appear inconsistent
- Children with overlapping anxiety concerns
- Educational accommodation applications
- Families seeking additional objective evidence
- Children requiring detailed neurocognitive assessment
Benefits
- All advantages of Option 1
- Objective attention testing
- Increased diagnostic confidence
- Performance-based assessment
- Stronger evidence for educational accommodations
- More comprehensive understanding of attentional functioning
Option 3 – Focused Child ADHD Assessment
Fee: $450 (Inclusive of Psychological Report)
Assessment Administration
Option 3 consists of:
DIVA 2.0 (Children)
A structured DSM-based diagnostic interview.
Conners CPT-3
Computerised assessment of attention and inhibitory control.
How Option 3 Differs from Other Options
Option 3 provides a streamlined assessment pathway focused on core ADHD symptoms and objective attentional functioning.
Unlike Options 1 and 2, it does not include broad behavioural and emotional questionnaires.
This shorter approach may be appropriate when families require a more efficient assessment process.
Suitable For
Option 3 is appropriate for:
- Preliminary ADHD evaluations
- Families seeking a shorter assessment process
- Children with relatively straightforward presentations
- Budget-conscious families
- Initial screening purposes
Benefits
- More affordable
- Reduced assessment burden
- Shorter administration time
- Includes objective attention assessment
- Efficient pathway for ADHD screening
Comparison of Assessment Options
| Assessment Component | Option 1 | Option 2 | Option 3 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Clinical Interview | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| DIVA 2.0 (Children) | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Conners-4 | ✓ | ✓ | — |
| BASC-3 | ✓ | ✓ | — |
| CPT-3 | — | ✓ | ✓ |
| Parent Ratings | ✓ | ✓ | Limited |
| Teacher Ratings | ✓ | ✓ | Limited |
| Emotional Functioning | ✓ | ✓ | — |
| Executive Functioning | ✓ | ✓ | Limited |
| Objective Attention Testing | — | ✓ | ✓ |
| Diagnostic Breadth | High | Very High | Moderate |
| Fee | $600 | $950 | $450 |
Which Assessment Should I Choose?
Option 1
Recommended for most children and adolescents seeking a comprehensive ADHD assessment that evaluates symptoms, behaviour, emotional functioning, and difficulties across home and school environments.
Option 2
Recommended for families seeking the most comprehensive evaluation available, including objective attention testing alongside behavioural and emotional assessment.
Option 3
Suitable for families seeking a shorter and more affordable ADHD assessment while still obtaining a structured diagnostic interview and objective attention evaluation.
Scientific Evidence Supporting the Assessment Battery
The assessment tools selected reflect internationally recognised best practices in child and adolescent ADHD evaluation.
The DIVA interview provides a structured DSM-based framework for assessing ADHD symptoms and associated impairment.
Conners-4 remains one of the most widely researched ADHD behavioural rating scales and incorporates contemporary understanding of executive functioning and emotional regulation.
BASC-3 offers broad behavioural assessment capabilities and assists clinicians in identifying emotional or behavioural concerns that frequently co-occur with ADHD.
CPT-3 provides objective data regarding sustained attention and response inhibition, complementing behavioural observations obtained through questionnaires and interviews.
Together, these instruments provide a comprehensive and evidence-based approach to ADHD assessment.
Reference
Barkley, R. A. (2015). Attention-Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder: A Handbook for Diagnosis and Treatment (4th ed.). Guilford Press.
Conners, C. K. (2022). Conners Fourth Edition (Conners-4) Manual. Multi-Health Systems.
Reynolds, C. R., & Kamphaus, R. W. (2015). Behavior Assessment System for Children – Third Edition (BASC-3). Pearson.
Kooij, J. J. S., Francken, M. H., et al. (2019). DIVA-5 Diagnostic Interview for ADHD in Children and Adolescents. DIVA Foundation.
Epstein, J. N., Erkanli, A., Conners, C. K., et al. (2003). Relations between Continuous Performance Test performance measures and ADHD symptoms. Journal of Abnormal Child Psychology, 31(5), 543–554.
Riccio, C. A., Reynolds, C. R., Lowe, P., & Moore, J. J. (2002). The Continuous Performance Test: A window into attention? Archives of Clinical Neuropsychology, 17(3), 235–272.