Psychoeducational Evaluation

What is a Psychoeducational Evaluation?

Similar to a psychological evaluation, a psychoeducational evaluation is a comprehensive psychological assessment, but it includes an educational or achievement portion to clarify the presence of learning disorders. Psychoeducational evaluations with children typically will include interviews with parents and a separate interview with the child. Interviews with other relevant individuals will also be conducted such as treatment providers, teachers, other family members, etc. Most often, evaluators will also conduct a school observation if the school permits. Psychological and psychoeducational testing are completed by the child and other collateral sources such as parents and teachers. The evaluator will then draft a comprehensive psychoeducational report which will provide an overview of the child’s cognitive, social, emotional, behavioral, and academic functioning including area of strengths and weakness. At the completion of a psychoeducational evaluation, the evaluator will provide any relevant diagnoses in the report including learning disorder diagnoses if applicable. The evaluator will provide exhaustive recommendations to help the child or adolescent thrive both at school and at home. A feedback session is conducted at the end of an assessment where the evaluator will discuss the report with parents and/or the examinee. If the examinee is an adult, the evaluator will work directly with the client and procedures will vary slightly.

Why Seek A Psychoeducational Assessment?

– Clarify learning disorders: psychoeducational evaluations are specifically utilized to identify the presence of learning disorders such as dyslexia, dyscalculia, and dysgraphia.

– Clarify academic strengths and weakness: if you or your child have been struggling with meeting the demands of an educational institution, a psychoeducational evaluation can help parents or the examinee better understand the learner’s academic and cognitive strengths and weaknesses in order to improve academic functioning.

– Educational planning: schools may require a psychoeducational evaluation in order to develop an Individualized Education Program or 504 plan.

– Private school admissions: some private schools will require that a child undergo cognitive testing in order to be admitted. We will tailor our battery to address the school’s needs and conduct the exact assessments they require. This process is usually brief and does not require a full psychoeducational assessment.

– Gifted and Talented assessment: Some parents may find that their children are exceeding the demands of their academic setting and may wish to learn more about their cognitive functioning to determine if they may qualify for gifted and talented programing.

– SAT/ACT accommodations: some students may really struggle with completing standardized testing. We can help to provide diagnostic clarity and recommendations to allow your child the necessary accommodations to thrive if they are in need.

– College Accommodations: colleges will often require formal psychological or psychoeducational testing in order to allow a student to have learning accommodations.

– Licensure examinations: if you are a higher level professional that needs to sit for a licensing or board examination, but find that you are struggling due to learning or mental health difficulties, a psychological or psychoeducational evaluation can help clarify if accommodations may help you succeed.

– Assessments to qualify for MENSA: if you are seeking admission into MENSA, they require that formal intelligence testing be conducted. This process would be brief and would provide the examinee with their IQ score and breakdown of cognitive strengths and weakness.