At Foresight Psychology, PLLC,, we understand that attention deficit with or without hyperactivity is not just a childhood disorder—it can persist and affect teens, particularly as academic and social demands increase. Many teenagers struggle with issues like inattention, impulsivity, and disorganization without realizing these challenges stem from something that should be properly diagnosed. Unfortunately, an attention deficit is often overlooked, especially in girls, who may show more inattentive symptoms rather than hyperactivity. We can provide an ADHD assessment for teens that breaks through all of this. Our comprehensive ADHD testing for teens is designed to identify the diagnosis, especially in cases where it has previously gone unnoticed.
Our detailed teen ADHD evaluations include behavioral assessments, cognitive testing, and feedback from teachers and parents to ensure a thorough understanding of your child’s needs. Whether your child is struggling with school performance, emotional dysregulation, or social interactions, we can help uncover the underlying cause and provide a pathway to support.
Additionally, if your child is preparing for college, we offer a specialized ADHD assessment for teens to help identify the exam accommodations they may need to succeed, including extended test time, quiet test environments, and other educational supports. Our goal is to empower them to reach their full potential and equip them with the tools they need to navigate the challenges of school and beyond.
Signs of ADHD in teens 
Many signs and symptoms of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder often go unnoticed in adolescents.
General Signs of ADHD in Teens
As academic, social, and organizational demands increase, symptoms often become more noticeable in adolescence. Symptoms can fall under inattention, hyperactivity, and impulsivity, though not every teen shows all of them. Here are the keys to diagnosing ADHD in teens:
Diagnosing ADHD in Teens: Inattention
- Trouble staying focused during class or conversations
- Easily distracted by unrelated thoughts or stimuli
- Frequently losing things (homework, phone, books)
- Disorganization (messy locker, desk, or backpack)
- Poor time management and procrastination
- Forgetfulness with assignments or plans
- Difficulty following multi-step instructions
Diagnosing ADHD in Teens: Hyperactivity
- Fidgeting or tapping hands/feet constantly
- Feeling restless or unable to sit still for long
- Talking excessively or interrupting
- Always “on the go” as if driven by a motor
- Struggles in quiet or structured environments
Diagnosing ADHD in Teens: Impulsivity
- Blurting out answers in class
- Interrupting conversations
- Acting without thinking about consequences
- Risky behavior (speeding, substance use, etc.)
- Difficulty waiting their turn
Signs of ADHD in Female Teens (Often Overlooked or Misunderstood)
Signs often present differently in girls than in boys, leading to underdiagnosis. Girls tend to show more internalized symptoms, especially in the inattentive type.
Common Signs in Girls:
- Daydreaming or appearing “spacey”
- Difficulty focusing without being disruptive
- High emotional sensitivity or reactivity
- Struggles with time management and planning
- Low self-esteem or feeling “not good enough”
- Masking or overcompensating (trying hard to stay organized or seem perfect)
- Social anxiety or difficulty maintaining friendships
- Easily overwhelmed by routines, demands, or transitions
- Higher rates of anxiety, depression, or eating disorders (often co-occurring)
Why Signs of ADHD in Teens Look Different in Girls:
- They’re more likely to internalize struggles (e.g., quietly worrying or zoning out)
- Hyperactivity may be verbal (excessive talking) or emotional (frequent mood shifts)
- They may work harder to mask symptoms, which leads to exhaustion or burnout
The Problem of Undiagnosed ADHD in Teens
This challenge is often undiagnosed, particularly in girls and in teens who exhibit primarily inattentive symptoms rather than hyperactivity. This can result in significant academic, emotional, and social challenges. Here’s a breakdown of why the diagnosis is often overlooked and its impact:
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Different Presentation
- Internalized Symptoms: Some don’t exhibit the usual signs of ADHD in teens, which include hyperactive behavior that’s more noticeable in others. Instead, they may be quiet, daydream, or appear shy or anxious, leading to undiagnosed ADHD in teens.
- Masking & Coping: Some tend to mask their symptoms (trying harder to stay organized, “fitting in”), making symptoms less noticeable to teachers and parents.
- Social Expectations: Some feel they are expected to be more socially responsible and self-controlled, so when they’re inattentive or disorganized, it’s often mistaken for laziness, anxiety, or lack of motivation.
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Cognitive Compensation
- Intelligence & Creativity: Many teens, especially those with high IQs (including twice exceptional), may compensate for their symptoms by using strategies that help them get by, such as hyperfocusing on specific tasks they care about.
- Grades Masking: An adolescent who is highly creative, intuitive, or good at verbal tasks might not show obvious academic problems, even if they struggle in areas like time management, organization, and sustained attention.
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Misdiagnosis or Overlap with Other Conditions
- Anxiety and Depression: Adolescents often also have anxiety or depression, which can overshadow ADHD symptoms. This leads to misdiagnosis as the focus is placed on emotional or mood disorders.
