Learning & ADHD Assessments
What Is Involved in a Psychoeducational Assessment?
The following parts are involved in a psychoeducational assessment:
Step 1
A 1.5-hour meeting between parents and the psychologist where the following is reviewed:
- Child’s birth and developmental history
- Child’s academic functioning through every grade
- Child’s current functioning at home
- Child’s strengths and areas of need according to parent(s)
Step 2
2 to 3 assessment sessions with the child once the child has established comfort with the psychologist. The assessment involves the administration of standardized measures of intelligence, processing skills, and academic areas. Assessments are geared to the particular child but some areas that are assessed are:
- Cognitive ability, known as intelligence
- Academic areas (reading, math, writing, comprehension)
- Language skills
- Processing speed
- Motor coordination, eye-hand coordination
- Memory (verbal, visual, working)
- Phonological processing
- Visual-motor integration
- Visual processing
- Attention
- Executive Functions
- Social-emotional functioning
Step 3
The psychologist may ask the child’s teacher to complete questionnaires and/or to speak to the psychologist about their observations of the child at school.
Step 4
Information gathered during the assessment can be used to make a diagnosis of a Learning Disability and/or Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder. Whether a diagnosis is made or not, the information can be used to identify what the student needs to reach their potential.
Step 5
Following the assessment, the psychologist meets with parents to verbally review the results, recommendations, and next steps. This meeting normally lasts 1.5 to 2 hours. Parents are also provided with a detailed, comprehensive report outlining all the results and recommendations. These recommendations are usually used by the child’s school to put together a plan (Individualized Education Plan – IEP) that helps the student reach their potential at school.