Psychological and Psychoeducational Evaluation for Children and Adolescents

Neuropsychological evaluations are a scientifically-based way to assess a person’s functioning in domains such as intellect, memory, attention, speed of information processing, reading and math abilities, and executive functions including impulse control, problem solving, ability to think flexibly, and organization. Some ways that Neuropsychological evaluations can be beneficial include:

• Identify cognitive problems that are not detected by other kinds of tests (e.g., brain scans, blood tests).
• Determine diagnoses that may be affecting one’s functioning, including developmental delays, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, learning disabilities, and autism spectrum disorder
• Inform psychotherapeutic treatment by identifying appropriate diagnoses and other potential contributing factors such as mood, motivation and medication.
• Provide a basis for determining what strategies will be most helpful to compensate for difficulties.
• Provide guidance with regard to accommodations at school.

A typical evaluation involves:

• A clinical interview to gather information about symptoms, medical history, and other relevant information.
• Paper-and-pencil and computerized tests assessing several domains, selected based on the needs of each child.

After the evaluation:

• Results and recommendations are compiled in a report for your keeping and thorough feedback is provided, often to families and schools in the aid of academic and treatment planning.