- Learning Disabilities: Symptoms can overlap with learning disorders (dyslexia, dyscalculia), which may be identified first, while ADHD is not considered.
- Behavioral Issues: If an adolescent struggles with behavioral issues (acting out, impulsive behaviors), this can be misattributed to defiance, poor parenting, or trauma, rather than an attention deficit.
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Increased Academic and Social Demands
- Middle & High School Challenges: The shift to higher academic standards, longer assignments, and more independence can make symptoms more apparent. Teens often fall behind academically and socially due to poor time management, forgetfulness, and disorganization.
- Social Pressure: Teens with ADHD may struggle with peer relationships, especially if they interrupt conversations or have difficulty managing emotional responses.
Prevalence of Undiagnosed ADHD in Teens
- Overall Prevalence: ADHD affects 5–10% of school-aged children, but many are undiagnosed.
- Gender Differences:
- Boys: It is more commonly diagnosed in boys because they tend to show hyperactive and disruptive behaviors that are easier to identify.
- Girls: An attention deficit in girls is underdiagnosed because they are more likely to have the inattentive type, which doesn’t present with disruptive behavior. Research suggests that girls are less likely to be referred for evaluation and more likely to be misdiagnosed with anxiety, depression, or learning disabilities.
- Underreporting in Adolescence: Symptoms may become more challenging to manage as teens face more academic pressure, social dynamics, and increased independence, leading to greater emotional stress and academic underachievement.
Consequences of Undiagnosed ADHD in Teens
- Academic Struggles
- Lower GPA: Teens with undiagnosed ADHD are more likely to experience academic decline, fall behind in assignments, and have difficulty with exams due to problems with focus, organization, and time management.
- Dropout Risk: This diagnosis can increase the likelihood of school dropout because the teen may become frustrated, overwhelmed, or labeled lazy or uninterested.
- Social and Emotional Impact
- Anxiety and Depression: Undiagnosed ADHD in teens leaves them more vulnerable to developing anxiety, depression, and low self-esteem due to frustration over their academic struggles and feeling misunderstood.
- Peer Relationships: Difficulty maintaining friendships and social relationships due to impulsivity, poor listening skills, or emotional outbursts.
- Risk-Taking Behavior
- Increased Risk of Substance Abuse: Adolescents with ADHD are more likely to engage in risk-taking behaviors like substance use, promiscuity, or dangerous driving as a way to self-regulate their emotions or deal with impulsivity.
Steps to Address the Problem
- Early Identification: Parents, teachers, and mental health professionals need to be aware of the less obvious symptoms, especially in girls and teens with inattentive symptoms.
- Comprehensive ADHD Assessment for Teens: If a teen shows signs of academic struggles, emotional distress, or behavioral issues, our full ADHD evaluation can help rule out other disorders and provide a clear diagnosis.
- Educating Teens & Families: Understanding how this diagnosis affects the brain can help reduce self-blame and open the door for school and home support.
- School Accommodations: Through an ADHD assessment for teens, students can receive accommodations like extra time, breaks, and organizational tools to help them succeed academically and socially.
ADHD Self Assessment for Teens
Here’s a teen ADHD self-assessment based on common symptoms recognized in clinical tools like the ADHD Rating Scale and Vanderbilt. It is not a diagnostic tool, but it can help teens and parents decide whether a full adhd assessment for teens may be helpful.
ADHD Self-Assessment for Teens Ages 12–17
Instructions: Rate how often each statement applies to you over the past 6 months.
Use this scale:
- 0 – Never
- 1 – Rarely
- 2 – Sometimes
- 3 – Often
- 4 – Very Often
Signs of ADHD in Teens: Inattention
- I have trouble staying focused in class or during homework.
- I make careless mistakes on schoolwork or tasks.
- Losing or misplacing things like my phone, homework, or supplies is common.
- I forget to do things like turn in homework or complete chores.
- I avoid or delay doing tasks that take a lot of mental effort (like studying).
- Distraction happens easily, even when I’m trying to focus.
- I have trouble organizing my schoolwork or materials.
- I often don’t follow through on instructions or tasks.
- Daydreaming is frequent during the day.
Hyperactivity & Impulsivity
- I feel restless or like I always need to move.
- I fidget, tap my hands, or move around a lot.
- Especially when I’m supposed to be quiet, I talk too much.
- I blurt out answers or interrupt people.
- I have a hard time waiting my turn.
- Thinking about the consequences of my actions does not come easily.
- I interrupt or intrude on others’ conversations or activities.
Scoring Your ADHD Self Assessment for Teens & Next Steps
- If you score 3 or 4 (“often” or “very often”) on 6 or more items in either category of this ADHD test for teens, the diagnosis may be worth discussing with a healthcare professional.
