Psychological Evaluations

Neuropsychological Evaluations are offered for children, adolescents, and adults seeking to asses information about memory, language, attention skills, executive functioning, and visual-motor skills. Generally, these evaluations are helpful in determining potential reasons for academic difficulty, a recent change in work performance, or understanding a child’s development.

ADHD Evaluations are offered to individuals across the age span in order to assess visual attention, auditory attention, working memory skills, and executive functioning skills, including planfulness, organizational skills, time management, and strategic abilities.

Autism Evaluations are offered in order to assess for autism spectrum disorders across age, developmental levels, and language skills. The Autism Diagnostic Observation Schedule – Second Edition is utilized in order to evaluate communication, social interaction, and restricted and repetitive behaviors. Additionally, the Children’s Autism Rating Scale-Second Edition is also utilized when assessing children for Autism Spectrum Disorders using quantifiable ratings based on direct observation.

Psycho-educational Evaluations are utilized to assess for learning disabilities and involve assessment of intelligence and academic achievement. These evaluations are especially helpful in determining potential for learning and specific types of learning difficulties, which may involve weaknesses in math, reading, writing, processing speed, academic fluency (difficulty completing academic tasks in a timely fashion) or problems with applied skills (i.e. reading comprehension). If a diagnosis of a learning disability is made then recommendations can be provided for the individual’s school to make accommodations and for strategies that can be used at home (i.e. tutoring or remedial work to help the student to catch up).

Personality Evaluations assess for emotional problems, such as mood disorders, behavioral issues, or personality-related disorders or traits. Often these evaluations use questionnaires to obtain objective information about a person’s functioning, however projective testing is sometimes administered as well.

Gifted Testing is administered to children utilizing an intelligence test, such as the WPPSI-IV or the WISC-IV in addition to academic testing which may draw from the Woodcock Johnson Tests of Achievement-Third Edition-Normative Update. Different criteria are set for each state/county regarding entrance requirements for the gifted and talented program.

Kindergarten Readiness Testing is often adminstered to children whose parents are attempting to decipher whether their child meets criteria for early entry into kindergarten, which frequently requires an IQ of 130 and performance within the 98th percentile in reading and/or math skills on a test of achievement.