ADHD Testing in North County San Diego

A clinical interview about your history, developmental milestones, and current symptoms; performance-based cognitive and attention testing (working memory, processing speed, executive function); a Rorschach performance-based personality assessment to examine thought process, emotional functioning, and contributors that often look like ADHD; validated rating scales completed by you and, where relevant, family members, partners, or teachers; and a feedback session where we walk through what we found. You leave with an integrated written report that includes the diagnostic conclusion and concrete recommendations.

The Rorschach is a performance-based assessment that gives us information about thought process, attention to detail, emotional regulation, and reality testing — areas that often look like ADHD but are actually being driven by anxiety, trauma, depression, or a more complex picture underneath. Including it means we're not just measuring attention in a vacuum. We're testing whether the attention difficulty you're experiencing is ADHD, something else, or both, with data instead of guesswork. This is part of why CTG evaluations tend to give answers that previous single-question assessments missed.

Typical evaluations involve 4 to 6 hours of testing across one or two appointments, plus a 60-minute intake and a 60-minute feedback session. From the first appointment to receiving the written report is usually 4 to 6 weeks.

ADHD evaluations start at $3,000. We give you a working estimate at the free consultation based on the referral question. If testing surfaces a more complex picture and additional measures are clinically warranted, we'll talk with you before doing any work outside the original scope.

We evaluate ages 5 and up. For younger children, parent and school input weighs heavily. For teens and adults, we incorporate self-report alongside performance testing.

A screener flags whether ADHD is worth investigating. A formal evaluation answers the question. The screener cannot rule out other conditions that look like ADHD (anxiety, sleep disorders, trauma, depression, learning differences, autism), and it cannot produce documentation for accommodations or treatment planning. A comprehensive evaluation does both.

Yes. Reports include diagnostic conclusions and documentation appropriate for ADA accommodations, IEP/504 plans, college disability services, professional licensure boards, and workplace accommodation requests.

Yes. Most adult and teen ADHD referrals at CTG are not pure ADHD questions. We routinely differentiate ADHD from anxiety, depression, sleep issues, trauma, and learning differences as part of the standard evaluation. If you suspect autism is also part of the picture, we offer integrated AuDHD evaluations that assess both at once.

No. You can book a free consultation directly with our team.

We don't prescribe medication, but the report gives your prescribing provider (psychiatrist, primary care physician, or psychiatric nurse practitioner) the diagnostic clarity they need to make informed decisions about medication. We can refer to trusted prescribers if you don't have one.

Some components of the evaluation can be conducted via telehealth, but core performance-based attention measures are most reliably administered in person at our Vista office. We'll discuss the right format for your case at the consultation.