Psychoeducational Evaluations
Evaluations are conducted in person at our Assessment Center in Palo Alto, CA or Pleasanton, CA, or via telehealth.
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What Is a Psychoeducational Evaluation?
As parents, you strive to help your child as much as possible. But, there are times when your child may struggle in their learning or life. These struggles may present as troubles with attention, concentration, sleep, learning, following directions, comprehending what they are reading, or completing homework, just to name a few.
Despite assistance and intervention, there still may be questions or barriers to your child’s academic and educational success. This is when a psychoeducational assessment might be the right choice for your child.
Contact us for more information about psychoeducational evaluations.
Types of Psychoeducational Evaluations We Provide
- ADHD Evaluation
- Learning Disorder Evaluation (Dyslexia, Reading, Language)
- Psychological Assessments (for early intervention of psychiatric illness)
- Private school admission evaluations
- Cognitive strengths and weaknesses for IEP and 504
ADHD Evaluation
What is ADHD?
- Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is a neurodevelopmental condition (i.e., develops in childhood) and can cause symptoms of inattention (pervasive trouble focusing visually and aurally), hyperactivity (feeling restless, on the go, or driven by a motor), and impulsivity (not being able to stop yourself from acting despite consequences).
- ADHD starts in childhood (and usually families start to see concerns when children are school-aged or sometimes younger. It is a condition that continues through adolescence and adulthood.
- ADHD can be diagnosed later in adulthood but there are sometimes overlapping reasons for inattention, hyperactivity, and impulsivity that also have to be evaluated as an adult.
- ADHD in children can cause trouble in school performance but it can also lower a child's self-esteem and can have a significant impact on social interactions.
- When children don't have the coping skills to manage the symptoms of ADHD, they sometimes experience school avoidance, and behavioral acting out.
- For teens and young adults, ADHD which is not identified until later in life can also have an emotional and psychological impact.
- Often by the time children age into teens, they have anxiety and depression around school performance which can manifest as defiance, anger, intolerance to challenging situations, and avoidance of things they normally enjoy.
- It is important to assess children as early as possible for these concerns. That is why Merit Psychology Group, A Professional Psychology Corporation believes in comprehensive assessment to tailor interventions and support growth and learning.
What Are The Steps Of An ADHD Evaluation?
Step #1: Initial Interview
- ADHD evaluations take a hybrid approach.
- There will be a 60-90 minute parent and child/teen interview or if you are an adult a 60-90 minute interview by telehealth with you about your developmental history.
Step #2: In-Person Assessment*
- You will then come in person for a 2.5-3 hour session. During this session, you will be asked to do challenges and brain teasers that look at all areas of brain function. This includes intelligence, memory, attention, executive function, processing speed, visual abilities, hearing, and achievement.
- These sessions can be broken up into 2 sessions or one long session.
Step #3: Review and Feedback
- Once the assessment is complete, results are reviewed and a feedback session is scheduled for 60 minutes by telehealth. Feedback sessions provide your diagnosis, recommendations for additional services or treatment, and a treatment plan.
Step #4: Detailed Report
- Following feedback, you will receive a detailed report about your performances and abilities to help you get moving toward getting the care you need.
- *It is important to note that assessments can be done via telehealth fully but Merit Psychology Group, A Professional Psychology Corporation prides itself in being able to support in-person patient care quickly and efficiently.
Learning Disorder Evaluation
(Dyslexia, Reading, Language)
What Is a Learning Disorder?
- Learning disorders are problems that start in childhood and affect the way you process school-based information but also information you take in from the world around you.
- Types of learning disorders include: Math-based learning disorders (a common type is dyscalculia), reading-based learning disorders (a common type is dyslexia), and writing-based learning disorders (a common type is Dysgraphia).
- Learning disorders make it hard for children to stay at their age-based learning level which means they fall behind in classes and cannot keep up with peers, or may struggle to complete tests, exams, homework, projects, or classroom-based tasks.
- There are times when children and teens who have learning disorders are not diagnosed because they have significant behavioral problems that mislead the adults, teachers, and providers who are trying to support them.
- Children and teens can express themselves poorly around these disorders and your child may say they just "don't like math" when there may be an underlying neurological reason (i.e., learning disorder) that is getting in the way.
What Are the Steps of a Learning Disorder Evaluation?
Step #1: Initial Interview
- Learning disorder evaluations take a hybrid approach.
- There will be a 60-90 minute parent and child/teen interview or if you are an adult a 60-90 minute interview by telehealth with you about your developmental history.
Step #2: In-Person Assessment*
- Your child or teen will then come in person for a 2-4-hour session. During this session, you will be asked to do challenges and brain teasers that look at areas of brain function but have a special focus on learning-related areas of the brain. This includes intelligence, executive function, processing speed, visual abilities, hearing, and achievement.
- These sessions can be broken up into 2 sessions or one long session.
