Our neurodivergence/ADHD assessments are for couples in which one or both partners are diagnosed or suspected of having neurodivergence and/or ADHD. These assessments are designed to help bridge the gap between two minds that see the world, communicate, and process information very differently from one another.
Questions you might hope to answer:
“How is my ADHD playing out in my communication with my partner?”
“How do our information processing and problem solving styles differ from one another?”
“How can I better understand my partner?”
FAQs
What is a psychological assessment?
A psychological assessment is a handful of sessions (usually in the 2-8 range) that combine interviewing, psychological testing, and a feedback session to discuss the results.
What is “neurodivergence”?
“Neurodivergence” is an umbrella term that refers to when a person’s mind operates differently than what is considered “typical” or “mainstream.” It sometimes looks like marching to the beat of your own drum or feeling eccentric or quirky. People with certain neurological or mental health conditions can also often be considered neurodivergent, such as when you have ADHD, autism, a learning disability, OCD, anxiety, or schizophrenia, to name a few.
What types of couples get a neurodivergence/ADHD assessment?
We often see couples in which one or both partners have ADHD. We also frequently see couples in which one partner is more “Type A” and tends towards more anxiety, while the other partner is more “Type B” and may have trouble staying on top of things. Such a dynamic can often lead to frustration on both sides, and this type of assessment can illuminate how to better understand each other and communicate more effectively.
Why should I consider getting a neurodivergence/ADHD assessment?
Couples in which one or both partners may be neurodivergent often come to us saying they feel like they’re speaking two different languages when trying to communicate. This is because with neurodivergence in a relationship, two minds are taking in information and processing it very differently from one another.
If you’ve ever felt like you have a hard time understanding how your partner’s mind works, then this assessment can give you the answer. When you meet with your assessor for a complimentary consultation, you can decide together whether a neurodivergence/ADHD assessment would be a good fit.
My therapist wants me to do testing. Will you talk with them? Do they get the results?
We deeply value professional consultation and collaboration and are always happy to consult with therapists about the results of testing. After our feedback session, we send your feedback PowerPoint to you through our secure client portal and you are welcome to share the report with your therapist. We are also able to meet with you and your therapist if you decide that would be helpful.
I already know I have ADHD. How could this assessment be helpful for me?
ADHD can manifest differently person to person, and it’s only one part of you. With our assessment, we will be able to paint a holistic picture of your psychology. This includes not only your thought processing but also your emotional processing, relational processing, problem-solving style, and communication style. We can identify your strengths and challenges, and how to build a life and relationship in which you can thrive.
I’m worried if we do this assessment, it’ll come out that my neurodivergence is causing all of our problems. Is that what you’re going to tell me?
Absolutely not. Getting more information about a person’s neurodivergence isn’t about placing blame–it’s about identifying your strengths and challenges and figuring out what changes need to be made in the relationship to help you and your partner thrive. For example, we can learn more about how you and your partner process information differently, and therefore figure out how you can best solve problems together.
Do you assess for ADHD?
Yes, we assess for ADHD. When we assess for ADHD we also evaluate whether a person may be experiencing any other psychological conditions, such as depression or anxiety, as these frequently co-occur with ADHD.
Do you assess for autism?
Confirming an autism diagnosis requires a neuropsychological assessment, which is a different specialty from what we offer. While we can’t diagnose autism, we can help clients who already have an autism diagnosis or clients who don’t feel like a confirmed diagnosis is particularly important to them. Instead, we can evaluate how your autism or neurodivergence manifests in the ways you process information, see the world, and experience emotions and intimacy. Two people with the same diagnosis can vary greatly in how their minds work, and our assessments can shed light on your individual characteristics and personality style.
What’s so special about these psychological tests?
You can think about psychological tests as similar to medical tests (such as X-rays or bloodwork). Just as medical tests can show something going on physically in your body that you may or may not know about or feel symptoms of, psychological tests can show aspects of a person’s psychology, emotions, thought processes, problem-solving style, or relationship functioning more clearly. Psychological tests have developed from decades of research and empirical evidence, making them robust in reliability and validity. Only doctoral level psychologists have the specialized training to administer psychological tests.
Should I only do testing, or should my partner and I both do it?
It depends. In most situations where a couple wants to improve their relationship, having both partners do testing can give a lot more information than just one partner doing testing. However, there are some situations where it makes more sense for only one partner to do testing. For example, if one partner thinks they might have ADHD, we can assess that partner for ADHD.
My therapist wants me to do testing. Will you talk with them? Do they get the results?
We deeply value professional consultation and collaboration and are always happy to consult with therapists about the results of testing. After our feedback session, we send your feedback PowerPoint to you through our secure client portal and you are welcome to share the report with your therapist. We are also able to meet with you and your therapist if you decide that would be helpful.
Can you do personality testing for public service job applicants (police, security, firearms certification, etc.)?
Yes, for Pennsylvania and New Jersey.
How does payment work?
After your free consultation with one of our assessors, you will receive a quote for the entire assessment. For any service hours (either face-to-face hours with an assessor, or hours the assessor is spending scoring and analyzing test results), fees are charged the day before the service hour occurs. Material costs are charged on the first day of testing along with the service hours for that day. In this way, the fee for an assessment is charged in spread-out portions over the course of a few weeks.
Does every person you assess get the same tests?
No! Our assessments are custom made for every couple or individual getting assessed. Which tests are chosen depends on what the couple or client are hoping to find out from the assessment.
How do you give me the results of testing? Do I get a report?
You will get the results of the testing in a 1-hour feedback session with your assessor. During this hour, your assessor will talk through the results and also present a feedback powerpoint, which you will get a PDF of after the session. We do not provide written reports because we’ve found that they’re not an effective way of delivering feedback to clients. However, if a written report is needed for a certain circumstance, we are open to discussing this further and providing one if appropriate.
Take our quiz to see if this assessment is right for you:
PCT clinicians who specialize in neurodivergence/adhd psychological assessments
If you’re someone who likes the research, the evidence, and knowing why something works, you’re not alone. There can be something remarkably encouraging about having information that’s backed by science. At the very least, it gives us a clearer direction and a starting point for what comes next.
That’s exactly why we’re passionate about couples assessments here at PCT.
