📋 Diagnosis

How is ADHD diagnosed?

The short answer

ADHD diagnosis requires three things: persistent symptoms across multiple settings (home, work), onset before age 12, and functional impairment — the symptoms must actually interfere with daily life, not just be present. There is no single definitive test.

The data

Tool	What it measures	Used by
Clinical interview	Symptom history, childhood onset, functional impact	Psychiatrists, psychologists
Rating scales (Conners, ASRS, Brown)	Self/observer-reported symptom frequency and severity	All clinicians
CPT (Continuous Performance Test)	Objective attention and impulsivity metrics	Neuropsychologists
Neuropsychological battery	Working memory, processing speed, executive function	Neuropsychologists
Medical history	Rule out thyroid, sleep disorders, anxiety, depression	GPs, psychiatrists
Brain imaging	NOT used for diagnosis — research only	Research settings

What it means for you

The Attention & Focus test uses a CPT paradigm — take it before a clinical appointment to get objective data to share with a clinician. It measures omission errors (missed targets — inattention) and commission errors (false responses — impulsivity), the same metrics used in clinical CPT assessment.

Medical disclaimer

This content is for educational purposes only and is not medical advice. Scores from online tests are not diagnostic - if you are concerned about symptoms such as memory loss, attention problems, or cognitive decline, consult a qualified clinician.

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Quick Answer

ADHD diagnosis requires persistent symptoms across multiple settings (home, work, school), onset before age 12, and functional impairment. Standard tools include clinical interview, rating scales (Conners, ASRS), and often neuropsychological testing including attention and working memory tasks.

Related Test

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Attention & Focus Test

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