As children grow and develop, they sometimes have trouble learning in school, difficulty in concentrating, or problems getting along with others. When this happens, a psychological assessment is done to find out where the difficulty lies. A psychological assessment gives an insight into a child’s learning, social behavior, and personality development.
Psychological assessment offers a structured series of interviews, standardized tests, and questionnaires to evaluate a child’s strengths and weaknesses across many areas. It determines how a child or teen functions/behaves socially, academically, psychologically, and emotionally. Some parents seek a psychological assessment out of concern about how well their child or teen is functioning, while other parents are advised to get an assessment by one or more professionals - an educator, a mental health professional, or a pediatrician.
A psychological assessment considers the “whole child,” including family, school, and community. Assessments are always individualized based on the needs of the child and address the concerns that led to the referral. A psychological assessment may look at:
- Intelligence: These tests look for developmental delays, intellectual gifts and/or disabilities, language and communication skills, nonverbal reasoning skills, and speed at absorbing and processing new information.
- Achievement: By measuring mastery of reading, mathematics, and writing, psychological and educational tests can identify academic strengths and pinpoint learning disabilities such as dyslexia.
- Memory and Attention: Neuropsychological testing is often used to identify attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). This set of tests can also measure memory skills, reasoning abilities, and executive functioning like planning and organizational skills.
- Behavioral, Emotional & Social Development: Social-emotional and personality evaluation tools examine depression, anxiety, or social deficits that may contribute to difficulties at home or school. If there are mental health concerns, the assessment provides direction for behavioral management strategies to be used at home or school.