Psychoeducational Evaluations

Parents are often told by their child’s learning team or pediatrician that they should pursue “psych-ed” or “psycho-ed testing” for their child or adolescent, which is shorthand for “Child psychoeducational testing.”

This type of testing assesses for differences in intellect, attention, and learning that may indicate the presence of ADHD and/or a learning disability (also referred to as a Specific Learning Disability or SLD in educational language). If a learning disorder/disability is not diagnosed, testing will still provide helpful information for how you or your child might be a different type of learner.

As part of all psychoeducational evaluations, a screening for psychological conditions that can impact learning will also occur such as anxiety, depressed mood, inattention and hyperactivity/impulsivity common in ADHD, disruptive behaviors, and atypical behaviors common in Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD).

Common reasons to seek out a psychoeducational evaluation:

• Academic and general intellectual ability testing of both verbal and non-verbal skills can determine the presence of a learning disability to help establish an Individualized Education Program (IEP) or Section 504 Plan to help provide tailored supports and accommodations in the classroom.

• Children suspected of intellectual giftedness can obtain documentation needed for schools to obtain resources such as enrichment through the Encore program, if offered.

• Tailored and actionable recommendations will be provided to help improve school performance and increase self-confidence when completing school-related tasks.