Psychoeducational Evaluation

When students are struggling in school and/or exhibiting behavioral and emotional problems at school or at home, a comprehensive evaluation may help to determine why the difficulties are occurring and what interventions may help. The evaluation can also help to determine areas of strength that can be used to support students and help them reach their potential.

What are common reasons for initiating testing?

We test to determine whether or not individuals have specific learning disorders (such as dyslexia or dysgraphia) and/or meet criteria for ADHD or other psychological disorders. We also provide evaluations for giftedness and to provide documentation of the need for extra time on the SAT, ACT, and other standardized exams. We examine cognitive and academic strengths and weaknesses and provide a comprehensive report detailing results, diagnoses, and recommendations. We then provide appropriate treatment referrals depending upon area of need. Please note that while we may recommend medication as part of a treatment regimen, we do not prescribe medication.

What is the procedure for testing?

First, parents of children between the ages of 4 and 14 are asked to attend an intake session without their child to discuss concerns, developmental and educational history, and procedures for testing. Testing appointments are scheduled at the end of the intake appointment and may occur several weeks or months after the intake appointment depending upon availability. Please provide copies of any previous testing or other relevant documents at the time of the intake. If there are behavioral concerns and it is deemed appropriate by the clinician, a school observation may be conducted before the testing appointments occur.

Testing appointments are typically scheduled over the course of two mornings and last may last two to two and a half hours. During testing, the child will complete a series of relatively short one-to-one tasks with the examiner. Parents may leave the facility during testing as long as they are available via cell phone and can remain within a reasonable distance from the office. Children with be provided with positive reinforcement and structure to complete the tests. Tests may include cognitive or “IQ” tests to determine how the child processes information and determine the level at which they can be expected to perform academically. Achievement tests will also be conducted in the areas of reading, writing, and math. Additional achievement tests or neuropsychological tests may be conducted to address concerns related to specific learning disorders or ADHD. Parents and teachers (and sometimes children themselves) will also be asked to complete online questionnaires regarding the child’s behavior. Children will be interviewed regarding their experiences at home, school, and with friends. They will be asked about how they perceive their own behavior and emotions.

For children and young adults 14 and older, the testing process is similar with the following adjustments. The patient being tested must attend the intake session and must sign a release to allow the clinician to allow the clinician to share information with parents and teachers. Testing may be done in the course of one full day rather than spread out over two mornings. They will also be asked to complete self-rating questionnaires, along with parents and two or three of their teachers who know them well.

Please note that adult ADHD evaluations may not include IQ and achievement testing unless the adult is currently attending or planning to attend school. Instead, these may primarily consist of clinical interview and questionnaires completed by the patient and one collateral rater (e.g., a spouse/partner, parent, or friend/roommate).

What conditions cannot be tested for at CEH?

We do not test for auditory processing disorders. While we may be able to determine whether we would recommend an audiology evaluation given our experience with the individual during testing, we have no audiologists on staff and would refer you to another provider if we think this would be helpful. Similarly, we do not have the ability to provide speech and language evaluations, occupational therapy or sensory processing evaluations, or comprehensive autism assessments for children who are not verbal. While we often use neuropsychological tests as part of our assessments, we do not provide neuropsychological evaluations for brain injuries or medical conditions. We do not test children under the age of 4. Though we do test adults, we primarily do so for adults who are currently attending or planning to attend college or graduate school. These students are seeking accommodations for testing or wish to gain clarity about the way they learn best.