Neuropsychological evaluation is the process of learning about an individual’s strengths and weaknesses related to brain functioning. Areas assessed in a neuropsychological evaluation may include cognitive functioning, academic achievement, learning ability, processing speed, memory, adaptive functioning, and others depending on the referral question.

A psychodiagnostic assessment may include many of the components of a neuropsychological evaluation, but may also focus more on questions related to mood, the impact of trauma, behavior, personality, and emotional functioning. A comprehensive psychodiagnostic assessment is typically indicated when there are questions about a lot of different areas of functioning, or there is a possibility of multiple mental health diagnoses overlapping.

Assessment begins by gathering information about a child or adolescent’s functioning through interviewing the relevant people in their life (parent, teacher, therapist, etc) as well as the child. (1-2 hours)

Once the initial background information has been gathered, the psychologist will meet with your child to engage them in a battery of targeted activities and assessments that will provide data that is used to determine your child’s strengths and areas of need. Sometimes the psychologist may also request to observe your child at school to gather additional qualitative data or to consult with other professionals (teachers, therapists, psychiatrists, tutors, etc). Testing typically takes place over the course of multiple sessions depending on your child’s needs. (6-10 hours)

Once the report is complete, you will meet with the psychologist to have a feedback session. This appointment is meant for you to receive the written assessment report and have it explained to you in a way that is informative and easily understood. It can be quite impactful for children and teens to have their own feedback session so that they can also feel empowered and learn about themselves. This is typically a separate appointment after parents have received feedback. (2 hours total)

The psychologist will compile information from the clinical interviews, test battery, and any observations into a comprehensive report with all of the information, including clinical impressions and diagnoses, as well as recommendations for how to best support your child.

• The evaluation report will be ready typically 3-4 weeks after the last assessment appointment.
• Depending on the number of testing sessions and scheduling, the whole process may take 5-7 weeks to complete.

The purpose of the evaluation is to provide specific information with the goal of making recommendations to best support the individual across settings. An evaluation can help get a better understanding of your child and their needs and strengths, specific information about a variety of functional domains and can allow for tailored recommendations to help your child across environments