Veretis Legal Psychology was contacted by a lawyer who urgently needed their client assessed and a report produced for a district court hearing that was less than a week away. The client to this stage had not divulged that they had a previous ADHD diagnosis from their childhood doctor. They highlighted that they had never sought treatment for the disorder. The lawyer wanted to understand if this diagnosis was accurate and if it would have had any bearing on the client’s behaviour and decision making prior, during and post the offence.
Veretis Legal Psychology arranged to assess the individual that day utilising clinical interviewing techniques, an ADHD self-report screener assessment, and ADHD diagnostic assessment to ascertain if the individual did suffer from ADHD. The results indicated significant symptoms of ADHD present for the individual, with the symptoms impacting a number of areas of his life including impacting his behaviour at work (resulting in numerous terminations of his employment), issues in his relationships (such as impulsive and reckless behaviour), and poor self-esteem due to continually failing to see tasks through and having his employment terminated.
The report was produced and provided back to the lawyer outlining these findings, how they impacted the individual’s behaviour/decision making, and what treatment was available. This supported the individual in accessing both psychiatric and psychological support for ADHD and his low self-esteem. Since engaging in treatment the individual has managed to sustain employment in a meaningful job where he gets to work outdoors and be active. He is now engaged in a long-term relationship living a happy and healthy life. He has not offended since this time and feels confident that he won’t do so again.