- High scores on this ADHD self assessment for teens in inattention suggest the inattentive type.
- High scores on this ADHD self assessment for teens in hyperactivity/impulsivity suggest the hyperactive/impulsive type.
- Higher scores on this ADHD test for teens in both suggest the combined type.
Also, consider if these symptoms are:
- Causing problems at school or home
- Present in more than one setting (e.g., both school and home)
- Longstanding (persisting for 6+ months)
Comprehensive Teen ADHD Evaluation
A comprehensive adhd assessment for teens typically includes a combination of clinical interviews, standardized behavior rating scales, cognitive and neuropsychological testing, and review of developmental and academic history. Here’s a detailed breakdown of what our ADHD assessment for teens includes:
Comprehensive Teen ADHD Evaluation: Key Components
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Clinical Interviews
- Parent and Teen Interviews: To gather information about developmental history, academic performance, social interactions, and daily functioning.
- Family History: Attentional and related conditions often run in families.
- Medical History Review: To rule out other conditions or contributing factors (e.g., sleep disorders, seizures, thyroid issues).
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Behavioral and Rating Scales
These compare the teens’ behaviors to normative age-related data:
- Conners 4 (Parent, Teacher, and Self-Report versions)
- Vanderbilt ADHD Diagnostic Rating Scales
- Behavior Assessment System for Children (BASC-3)
- Child Behavior Checklist (CBCL)
- ADHD Rating Scale-5
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Cognitive and Executive Function Testing
Helps assess attention, memory, processing speed, and executive functions:
Cognitive Function:
- WISC-V (Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children – Fifth Edition)
Measures IQ and cognitive abilities.
Executive Function & Attention:
- NEPSY-II or D-KEFS (Delis-Kaplan Executive Function System)
- TOVA (Test of Variables of Attention) or CPT-3 (Conners Continuous Performance Test)
- Stroop Test
- Trail Making Test
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Academic Achievement Testing
To identify learning disorders that may coexist:
- WIAT-4 (Wechsler Individual Achievement Test)
- Woodcock-Johnson IV (WJ-IV) – Tests of Achievement and Cognitive Abilities
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Psychological and Emotional ADHD assessment for teens
To assess for comorbidities like anxiety, depression, or trauma:
- RCMAS-2 (Revised Children’s Manifest Anxiety Scale)
- CDI-2 (Children’s Depression Inventory)
- MMPI-A (Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory – Adolescent)
– For more in-depth emotional/behavioral screening
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Observational ADHD Assessment for Teens
- In-Clinic Behavioral Observations during testing
- Classroom Observations (if possible) to assess behavior in a natural setting
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Collateral Information
- Teacher Reports & School Records
- Previous evaluations or IEP/504 Plans
Who Conducts the ADHD Assessment for Teens
- Clinical Psychologist or Neuropsychologist like us (typically the most comprehensive and may be required for some accommodations)
- May involve collaboration with:
- Psychiatrist (for diagnosis and medication management)
- School Psychologist
- Pediatrician
Benefits of an ADHD Assessment for Teens
An ADHD assessment for teens can open the door to critical support, understanding, and opportunities that help adolescents academically and personally thrive. Here’s a breakdown of what a formal diagnosis can lead to:
1. Accommodations in High School & College
High School (via an IEP or 504 Plan):
- Extended time on tests and assignments
- Preferential seating (e.g., near the front of the class)
- Reduced-distraction environments for testing
- Breaks during long work periods or exams
- Modified assignments or workload
- Use of technology (e.g., audiobooks, speech-to-text)
- Behavioral support plans and counseling services
- ACT accommodations if possible
College Accommodations (via Disability Services Office):
- Extended testing time
- Quiet or private exam rooms
- Note-taking assistance or access to lecture recordings
- Priority course registration
- Use of assistive technology
- Reduced course load without penalty
- Academic coaching or ADHD-specific support groups
A documented diagnosis and written report from a qualified evaluator are essential for securing these supports.
2. Understanding the Benefits of ADHD
This diagnosis isn’t just a set of challenges—it also often comes with strengths, especially when recognized and supported:
- Creativity & Original Thinking
- Hyperfocus (intense focus on tasks of high interest)
- Spontaneity and Humor
- High Energy and Enthusiasm
- Strong Problem-Solving Skills in dynamic or crisis situations
- Big-picture Thinking and vision
Many successful professionals at the highest levels have this diagnosis—they’ve learned to leverage their unique brains.
