Getting Your Adult Autism or ADHD Assessment Results: What the Feedback Session Is For

If you have been assessed for autism or ADHD as an adult, the feedback session is where your results are explained and what they mean for your life. Here is what to expect, the emotional side of a later diagnosis, and where to go next.

If you have gone through an autism or ADHD assessment as an adult, you have already done the hard part. The history has been taken, the questionnaires and testing are done, and the psychologist has spent hours making sense of it all. What is left is the feedback session, the conversation where you finally find out what it means. For a lot of people this is the part they are most anxious about, and also the part they know the least about.

This post explains what the feedback session is for, what happens in it, who you can bring, how to prepare, and the emotional side of receiving a diagnosis later in life. The short version: it is a supportive conversation about you, not a verdict delivered across a desk.

What the feedback session is for

The feedback session exists so that you understand your results, not just receive them. A written report can be dense and clinical, and easy to misread, especially when the answer matters to you personally. The session is where the psychologist translates the findings into plain language, explains what they do and do not mean, and makes sure you leave with clarity rather than a document you are afraid to reopen.

It is also where the recommendations come to life. The report lists them, but the session is where the psychologist talks through each one, explains why it matters for your situation, and helps you decide what to act on first, whether that is at work, in study, in relationships, or in everyday life.

When it happens and how long it takes

The feedback session usually happens after all testing is complete and the report is written, typically a few weeks after your final assessment appointment. It generally runs for around an hour, and a good session is unhurried, with room for your questions rather than a rushed summary at the end.

Who can attend

This is your session, so it is your call. Many adults come on their own; others choose to bring a partner, parent, or trusted friend, particularly when the results may reshape how they understand their past. If having someone with you would help, that is almost always welcome, and worth mentioning when the session is booked.

A question before your feedback session?Our team is happy to talk through what to expect, who to bring, or anything else on your mind. Speak with our team

What the psychologist will cover

Every session is tailored to the person, but most cover similar ground. The psychologist will explain whether the criteria for autism, ADHD, or both were met, and what that does and does not mean in practice. They will describe the individual profile that emerged, including your genuine strengths, not just the areas you find harder. And they will walk through the recommendations in detail, explaining what each looks like in real life at work, in study, in relationships, and day to day.

If you have been assessed for ADHD and medication is something you want to explore, the psychologist can explain the pathway, since medication is prescribed by a GP or psychiatrist rather than a psychologist, and how your report supports that next step.

This is a two-way conversation. The psychologist wants to know whether the findings match your lived experience, whether the recommendations feel realistic for your life, and what questions the results raise for you.

The emotional side of a later diagnosis

Receiving an autism or ADHD diagnosis as an adult can bring up a lot at once. Many people feel relief, that there is finally an explanation, alongside grief for the years spent wondering what was wrong, or anger that it was missed. It is common to start re-reading your own history through a new lens, recognising why certain things were so hard. All of these reactions are normal and valid, and the feedback session is a safe place to begin processing them. A diagnosis is not a description of your limits; it is a more accurate map of how you are wired, and a starting point for self-compassion.

How to prepare

You do not need to do anything elaborate, but a little thought beforehand helps. It can be useful to jot down the questions that matter most, to think about the settings the recommendations need to work in, such as your workplace or studies, and to consider who else might need to hear the results, like a GP, a workplace, or an education provider.

Questions worth bringing

• What does this result mean for me day to day, in plain terms?
• Which recommendations should I focus on first?
• If I want to explore ADHD medication, what is the next step?
• What does this mean for work or study, and do I have to tell anyone?
• What support is available next, and how do I access it?

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What comes next

A diagnosis is a beginning, not an endpoint. Depending on what you are hoping for, next steps might include therapy to build strategies and work through the emotional side, reasonable adjustments at work or in study, connecting with the neurodivergent community, and, for ADHD, a conversation with a GP or psychiatrist about medication. The feedback session is where you and the psychologist map out which of these matters most to you.

If the criteria aren't met

Sometimes the assessment does not confirm the diagnosis you expected. This can be disappointing, particularly after a long wait for answers. Even so, the assessment still produces something valuable: a clear, evidence-based picture of how you think, feel, and function, and recommendations that hold regardless of any label. Often it also points toward what else might explain your experience, such as anxiety, trauma, or burnout, so you are not left back at square one.

Whatever the result, the goal of the feedback session is the same: that you leave understanding yourself more clearly, with a practical sense of what helps. If you would like to talk through an assessment, or simply ask what the process involves, you are warmly welcome to get in touch.

Want to talk it through first?Tell us what you are noticing and we will help you understand whether an assessment is the right next step. Get in touch