A comparison is a starting point
Assessment questions often cross categories. This matrix describes common distinctions without prescribing a fixed test battery or deciding which assessment a person requires.
Assessment decisions
Compare psychological assessments.
See how four assessments differ, where they overlap and what every BrainLab psychological assessment includes.
Compare assessments by the same questions.
Choose two to four assessments on desktop, or compare any pair on a tablet or phone.
| Attribute | ADHD Assessment | Autism Assessment |
|---|---|---|
| Purpose & fit | ||
| Common question | Attention, organization, impulsivity or executive-functioning concerns. | Questions about autism, social communication, sensory experiences, routines or developmental differences. |
| Helps clarify | Whether the overall pattern supports ADHD, another explanation, overlapping concerns or remaining uncertainty. | Whether the developmental and current pattern supports autism, another explanation, overlap or uncertainty. |
| Who it is for | Children, adolescents and adults. | Children, adolescents and adults. |
| Primary focus | Attention, executive functioning, development and functional impact across settings. | Development, communication, interaction, routines, interests, sensory experience and contextual variation. |
| Areas that may overlap | May overlap with autism, learning or broader mental-health questions. | May overlap with ADHD, anxiety, learning or communication questions. |
| Information & methods | ||
| Developmental history | Developmental history is important because ADHD patterns begin during development. | A detailed developmental account is central to interpreting present-day experience. |
| Academic assessment | Academic functioning may be considered, but detailed achievement testing is not automatically included. | School information may add context but detailed academic testing is not automatically included. |
| Cognitive assessment | Selected cognitive or attention methods may be used when they help answer the assessment question. | Cognitive methods are selected only when relevant to what the assessment needs to answer. |
| Other information sources | Clinical interview, history, questionnaires, selected measures and contextual information where relevant. | The person’s account, developmental history, questionnaires, observation and collateral information where appropriate and consented. |
| Differential considerations | Can consider learning, anxiety, mood, sleep, stress, trauma, health and other developmental factors. | Can consider ADHD, anxiety, language, learning, mental health and other developmental factors. |
| Delivery & planning | ||
| In-person / virtual considerations | Some steps may be virtual. Nunavut virtual availability is reviewed against the referral question and required methods; methods requiring in-person delivery are not forced into a virtual format. | Format is planned around the required methods. Nunavut virtual availability is reviewed against the assessment requirements. |
| Common report uses | Treatment planning, school or workplace discussions, and other supports where the findings are relevant. | Support planning, treatment conversations, school or workplace discussions and other relevant services. |
| Typical appointment time | Often 4–6 appointment hours; scoring, interpretation and report writing require additional time. | Often 4–6 appointment hours; scoring, interpretation and report writing require additional time. |
| Approximate cost | Approximately $2,000–$4,000, depending on the question and agreed scope. | Approximately $2,000–$4,000, depending on the question and agreed scope. |
| What you receive | ||
| Written report | A written report is included with every BrainLab psychological assessment. | A written report is included with every BrainLab psychological assessment. |
| Feedback | A feedback appointment is included to explain the findings and discuss next steps. | A feedback appointment is included to explain the findings and discuss next steps. |
| Attribute | ADHD Assessment | Autism Assessment |
|---|---|---|
| Purpose & fit | ||
| Common question | Attention, organization, impulsivity or executive-functioning concerns. | Questions about autism, social communication, sensory experiences, routines or developmental differences. |
| Helps clarify | Whether the overall pattern supports ADHD, another explanation, overlapping concerns or remaining uncertainty. | Whether the developmental and current pattern supports autism, another explanation, overlap or uncertainty. |
| Who it is for | Children, adolescents and adults. | Children, adolescents and adults. |
| Primary focus | Attention, executive functioning, development and functional impact across settings. | Development, communication, interaction, routines, interests, sensory experience and contextual variation. |
| Areas that may overlap | May overlap with autism, learning or broader mental-health questions. | May overlap with ADHD, anxiety, learning or communication questions. |
| Information & methods | ||
| Developmental history | Developmental history is important because ADHD patterns begin during development. | A detailed developmental account is central to interpreting present-day experience. |
| Academic assessment | Academic functioning may be considered, but detailed achievement testing is not automatically included. | School information may add context but detailed academic testing is not automatically included. |
| Cognitive assessment | Selected cognitive or attention methods may be used when they help answer the assessment question. | Cognitive methods are selected only when relevant to what the assessment needs to answer. |
