In this article, we will consider how to choose the best informant for your ADHD assessment, how to approach them, and what options are available if you don't have a suitable informant.

What is the purpose of an informant in an ADHD assessment?

Your chosen informant will go through the ADHD assessment process with you. They will provide us with valuable insights, telling us about any potential signs of ADHD you displayed during your early childhood and development and explain the impact that this had on your daily functioning.  

An informant plays an important role in the ADHD assessment process, particularly if they have known you since childhood. They can provide evidence that your signs of ADHD meet clinical criteria and are pervasive, potentially warranting a diagnosis.

How does the process work?

Your informant needs to complete an Informant Questionnaire as part of the assessment process. This questionnaire will gather important details about your early childhood, developmental milestones, medical and educational history, social characteristics, and neurodivergent traits, and how these have impacted your functioning.  

Here is an overview of what your informant will be expected to do:

• The Informant Questionnaire will be emailed directly to you, the client, and you will be able to forward this to your informant via email.  
• Once your informant has completed the Informant Questionnaire, they can send it back to you to re-upload onto your client dashboard with the rest of your pre-assessment forms.  

Who to choose as your informant

To ensure that the information they provide is accurate and relevant, your informant should be somebody who has known you since early childhood.  Ideally, this should be a parent, caregiver, or sibling. However, if this is not possible, a long-term partner or close friend can also act as your informant.  

What to do if you don’t have an informant

Please note that it is not possible to act as your own informant for an ADHD assessment. However, we understand that there may be cases where an individual does not have anyone they can ask to be their informant. While this isn’t ideal, we endeavour to make the process of accessing a ProblemShared ADHD assessment as inclusive as possible. Therefore, although involving an informant is an important part of ensuring a clinically robust assessment, our team will never turn a client away for being unable to source an informant. Instead, we will work closely with the individual to explore other avenues to gather the information needed for their ADHD assessment.  

If you find yourself in this situation, please let our clinical team know that you do not have a suitable informant as soon as possible.

How to ask someone to be your informant

Reaching out to ask someone to be your informant can feel daunting. Here are a few things to consider when initiating a conversation with your chosen informant:

• Firstly, choose a suitable time and location to have this conversation. You should talk to your potential informant in a comfortable and private setting when neither of you is in a rush.
• Before starting this conversation, learn as much as possible about the ProblemShared ADHD assessment process. This support article in our resources section goes into detail about what you can expect. You will then be able to explain to your potential informant what their specific role will be. If they want to learn more about the process, you can direct them to this support article.
• Ensure they understand the potential benefits of an accurate diagnosis, such as access to appropriate treatment and support.
• Emphasise an informant's vital role in the ADHD assessment process and ensure they realise how valuable their support is to the outcome.
• Give your potential informant plenty of time to consider your request.  

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If someone has asked you to be their informant for an ADHD assessment, it is important that you know what the process entails. Your role as an informant is invaluable, so let us consider how to be the best ADHD informant you can be.

Your role as an ADHD informant

As an ADHD informant, your role is to provide information and support for someone undergoing assessment for ADHD. This involves telling our clinical team about any potential signs of ADHD that the individual displayed during their early childhood and development, and helping us understand the impact on their daily functioning. An informant can provide evidence to show that an individual’s signs of ADHD meet clinical criteria and are pervasive, potentially warranting a diagnosis. They may also offer emotional support to the individual being assessed throughout the process.

An overview of the process

When acting as an informant for a ProblemShared ADHD assessment, you will be asked to complete an Informant Questionnaire. This questionnaire will gather important details about the early childhood, developmental milestones, medical and educational history, social characteristics, and neurodivergent traits of the individual being assessed.  

Here is an overview of how to do it:  

● Firstly, a profile will be created for you on the ProblemShared system. This allows our clinicians to contact you directly.

● You will then receive an email with clear instructions explaining how to fill out the Informant Questionnaire.  

● The Informant Questionnaire will be emailed directly to the individual being assessed, and they will be able to forward this to you via email.

● As an informant, you should then complete the questionnaire and return it either to the individual being assessed so that they can return it to ProblemShared or directly to ProblemShared via email at ndassessments@problemshared.net.

Who can be an informant?

To ensure that the information provided is accurate and relevant, an informant should be somebody who has known the individual since early childhood.  This will preferably be a parent, caregiver, or sibling, although a long-term partner or close friend can act as an informant if this is not possible.  

How can I be a good ADHD informant?

To prepare you for your role as an informant for an ADHD assessment, here are a few practical tips:

• Spend some time finding out more about ADHD and the assessment process. This will help you prepare to complete the Informant Questionnaire and give you time to reflect on the types of questions you may be asked.
• Reflect on the individual’s early childhood and development and think about their unique characteristics, behaviours, strengths, and abilities. This will help you to provide detailed and accurate information in the Informant Questionnaire.  
• Gather any relevant information to help you provide the most accurate responses. For example, revisit early childhood memories (looking at old photographs can help to jog your memory), developmental milestone trackers, and educational records.  
• If appropriate, consult with the individual being assessed before you complete the Informant Questionnaire. Find out what information they are comfortable with you discussing and what they would prefer you to keep private. This could include details about their medical history, personal life, or sensitive topics that they may not wish to disclose.

Being an informant for an ADHD assessment is an important responsibility that requires attention to detail, honesty, and support. Remember that your role as an informant is invaluable, and by following the tips outlined in this article, you can be the best ADHD informant possible.

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