Biological context and developmental history
(Medical and developmental history · DSM-5 diagnostic criteria)
When did this difficulty begin, and what biological factors might contribute?
What happens in a session...
We start with your developmental history: When did difficulties with attention, restlessness or acting without pausing first show up? What did they look like at home, at school or at work, and how did they change as circumstances changed? Concrete examples help us see which difficulties have been present since childhood and which emerged more recently.
For adults, the semi-structured DIVA-5 diagnostic interview helps us review symptoms in childhood and adulthood and their impact on everyday life. For children and adolescents, we invite your child to share their experience in a way that suits their age. We consider it alongside observations from a parent or guardian and, where possible and with consent, information from school.
We also review medical and family history and ask about sleep, current medications and any hearing or vision difficulties. For example, if concentration worsened around the time sleep became disrupted, that timing helps us consider the role of sleep alongside the possibility of ADHD. The final report interprets this history alongside findings from the other two perspectives.
Executive functioning and attention
(Russell Barkley’s executive-function model)
Where exactly does my attention work, and where does it get stuck?
What happens in a session...
You may do well on a short computer-based test with clear instructions and few distractions and still face difficulties in everyday life. Getting started, meeting deadlines, planning for the week ahead, managing distractions or keeping on top of finances may be harder. A short test therefore captures only part of the picture.
At Hamso, we use the clinical interview to ask about specific experiences at home, at work or school, and in relationships. To understand patterns over time, we also use Barkley executive-function rating scales and, where possible and with your consent, observations from someone who knows you well. Together, these sources help us understand which tasks are harder, what conditions help, and how the difficulties affect your life.
Inner experience and personal meaning
(Psychodynamic and interpersonal formulation)
What meaning has this difficulty taken on in my life and relationships?
What happens in a session...
At Hamso, we understand ADHD as a neurodevelopmental disorder. In this part of the assessment, we take a psychodynamic perspective to explore what difficulties with attention, impulse control or managing emotions have come to mean in your life. Guided by what you feel ready to discuss and what matters to you, we talk about significant experiences, past and present relationships, and how you see yourself.
For example, if you have often been criticized for missing deadlines, you may expect to be judged or be hard on yourself before you even start the next task. Understanding these patterns helps us make recommendations that fit your experience. If you want to explore these themes further, psychodynamic psychotherapy can offer space to discuss shame, fear of failure or recurring patterns in relationships. Psychotherapy is separate from the assessment and may be considered alongside ADHD-specific support.