Step #3: Review and Feedback
- Once the assessment is complete, results are reviewed and a feedback session is scheduled for 60 minutes by telehealth. Feedback sessions provide your diagnosis, recommendations for additional services or treatment, and a treatment plan.
Step #4: Detailed Report and Feedback
- Following feedback, you will receive a detailed report about your performances and abilities to help you get moving toward getting the care you need.
- *It is important to note that assessments are completed by providers who are trained in the intricacies of school-based learning and brain function.
Psychological Assessments (For Early Intervention of Psychiatric Illness)
What Is a Psychological Assessment?
- Many parents feel hesitant about getting their child evaluated for a psychological concern.
- Often concerns about “labeling” a child come up or concerns that a child may need medication.
- Psychological assessment can be the first and most crucial step to determine a child’s individual study needs and early intervention supports better outcomes for learning, socialization, and overall mental health.
- Early Intervention programs can help children with special needs, delayed skills, or other disabilities.
What Are the Steps of a Psychological “Early Intervention” Assessment?
Step #1: Initial Interview
- These evaluations take a hybrid approach.
- There will be a 60-90 minute parent and child/teen interview by telehealth about developmental history.
Step #2: In-Person Observational Session*
- The child or teen will then come in for a one-hour observational session. During this session, your child or teen will be asked questions, observed in their interactions, and engage with the person completing the assessment.
- Observations of children and their primary caregivers may also occur on the same day for 30-90 minutes.
- These sessions can be broken up depending on scheduling needs.
- You will also be asked to complete surveys submitted online and provided via a secure portal.
Step #3: Review and Feedback
- Once the assessment and all its parts are complete, results are reviewed and a feedback session is scheduled for 60 minutes by telehealth. Feedback sessions provide your diagnosis, recommendations for additional services or treatment, and a treatment plan.
Step #4: Detailed Report
- Following feedback, you will receive a detailed report about your performances and abilities to help you move toward getting the care you need.
- *It is important to note that assessments can be done via telehealth fully but Merit Psychology Group, A Professional Psychology Corporation prides itself in being able to support in-person patient care quickly and efficiently.
Private School Admission Evaluation
What Is a Private School Admission Evaluation?
- There are different types of admissions tests that private schools may require as part of the admission process.
- Each one has a specific purpose, and tests different aspects of a child's preparation for private school.
- Some admission tests measure IQ, while others look for learning challenges or areas of exceptional achievement.
- The high school admissions tests basically determine a student's readiness for the rigorous college prep studies most private high schools offer.
- Entrance exams might be optional at some schools, but in general, these are important aspects of the admission process.
What Are the Steps of a Psychological “Early Intervention” Assessment?
Step #1: Identify the Private School
- We ask that you identify the private school or schools you are applying to as each has slightly different requirements.
Step #2: Initial Consultation
- Once this is confirmed we have a brief 30-minute video or telephone consultation with the family to get a brief background.
Step #3: Assessment Session & Report
- Your child then completes a 1-2 hour assessment using the Wechsler Intelligence Tests (WPPSI, WISC, WAIS)
- You will receive a report within 1-2 days following the assessment.
- Feedback sessions are optional but they can occur upon request.
Step #4: Submission of Information
- All information will be submitted to your school of choice once a release of information is signed.
Assessment of Cognitive Strengths and Weaknesses for IEP and 504
What Is an Assessment for an IEP or 504?
- An IEP (individualized education plan) is an educational roadmap for children with disabilities.
- An IEP is a regularly updated document that outlines goals and milestones for students based on their unique abilities.
- IEPs are created by teachers, parents, school administrators, other school staff such as psychologists, and sometimes students themselves.
- Students in special education have IEPs.
- A “504 plan” refers to section 504 of the U.S. Rehabilitation Act of 1973
- This states that any organization, including a school, that receives federal money cannot discriminate against people with disabilities.
- A team of teachers, specialists, and parents determines what accommodations a student receives under their 504 plan.
What Are the Steps of an IEP/504 Evaluation?
Step #1: Initial Interview
- These evaluations take a hybrid approach.
- There will be a 60-90 minute parent and child/teen interview by telehealth about your child or teen’s developmental history.
Step #2: In-Person Assessment Session*
- Your child will then come in person for a 2.5-4 hour session depending on the concerns. During this session, your child or teen will be asked to do challenges and brain teasers that look at all areas of brain function. This includes intelligence, memory, attention, executive function, processing speed, visual abilities, hearing, and achievement.
- These sessions can be broken up into 2 sessions or one long session.
Step #3: Review and Feedback Session
- Once the assessment is complete, results are reviewed and a feedback session is scheduled for 60 minutes by telehealth. Feedback sessions provide a diagnosis, recommendations for additional services or treatment, and information about educational eligibility.
Step #4: Detailed Report
- Following feedback, you will receive a detailed report about your child or teen's performances and abilities to help them get moving toward getting the school support they need.
- *It is important to note that assessments can be done via telehealth fully but Merit Psychology Group, A Professional Psychology Corporation prides itself in being able to support in-person patient care quickly and efficiently.