ADHD and autism screening compared with a full assessment

Many adults start wondering about ADHD or autism after a video, an online quiz or a conversation with a friend. Choosing between ADHD and autism screening and a full assessment, however, can feel confusing.

Below, we compare online quizzes, screening and a full diagnostic assessment, explain what each can and cannot tell you, and map out the paths so you can choose what suits you.

Online quizzes, ADHD and autism screening, and full assessments

The ADHD and autism screening and assessment path

1. 1

   Noticing patterns

   Any time

   What happens

   You, a partner, a parent or a teacher notices patterns with attention, organisation, social energy or sensory needs. Online content or a quiz may also have prompted the question.

   What you can do

   Write down examples from now and from childhood. In any case, they help whichever path you choose.

2. 2

   Talking it through

   15 minutes

   What happens

   A short phone call with our team helps you work out a sensible next step. However, it is not an assessment and does not give a diagnosis.

   What you can do

   Also ask about the options, what each costs and how long each takes.

3. 3

   Path A: a screening

   A shorter appointment

   What happens

   A clinician uses validated questionnaires and a conversation to see whether a full assessment is likely to be worthwhile. However, a screening cannot give a diagnosis.

   What you can do

   Then use the result to decide your next step. Australian guidelines say a positive screen should lead to a full assessment.

4. 4

   Path B: a full assessment

   About 2 to 4 hours, sometimes more

   What happens

   A detailed history, information from people who know you, observation and standardised tools, weighed against the diagnostic criteria. Other explanations are also considered.

   What you can do

   Ask whether to include cognitive testing, and whether to look at ADHD, autism or both.

5. 5

   Feedback and report

   Usually about 2 weeks

   What happens

   You receive a written report and a chance to talk it through. The report then explains the outcome, the reasons and practical recommendations.

   What you can do

   Bring your questions. Ask what the findings mean for work, study and daily life.

6. 6

   Support afterwards

   Ongoing

   What happens

   Support may include therapy, coaching, workplace or study adjustments, NDIS documentation, or a referral to a doctor to discuss medication.

   What you can do

   Choose the supports that fit your goals. After all, you do not need to do everything at once.

What ADHD and autism screening can and cannot do

ADHD screening

The most widely used adult ADHD screener is the Adult ADHD Self-Report Scale (ASRS). It was developed with the World Health Organization. In the original study, the short screener picked up about 69% of people who had ADHD.

Australia’s ADHD Clinical Practice Guideline says people who screen positive should go on to a full diagnostic assessment. It also warns that screening measures can find it hard to tell adult ADHD apart from other conditions with similar symptoms, such as depression or bipolar disorder. The guideline is clear that ADHD should not be diagnosed from rating scales alone.

Autism screening

The UK’s NICE guideline suggests a short 10-question screener, the AQ-10, for some adults. A score of 6 or more, or a clinician’s concern, should then lead to an offer of a full assessment. Australia’s National Guideline for autism says screening tools should not be used on their own to decide whether someone needs an assessment.

In fact, screeners can get it wrong in both directions. A 2016 UK study of 476 adults referred to a specialist autism clinic, where most people were diagnosed, found that the longer self-report AQ did not predict who was diagnosed. For instance, 64% of people who scored below the cut-off were autistic. Anxiety also raised scores in people who were not autistic.

A word about online content

Social media has helped many people recognise themselves, and that can be a real relief. Accuracy varies, though. For example, a 2022 study of the 100 most popular ADHD videos on TikTok rated 52% as misleading. Also, most misleading videos were made by people who were not health professionals. A 2023 study of popular autism videos rated 41% as inaccurate and another 32% as overgeneralised.

If something online resonates with you, write down your own examples. Then talk it through with a professional who can look at the whole picture.

What a full assessment involves

By contrast, a full assessment is what leads to a diagnosis. Australia’s guidelines for 注意力不足過動症 以及 autism both describe:

• a detailed developmental, mental health and medical history
• information from more than one person or setting, such as a parent, partner or school reports
• observation and standardised tools, used alongside clinical judgement
• checking the diagnostic criteria carefully
• considering other explanations, such as anxiety, depression, trauma, sleep problems or a learning disorder, and whether more than one condition is present
• a written report, with the results explained to you

In fact, ADHD and autism often occur together. A large review found that about 28% of autistic people also have ADHD. If you wonder about both, a combined assessment can look at both at once. Our article on what makes an adult autism assessment thorough also explains when cognitive testing is worth adding, and our guide do I need a cognitive assessment with my ADHD or autism assessment? helps you decide.

Should you choose ADHD and autism screening or a full assessment?

Invictus Health 能提供哪些協助

We offer screening and full assessments for ADHD, autism or both, for children, teenagers and adults. Also, you do not need a GP referral.

• Autism and ADHD screening: $700
• ADHD assessment: $1,900 (about 2 hours)
• Autism assessment: $2,100 (about 3 to 4 hours, in person)
• Combined autism and ADHD assessment: $2,700
• ADHD or autism with a cognitive assessment: from $3,300 to $3,600
• Combined autism and ADHD with a cognitive assessment: $3,850

Reports are also usually ready in about 2 weeks. See our 注意力不足過動症（ADHD）與自閉症評估 page for details. If you are not sure where to start, book a 15-minute phone call. If cost is a barrier, please talk to us. We have these conversations all the time, and it’s OK to ask.

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