Initial consultation
For anyone over the age of 18, the first step is an initial consultation with an Affiniti+ psychologist.
This is just an opportunity for us to hear your personal story and find out why you’ve decided to seek an assessment.
Questionnaire
- To build a picture of your history.
- What has led you to seek an assessment.
- Present concerns.
Supporting information
- A questionnaire from your university tutor or line manager at work.
- A medical report.
- If relevant, a report from your psychologist or other mental-health support.
Initial consultation
- Bring your questionnaire and supporting information together.
- Give us context for your personal story.
- Help us understand why you have decided to seek an assessment.
Family interview
Building a developmental picture with the people who know you
Once we have agreed that an assessment is appropriate, we will ask to speak to your parents – no matter how old you or they are. Where a parental interview is not possible or appropriate, we can instead speak to older siblings or members of your extended family. If you have a partner, we may also ask to speak to them.
Parents
Our first source for developmental history, regardless of your age or theirs.
Older sibling
Can provide a developmental perspective when a parental interview is not possible or appropriate.
Extended family
Another option where a relative has useful knowledge of your earlier development and experiences.
Partner
May also be asked to contribute a current-day perspective where this would be useful.
A conversation that moves through time
The consultation covers everything from your mother’s experience of pregnancy and birth through to how you bonded with your parents and how you learnt to walk, talk and use the toilet. Our experience is that even very elderly mothers can recall pregnancy, labour and birth weight with remarkable clarity.
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01Pregnancy & birth
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02Bonding
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03Walking
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04Talking
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05Toileting
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06School
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07Significant events
Experience beyond early development
Your family members will be asked what you were like at school, and whether there is any relevant history or experience of trauma.
Patterns we also consider
We will look at whether there is any family history of autism, ADHD or mental ill health as part of the wider clinical picture.
The conversation adapts to what we are assessing
If you’re being assessed for ADHD, the consultation will focus particularly on significant life events.
When we’re conducting a joint assessment for autism and ADHD, we will be particularly comprehensive in our questioning.
Personal interview
You will be invited into our office to complete an ADOS (Autism Diagnostic Observation Schedule) assessment.
This is a semi-structured, standardised assessment of communication, social interaction and imaginative use of materials. It is considered the gold standard of autism assessment.
In an ADHD interview, you will be assessed according to the DSM-5 criteria for ADHD.
In an assessment for autism and ADHD, we will assess you according to ADOS and DSM-5. In all three instances, we will ask you questions in a relaxed and informal manner.
University or workplace interview
If you’re a university student, we will ask to speak to a member of staff who knows you, such as your personal academic tutor.
Otherwise, we will ask to speak to your line manager at work, asking questions related to your workplace manner, performance and attendance.
Report
We will then take all the information that we have gathered during these interviews and observations, and write it up into a detailed report.
We will send you a draft of the report once it is written. You will be to read this draft and suggest any changes before it is finalised.
- Outcomes of screening questionnaires
- Your personal interview
- The family interview
- The education or workplace report
- Outcomes of mental health questionnaires given
- ADHD DSM-5 report
- The ADOS and ASD DSM-5 reports
- The outcomes of all questionnaires given
The full report can be shared with your GP. If you’re at university, you should also give a copy to your pastoral adviser, as it will count as a mitigating factor in exam performance and with issues such as lateness.
We will also give you a copy of the summary report, without the appendices. We would recommend sharing this with your line manager at work, as it is relevant for workplace appraisals. There may also be occupational-health recommendations that your organisation can follow up.