3. Strategies for Managing Symptoms & Reaching Potential
Executive Function Support:
- Use planners/calendars (digital or paper) to track deadlines
- Break large tasks into smaller, manageable steps
- Timers and alarms to manage time (Pomodoro technique, visual timers)
- Checklists and visual schedules
Academic Tools:
- Color-coded folders/binders
- Apps for focus (e.g., Forest, Notion, Todoist)
- Speech-to-text tools like Otter.ai
- Audiobooks and text-to-speech for reading
- Therapeutic Tutoring for targeted strategies and a toolkit
Emotional Regulation:
- Mindfulness-based or CBT-based apps
- Daily routines for sleep, meals, and exercise
- Therapy or coaching for emotional and behavioral regulation
Medications (if chosen):
- Stimulant medications (like Adderall, Ritalin) or non-stimulants
- Should always be managed with a healthcare provider
Next Steps
- Use the evaluation report to advocate for support in school
- Educate the adolescent and family about how this diagnosis affects the brain
- Build a customized strategy toolbox based on strengths and challenges
- Possibly work with an executive functioning coach or therapist
Case Example: Testing for ADHD in Teens
Here’s a case example that illustrates how a comprehensive assessment uncovered previously undiagnosed ADHD, including the signs, testing process, diagnosis, and outcome.
Case Example: Emily, Age 15
Presenting Problem:
Emily, a 10th-grade student, was referred for evaluation by her school counselor due to increasing struggles with schoolwork, emotional outbursts at home, and anxiety. Her grades had recently dropped, and her teachers noted that she was intelligent but often seemed overwhelmed and disorganized. She took our ADHD self assessment for teens, talked with her parents, and asked for an evaluation.
Background History:
- Academic: Former honor student; now turning in assignments late or incomplete.
- Behavior: Described as quiet, creative, and “dreamy” since childhood.
- Social: Has a few close friends but often feels left out or misunderstood.
- Mental health: Reported stress, occasional panic attacks, and feelings of failure.
- Family: No known ADHD in immediate family, but mother recalled being “scatterbrained” in school.
ADHD Assessment for Teens Referral Questions:
- Is Emily’s anxiety masking another underlying issue?
- Does she meet the criteria for an attention deficit or a learning disorder?
- What supports would help her succeed?
ADHD Assessment for Teens: Components Used:
- Interviews
- Parent & Teen Interviews: Revealed a long history of disorganization, time blindness, forgetfulness, emotional reactivity, and zoning out in class.
- Teacher Input: Said Emily was polite but often off-task, missed directions, and needed frequent redirection.
- Behavior Rating Scales
- Conners-4 and BASC-3 from parents, teachers, and Emily:
- Parent & Teacher forms showed elevated scores in Inattention, Executive Functioning, and Internalizing Problems.
- Emily’s self-report reflected low self-esteem and anxiety, along with high frustration over daily tasks.
- Cognitive ADHD Test for Teens
- WISC-V: Overall average intelligence; but large discrepancies:
- High Verbal Comprehension
- Low Working Memory and Processing Speed
- Executive Function Psychological Measures
- CPT-3 (Continuous Performance ADHD Test for Teens): Showed variable attention and impulsive response patterns.
- D-KEFS & Trails: Indicated difficulty with task switching and inhibition.
- Academic Testing
- WIAT-4: Scores in reading and writing were solid, but math fluency was below expected levels—likely tied to processing speed issues.
Diagnosis:
- ADHD, Predominantly Inattentive Presentation
- Generalized Anxiety Disorder (co-occurring, likely exacerbated by untreated ADHD)
Emily’s ADHD was masked for years by:
- High intelligence
- Strong verbal skills
- Social compliance
- Internalizing her struggles (anxiety, perfectionism, self-blame)
ADHD Assessment for Teens Outcomes and Recommendations:
- 504 Plan with:
- Extended time on tests
- Breaks during exams
- Organizational coaching/check-ins
- Use of a planner app and assignment reminders
Therapeutic Support:
- Began CBT for ADHD + coaching
- Psychoeducation for Emily and her parents on how the diagnosis affects girls
- Medication trial (non-stimulant), monitored by a pediatric psychiatrist
Strengths Identified:
- Creative writing talent
- Deep empathy
- Excellent verbal reasoning
Teen ADHD Evaluation 6-Month Follow-Up:
- GPA improved
- Reduced anxiety
- Better self-confidence
- Said: “Now I understand my brain—and it’s not broken. I just need different tools.”
Conclusion and Our Work:
We are committed to providing the support and resources needed for teens who may be struggling with undiagnosed ADHD. By providing a teen ADHD evaluation, we can help reduce the frustration and confusion that often come with academic underachievement and emotional difficulties. Our comprehensive testing and individualized recommendations ensure your child gets the right accommodations, therapy, holistic, and self-help strategies to thrive in high school, college, and beyond.
Diagnosing ADHD in Teens Through Testing
If you suspect your child may have an attention deficit, we are here to guide you through every step. Together, we can help your teen understand their unique brain and provide the foundation for a brighter, more successful future. We can provide an ADHD test for teens that provides a compete toolkit for you and them. Please contact us or schedule a consultation anytime.
