Psycho-Educational Evaluations

Why are we here?

Parents know how difficult growing up can sometimes be for their child. For some children, growing up is complicated by learning problems. As a parent, you want to help but sometimes it’s hard to know how.

Our clinical staff is here to help you better understand your child and your child’s unique pattern of needs and abilities; to help you make the best and most informed decisions possible regarding your child’s education; and to work directly with your child to help him or her learn better.

How do we do this?

Our permanent staff consists of specialists in the areas of psychology and education who form the faculty of the graduate level clinical and school psychology programs at Fairleigh Dickinson University. In the clinic we (or selected graduate students operating under direct supervision) gather extensive information about your child. We do this by working directly with your child (using both formal, standardized tests as well as informal procedures), by talking with you, by interviewing other important individuals in your child’s life (teachers, physicians, etc.), and by reviewing all of the relevant educational, psychological and medical records concerning your child.
With your help we develop an understanding of your child and how he or she learns. When this is accomplished we sit down with you and explore the ways in which your child’s needs can best be met.

If you wish, we will consult with the professionals at your child’s school regarding the results of our evaluation. If it is appropriate, we can recommend other service providers who might be useful for developing behavior management programs or educational interventions for your child.

Evaluation/Assessment

Each evaluation is individualized for the particular case, depending on the referral questions, age of client, and severity of the issues. The service provides a wide array of assessment areas.

Intellectual Assessments

Depending on the age of the client and the presenting problems, an intellectual (information processing) assessment may be recommended. These evaluations typically take between 1 to 2 hours of direct client/evaluator interaction. These evaluations are typically administered over the course of one to three sessions, with the length of each session depending on the child’s age and attention span.

Tests used for this kind of evaluation include (but are not limited to):

• Wechsler Preschool and Primary Scale of Intelligence, Fourth Edition (WPPSI-IV)
• Wechsler Intelligence Scale For Children, Fourth Edition (WISC-IV)
• Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale, Fourth Edition (WAIS-IV)
• Differential Ability Scales, Second Edition (DAS-II)
• Kaufman Adolescent and Adult Intelligence Scale (KAIT)
• Stanford-Binet Intelligence Test, Fifth Edition (SB-5)
• Woodcock-Johnson, Third Edition (Cognitive) (WJ III COG)
• Cognitive Assessment System (CAS)
• Universal Nonverbal Intelligence Scale (UNIT)

Achievement Assessments

Depending on the age of the client and the presenting problems, an achievement assessment may be recommended. This assessment typically evaluates the level at which a person is functioning academically.  It measures individual forms of school based learning, typically covering areas such as reading, math, and writing. These evaluations are typically administered over the course of one to three sessions, with the length of each session depending on the child’s age and attention span.

Tests used for this kind of evaluation include (but are not limited to):

• Peabody Individual Achievement Test (PIAT)
• Wechsler Individual Achievement Test, Third Edition (WIAT-III)
• KeyMath3
• Kaufman Test of Educational Achievement, Second Edition (KTEA-II)
• Woodcock Reading Mastery Test (WRMT)
• Woodcock-Johnson, Third Edition (Achievement) (WJ-III ACH)
• Mini Battery of Achievement (MBA)
• Kaufman Survey of Early Academics and Learning (KSEALS)
• Comprehensive Tests of Phonological Processing, Second Edition (CTOPP-2)
• Test of Word Reading Efficiency (TOWRE)
• Oral and Written Language Scales (OWLS)
• Gray Oral Reading Tests, Fourth Edition (GORT-4)
• Nelson-Denny Reading Test (NDRT)

Memory Assessments

Depending on the age of the client and the presenting problems, a memory assessment may be recommended. This assessment typically evaluates a person’s functioning in different areas of memory (e.g. long term vs. short term, visual vs. auditory). These evaluations are typically administered over the course of one to three sessions, with the length of each session depending on the child’s age and attention span.

Tests used for this kind of evaluation include (but are not limited to):

• Test of Memory and Learning (TOMAL)
• Wide Range Assessment of Memory and Learning, Second Edition (WRAML-II)
• California Verbal Learning Test, Children’s version (CVLT-C)
• Wechsler Memory Scale, Fourth Edition (WMS-IV)
• Children’s Memory Scale (CMS)

Behavior Checklists/Classroom Observation

Checklists and direct observations are useful methods to assist in the evaluation of an individual’s performance within the confines of certain settings (Home/school).  The child, a teacher, and/or a parent typically complete checklists. The scales are then evaluated and compared to relevant normative data to provide information about perceptions of difficulties.  In certain cases, classroom observations are an extremely useful method for gathering important information about a person’s school performance.  These observations also allow for an evaluation of the teaching methods and classroom settings.

Checklists used for this kind of evaluation include (but are not limited to):

• Achenbach Child Behavior Checklist (CBCL)
• Conners Scales
• Behavior Assessment System for Children, Second Edition (BASC-2)
• Devereux Scale of Mental Disorders
• Learning Disability Diagnostic Inventory (LDDI)

Computerized Assessment

Certain assessments (typically those involving issues of attention) will utilize computer programs.  These programs typically take between 10 to 30 minutes.

• Conners’ Continuous Performance Test II (CPT-II)

Whom can we serve?

We can provide psycho-educational assessment to children and adolescents from age five (5) through age twenty-one (21). There are no geographic limitations on our services.

All services are strictly confidential.