Frequently Asked Questions

Psychological evaluations generally seek to answer a referral question. Often times the question to be answered is: what is wrong with my child? Psychological evaluations assess various levels of functioning, such as intellectual, learning issues, concentration and attention, mood and anxiety, social and emotional issues, etc. Sometimes clients are referred for a psychological evaluation when their behavior, attention, and/or hyperactivity problems have gotten “unmanageable.” Other times, clients come in for a Gifted testing assessment to see if they qualify for a Gifted program in the district. Often times teachers notice child’s behavioral issues — “he/she is constantly getting up from his seat,” “he/she is disrupting other students,” “he/she is not finishing their work on time” etc. Unfortunately, it is not always obvious the reason that the child/teen is having issues at school and/or home. The issues may stem from depression, anxiety, learning issues, behavioral problems, or another factor. Psychological evaluations seek to “tease out” the root of the issue to help the further development a treatment plan of “what to do next” to help your child/teen. Psychological reports can also be helpful to access certain accommodations in the school/work setting if so needed.