Psychological Testing
Children are referred for a psychological assessment for many reasons. They may have attention or behavior problems at home or in school, be subjected to bullying, be depressed or anxious, or have a learning disorder. Often when kids are struggling in school or seem to be behind their peers developmentally, a counselor or teacher will suggest the child undergo a psychological assessment.
The findings from this type of evaluation will let us know where the child excels and which areas he or she might need to address (for example: an undiagnosed learning disability). Our clinical director, Dr. Ryan Seidman, at our Children's Center notes that, Having your child evaluated can promote improvement in academic and emotional functioning.
Psychological assessments are done by highly trained child psychologists who are specialists in their fields. These mental health professionals evaluate the child's strengths and weaknesses, then work with parents and teachers to come up with an approach that will help the child progress.
These assessments aren't like actual tests can be and they aren't something the child can study for. In fact, it is best if the child is relaxed during the evaluation, so the assessment isn't a pass or fail test.
