Adult Autism & ADHD Assessments, Demystified (Dr. Megan Anna Neff and Dr. Jess Hogan)

<p>What actually happens in an adult autism assessment, and is it worth it? In this deep dive, I sit down with Dr. Jess Hogan, a fellow AuDHD psychologist, to demystify adult autism, ADHD, and AuDHD assessments: where to start, what affirming assessment looks like, and the red flags to watch for.</p><p>This conversation is for late-identified and self-identified Autistic, ADHD, and AuDHD adults, and for clinicians who want to assess in a more affirming way.</p><p><br></p><p>TIMESTAMPS:</p><p>0:00 Why assessments feel so mysterious </p><p>2:04 Should I get assessed? Benefits, identity, and imposter feelings </p><p>6:24 Knowing your why: identity vs. disability services </p><p>8:00 Where to start (and misdiagnosis vs. diagnostic overshadowing) </p><p>12:35 Types of assessments: neuropsych, comprehensive, and ADHD-specific </p><p>14:51 Why everyone&#39;s assessment experience is so different </p><p>18:56 Private vs. insurance, and who can diagnose </p><p>26:40 Masking, compensation, and non-stereotypical presentations </p><p>32:36 Measures explained: CAT-Q, MIGDAS-2, DIVA-5 34:54 Questions to ask a potential assessor (and how to prepare) </p><p>39:35 &quot;You&#39;re not autistic&quot;: second opinions </p><p>42:22 ADHD vs. autism assessments, and screeners vs. diagnostics </p><p>50:02 Childhood history (and when parents can&#39;t help) </p><p>55:17 AuDHD: when traits mask each other </p><p>1:03:38 Leaving a bad-fit assessor, and the good enough therapist</p><p><br></p><p>In this conversation, we explore:</p><p>→ Whether an adult autism or ADHD assessment is worth pursuing</p><p>→ Misdiagnosis, missed diagnosis, and diagnostic overshadowing</p><p>→ Neuropsych vs. comprehensive vs. affirming assessment models</p><p>→ How masking and compensation strategies hide autism and ADHD from assessors</p><p>→ The measures used in affirming assessments (MIGDAS-2, DIVA-5, CAT-Q)</p><p>→ What to do if a parent can&#39;t (or won&#39;t) confirm your childhood history</p><p>→ How AuDHD traits cancel each other out during assessment</p><p>→ How to exit a non-affirming assessment process</p><p><br><strong>About Dr. Megan Anna Neff:</strong></p><p>Dr. Megan Anna Neff is an Autistic-ADHD clinical psychologist, founder of Neurodivergent Insights, and author of Self-Care for Autistic People and The Autistic Burnout Workbook. She creates research-grounded, identity-affirming resources for neurodivergent adults and the clinicians who support them.</p><p>Check out more at <a href="neu