Testing

Psychoeducational Testing

What is it?
Psychoeducational testing combines psychological assessment with educational testing.  Typically, it is done in order to determine how a child’s cognitive functioning is impacting his or her academic performance.  Psychoeducational testing is often conducted in order to determine a learning disability or other factors that might affect a child’s abilities in the school testing.

Psychoeducational testing may also be conducted in order to provide more information in preparation for a student’s Individualized Educational Plan (IEP).  Attendance at a student’s IEP in order to discuss testing results and recommendations is also a service I provide. 

IQ & Achievement Evaluation (LD Evaluation/Gifted Evaluation)
This includes IQ test and Achievement tests, which will provide in-depth information on several factors of intelligence (such as factual knowledge, short-term memory, abstract reasoning, visual-spatial abilities, and common sense), academic strengths and weaknesses, mastery of specific subjects, and the presence of a learning disability. The results are also used by many educational programs to determine the “gifted” label.

IQ/Cognitive Testing only
This includes administration of a standardized cognitive/IQ test, which will provide in-depth information on several factors of intelligence (such as factual knowledge, short-term memory, abstract reasoning, visual-spatial abilities, and common sense), and on academic strengths and weaknesses. Results are also used by educational programs as part of the determination of the “gifted” label. At the other end of the spectrum, the results can also identify mental retardation.

Achievement Testing only
This administration of an in-depth academic achievement test, which will provide in-depth information on a child’s mastery of specific subjects and on academic strengths and weaknesses.

ADHD Testing
This includes ADHD testing combined with full IQ tests, clinical interviewing, play based observation, and rating scales.

Psychological Testing

Full psychodiagnostic testing batteries
A full battery of testing provides the most complete picture of your child’s functioning.  This would include testing both their cognitive/intellectual abilities, their social-emotional state, and personality functioning, as well as other important components such as memory and adaptive functioning.  This type of testing will result in a diagnosis (if any) and additional testing related to that specific diagnosis.  Full testing batteries may be used to determine a diagnosis of Autism, Pervasive Developmental Disorders, Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), and others. 

Autism testing
In addition to conducting a series of cognitive and developmental tests, testing for an Autism diagnosis will include a variety of Autism diagnostic tests and surveys. 

Individual cognitive testing
Cognitive testing simply looks at concerns with intellectual functioning.  If you would like to find out more about challenges your child may be having cognitively or intellectually, testing may be conducted. 

Individual social-emotional and/or personality testing
Social-emotional or personality testing is typically conducted following experiences with trauma or recent changes in your child’s personality or emotional state.  Although a full battery of testing is recommended in these types of situations, there are specific referrals that call for looking at social-emotional functioning only. 

Specific diagnostic testing
Sometimes a child comes in with a specific referral question, or he or she has already been tested in the past and you are looking for something more specific to confirm the diagnosis.  Whatever the situation, individual tests are available for specific purposes. 

Prospective Adoptive Parents/Surrogate testing
As part of the adoption or home study process, most agencies require couples complete a personality evaluation as well as meet with a psychologist to determine psychological fitness to adopt.  I am also able to conduct an interview and psychological evaluation of a prospective surrogate parent.  The testing measures I use are the most recent, empirically validated evaluations required by agencies and used in the field.