What Is in an Adult ADHD Evaluation Report?

Key points

A report usually moves from the reason for the evaluation, through your history and what was assessed, to findings and recommendations.
Federal health sources describe ADHD diagnosis as relying on childhood history, more than one setting of life and ruling out other causes, so a report often explains each of these.
If ADHD is diagnosed, MedlinePlus says the results include the type and may describe it as mild, moderate or severe.
Employers and testing agencies may ask for documentation, but federal guidance says those requests should be limited to what they actually need.
No report can promise that a prescriber, school, employer or testing agency will act on it, so ask them what they need first.

Why the written report matters

When an evaluation ends, the conversation about your results is only half of what you take away. The other half is a document you can reread, keep and, if you choose, share. It records what was asked, what was learned and why the evaluator reached their conclusions.

Reports differ from one provider to the next, and there is no single required template. Still, most follow a similar logic, because the steps of an adult ADHD evaluation are fairly consistent. Knowing that logic makes a long report much easier to read. This article is general information, not medical or legal advice.

The parts you are likely to see

Headings vary, but a report usually works through these pieces in roughly this order:

The referral question: who asked for the evaluation and what they, or you, wanted to know
Background and history: your childhood, schooling, work, relationships, health and family history, because the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) says adults must have shown symptoms before age 12
Sources of information: interviews with you, rating scales or symptom checklists, and with your permission, input from a partner, relative or friend or old school records
What was assessed: sometimes tests of thinking skills such as memory, planning, reasoning and decision-making, which NIMH says can show strengths, challenges and possible learning disabilities
Other explanations considered: how mood, sleep, medical history and other conditions were weighed
Findings and conclusions: what the evaluator concluded and the reasoning behind it
Recommendations: practical next steps for daily life, work or study, and any suggested referrals

Reading the findings and conclusions

The findings section is where the evidence comes together. MedlinePlus explains that to diagnose ADHD, a provider looks for a pattern of symptoms that began before age 12, has lasted at least six months, shows up in two or more settings such as home and work, gets in the way of school, work or social life, and is not caused by another mental health condition. A clear report shows how the information collected lines up with each of those points.

When ADHD is diagnosed, MedlinePlus says the results include the type: predominantly inattentive, predominantly hyperactive-impulsive or combined. They may also say whether it is mild, moderate or severe.

A report may also conclude that something else better explains what you have noticed, or that more than one thing is going on. The CDC notes that anxiety, depression, sleep problems and learning disabilities can cause symptoms like ADHD or often occur alongside it. NIMH adds that ADHD often co-occurs with other mental disorders. A section that explains what was ruled in and ruled out is often the most useful part to reread.

If a word or a conclusion is unclear, write your question down and ask the evaluator. You are entitled to understand a document about yourself.

Using the report with a prescriber, school or employer

People share a report for different reasons, and each reader makes its own decision. A prescriber decides whether and how to treat. A college or testing agency decides on accommodations. An employer decides on a workplace request. Before you pay for an evaluation, ask whoever will read the report exactly what it must cover and who must sign it.

For workplace requests, the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) says that when a disability or the need for an accommodation is not obvious, an employer may ask for reasonable documentation about the disability and its functional limitations. It may ask only for what is needed for that decision. In most situations it cannot ask for your complete medical records.

For standardized exams, the Department of Justice's ADA guidance says documentation requests should be reasonable and limited to the accommodation requested. It says testing entities should defer to documentation from a qualified professional who has made an individualized assessment. It also says a qualified professional's decision not to provide results from a specific test should not by itself rule out approval when the documentation as a whole shows the need.

Before you share your report

Ask the reader which parts they need. Sometimes a summary letter or a single section is enough.
Keep your own copy of the full report in a safe place.
Remember that sharing is your choice, and you can ask how your information will be stored.

How we can help

Locascio Wellness offers an adult ADHD evaluation by secure video for people who are physically located in Pennsylvania, West Virginia or Arizona during appointments. It ends with the findings explained in plain language, time for your questions and a written report co-signed by a supervising licensed psychologist. Our psychological evaluations page describes other types we offer.

Evaluations are private-pay and not billed to insurance, with a sliding scale available. See what evaluations cost and our insurance and fees page. The first step is the short evaluation request form or a free 15-minute consultation on our booking page.

A report is a starting point, not a finish line. Therapists on our team offer ADHD therapy by video as a separate service, for help with focus, planning and follow-through. If you are in crisis, call or text 988 or call 911. Locascio Wellness does not provide emergency services.

Common questions

Does an ADHD evaluation report always include a diagnosis?

MedlinePlus says the provider usually writes up the results in a report that includes a diagnosis. That diagnosis may be ADHD, something else, more than one condition or no diagnosis at all. No one can tell you ahead of time what an evaluation will find. A good report explains the reasoning either way, so you understand why the evaluator reached their conclusion.

Will my report include medication recommendations?

That depends on the provider. Locascio Wellness does not prescribe medication, and an evaluation here does not come with a prescription. Medication decisions belong to a prescriber, such as your doctor. If you plan to share the report with a prescriber, ask them what they need to see before you book, and tell us so the report can address it where appropriate.

Does my employer get to see my whole report?

Sharing is your choice. EEOC guidance says that when a disability or the need for an accommodation is not obvious, an employer may ask for reasonable documentation of the disability and its functional limitations, and only what is needed for that decision. In most situations it cannot ask for complete medical records. This is general information, not legal advice.

What if I disagree with something in my report?

Start by asking the evaluator about it. Sometimes a detail about your history was misunderstood, and you can point that out. Sometimes the disagreement is about the conclusion, and the evaluator can walk you through the reasoning. Writing your questions down before you talk makes that conversation easier and more useful.

Sources

Published by Locascio Wellness. Published October 16, 2026. This page is general information, not medical advice or a diagnosis.