| Other information sources | Clinical interview, history, questionnaires, selected measures and contextual information where relevant. | The person’s account, developmental history, questionnaires, observation and collateral information where appropriate and consented. |
| Differential considerations | Can consider learning, anxiety, mood, sleep, stress, trauma, health and other developmental factors. | Can consider ADHD, anxiety, language, learning, mental health and other developmental factors. |
| Delivery & planning | ||
| In-person / virtual considerations | Some steps may be virtual. Nunavut virtual availability is reviewed against the referral question and required methods; methods requiring in-person delivery are not forced into a virtual format. | Format is planned around the required methods. Nunavut virtual availability is reviewed against the assessment requirements. |
| Common report uses | Treatment planning, school or workplace discussions, and other supports where the findings are relevant. | Support planning, treatment conversations, school or workplace discussions and other relevant services. |
| Typical appointment time | Often 4–6 appointment hours; scoring, interpretation and report writing require additional time. | Often 4–6 appointment hours; scoring, interpretation and report writing require additional time. |
| Approximate cost | Approximately $2,000–$4,000, depending on the question and agreed scope. | Approximately $2,000–$4,000, depending on the question and agreed scope. |
| What you receive | ||
| Written report | A written report is included with every BrainLab psychological assessment. | A written report is included with every BrainLab psychological assessment. |
| Feedback | A feedback appointment is included to explain the findings and discuss next steps. | A feedback appointment is included to explain the findings and discuss next steps. |
Purpose & fit
Common question
ADHD
Attention, organization, impulsivity or executive-functioning concerns.
Autism
Questions about autism, social communication, sensory experiences, routines or developmental differences.
Helps clarify
ADHD
Whether the overall pattern supports ADHD, another explanation, overlapping concerns or remaining uncertainty.
Autism
Whether the developmental and current pattern supports autism, another explanation, overlap or uncertainty.
Who it is for
ADHD
Children, adolescents and adults.
Autism
Children, adolescents and adults.
Primary focus
ADHD
Attention, executive functioning, development and functional impact across settings.
Autism
Development, communication, interaction, routines, interests, sensory experience and contextual variation.
Areas that may overlap
ADHD
May overlap with autism, learning or broader mental-health questions.
Autism
May overlap with ADHD, anxiety, learning or communication questions.
Information & methods
Developmental history
ADHD
Developmental history is important because ADHD patterns begin during development.
Autism
A detailed developmental account is central to interpreting present-day experience.
Academic assessment
ADHD
Academic functioning may be considered, but detailed achievement testing is not automatically included.
Autism
School information may add context but detailed academic testing is not automatically included.
Cognitive assessment
ADHD
Selected cognitive or attention methods may be used when they help answer the assessment question.
Autism
Cognitive methods are selected only when relevant to what the assessment needs to answer.
Other information sources
ADHD
Clinical interview, history, questionnaires, selected measures and contextual information where relevant.
Autism
The person’s account, developmental history, questionnaires, observation and collateral information where appropriate and consented.
Differential considerations
ADHD
Can consider learning, anxiety, mood, sleep, stress, trauma, health and other developmental factors.
Autism
Can consider ADHD, anxiety, language, learning, mental health and other developmental factors.
Delivery & planning
In-person / virtual considerations
ADHD
Some steps may be virtual. Nunavut virtual availability is reviewed against the referral question and required methods; methods requiring in-person delivery are not forced into a virtual format.
Autism
Format is planned around the required methods. Nunavut virtual availability is reviewed against the assessment requirements.
Common report uses
ADHD
Treatment planning, school or workplace discussions, and other supports where the findings are relevant.
Autism
Support planning, treatment conversations, school or workplace discussions and other relevant services.
Typical appointment time
ADHD
Often 4–6 appointment hours; scoring, interpretation and report writing require additional time.
Autism
Often 4–6 appointment hours; scoring, interpretation and report writing require additional time.
Approximate cost
ADHD
Approximately $2,000–$4,000, depending on the question and agreed scope.
Autism
Approximately $2,000–$4,000, depending on the question and agreed scope.
What you receive
Written report
ADHD
A written report is included with every BrainLab psychological assessment.
Autism
A written report is included with every BrainLab psychological assessment.
Feedback
ADHD
A feedback appointment is included to explain the findings and discuss next steps.
Autism
A feedback appointment is included to explain the findings and discuss next steps.
Still deciding?
The Assessment Planner can organize the referral question without diagnosing.
Next step
Still deciding?
The Assessment Planner can help organize the question without diagnosing a condition. If the assessment type is already clear, build a preparation checklist before you begin.