Targeted ADHD evaluations at CFC are for adults. For children and teens, we recommend a full neuropsychological evaluation instead of a targeted ADHD screen. Why? ADHD often shows up alongside anxiety, learning differences, sensory processing challenges, or mood, and a narrow eval can miss what's actually driving the struggle. A broader assessment gives you a clearer answer. For adults, targeted ADHD evaluation goes well beyond a checklist. We look at attention, executive function, working memory, processing speed, emotional regulation, and the conditions that commonly co-occur. The evaluation blends clinical interview, standardized cognitive testing, rating scales from people who know you well, and direct observation. At the end, you get a plain-language feedback session and a written report with specific, prioritized recommendations for work, daily life, and any next steps.
Families gain a clear, thorough understanding of how ADHD is shaping their child's experience across different settings. Adults receive clarity about a brain difference that may have gone unidentified for years. Diagnostic clarity opens access to school accommodations, workplace supports, and targeted therapeutic interventions. Co-occurring conditions are identified and addressed alongside the ADHD profile. Families leave with specific, actionable recommendations rather than a diagnosis without a path forward.
ADHD is one of the most talked-about and most misunderstood diagnoses in mental health. For some families, the question has been lingering for years. A teacher flagged something in second grade. A pediatrician mentioned it in passing. Or you’ve simply watched your child struggle to finish tasks, hold onto instructions, or sit through a family dinner without derailing the whole table, and you’ve wondered what’s actually going on.
A real ADHD evaluation answers that question. Not a checklist. Not a rating scale sent home from the doctor’s office. A thorough, individualized assessment that looks at the whole person.
ADHD also frequently co-occurs with other conditions. Anxiety is common. Learning disabilities are common. Autism, sensory processing differences, and mood challenges can all intersect with ADHD in ways that complicate the picture. Without a comprehensive evaluation, it is easy to miss what is actually driving a child’s difficulties, or to attribute to ADHD what is actually being driven by something else entirely.
That’s why the evaluation process matters as much as the diagnosis itself.
Key Insight
ADHD is not simply about attention. At its core, ADHD reflects differences in how the brain manages executive functioning, the set of self-regulatory skills that allow us to plan, shift focus, hold information in mind, manage time, and regulate impulses and emotions. These differences show up differently in every person. Some children present with primarily inattentive symptoms, quietly losing track of assignments and instructions without ever causing a scene. Others are hyperactive and impulsive, their energy visible and their struggles obvious. Many fall somewhere in between.
Our ADHD evaluations are not built around a single questionnaire or a brief clinical interview. We assess thoroughly, drawing on multiple sources across multiple environments to develop a complete picture of how a person’s brain is functioning.
The evaluation process typically includes:
Clinical interviews with the individual and, for children, with parents and caregivers, to understand history, context, and the specific concerns that brought you here
Standardized cognitive and neuropsychological testing that directly assesses attention, working memory, processing speed, and executive functioning
Behavioral rating scales completed by parents and teachers to capture how the individual functions across different environments
Emotional and social-emotional assessment to identify co-occurring anxiety, mood concerns, or other factors that may be contributing to the picture
Behavioral observation during testing, which gives our psychologists direct insight into how the individual approaches tasks and manages themselves in a structured setting
Feedback session to walk through findings together, explain the diagnostic picture in plain language, and answer every question you have
How It Works
We approach ADHD evaluation not as a process of confirming or ruling out a label, but as a process of understanding a person. We look at each individual’s constellation of strengths and vulnerabilities. A child who struggles to sustain attention in math class may have remarkable creative problem-solving abilities and genuine curiosity about the world. An adult who has been underperforming at work despite obvious intelligence may have an ADHD profile that was simply never identified. We want to understand both what is making things hard and what makes this person exceptional.
We also consider differential diagnosis carefully. Anxiety and ADHD can look similar. Sleep deprivation, learning disabilities, and trauma can all affect attention in ways that resemble ADHD. Our goal is to get the picture right, because the right picture leads to the right recommendations.
For many families, the evaluation is not the end of the relationship with our team. Our therapists, educational specialists, and other clinicians are available to provide the ongoing support that follows.
What to Know
The evaluation concludes with a written report and a feedback session with your family. The report includes a clear diagnostic summary and a roadmap of recommendations, which may include accommodations at school or work, specific therapeutic supports, referrals to other specialists, and strategies for home and daily life. Where medication consultation may be warranted, we will discuss that and connect you with appropriate resources.
ADHD is not just a childhood condition. Many adults reach their thirties or forties before anyone identifies what has been shaping their experience all along. We offer ADHD evaluations for children, adolescents, and adults, including those who suspect they were missed or misunderstood earlier in life. It is never too late to understand how your brain works.
We serve families seeking ADHD testing in Pasadena and throughout Los Angeles County and the San Gabriel Valley. Our evaluation team works collaboratively with our therapists and educational specialists, which means families who need support beyond the evaluation itself can access it without starting over somewhere new. The evaluation is not a standalone event. It is an entry point into a team that can walk with you through what comes next.
If you have questions about ADHD or are ready to pursue an evaluation, we welcome you to reach out. To schedule an initial informational consultation with our assessment team, get started below.
The scientific lens that informs our work is interpersonal neurobiology, an exciting field of research about the neuroscience of change and of healthy, connected relationships.
We know that connected relationships matter and play a role in how our brains and lives change, so that's where we start.
Grounded in interpersonal neurobiology, our approach reflects the latest research on how relationships shape the developing brain.
Clients are matched to a therapist based on areas of specialty, relational fit, and availability, unless otherwise requested.
Learning disability evaluations at the Center for Connection are thorough, strengths-based assessments for children, adolescents, and adults who have struggled...
Single-day targeted evaluations to identify learning disabilities and challenges in math, reading, and writing.
Comprehensive neuropsychological, psychological, and developmental assessments for children, adolescents, and adults.
Common signs are difficulty focusing, trouble finishing tasks, high activity levels that don’t match the setting, impulsivity, or struggles at school that don’t match your child’s apparent ability. If teachers or pediatricians have raised concerns, or you’re seeing these patterns at home, an evaluation can help sort out what’s happening.
Some providers do diagnose that way, but a thorough evaluation gives you much more. Our evaluations distinguish ADHD from other concerns that can look similar (anxiety, learning disabilities, trauma, sleep problems), and give you a clear profile of your child’s cognitive strengths and weaknesses. That matters when it’s time to talk about accommodations and support.
A developmental and clinical history, standardized cognitive testing, attention-specific measures, behavior rating scales filled out by parents and teachers, and a written report with a clear diagnostic summary and prioritized recommendations.
Yes. A lot of adults come to us after suspecting they’ve had undiagnosed ADHD for years. Our evaluations for adults cover the same thoroughness and give you a clear picture of how attention and executive functioning are working for you.
Yes. Our reports are formatted to support IEP, 504, and testing accommodation requests. We’ll include the specific documentation needed for the setting you’re pursuing accommodations in.
Typically a few weeks from start to feedback, which includes scheduling, testing, scoring, and report-writing. If you need faster turnaround for a specific deadline, let us know and we’ll work with you.
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