Assessment offered for Children and Adolescents

The Venosta International Studio of Mental Health offers comprehensive psychological evaluations and educational assessment for children and adolescents. The types of services offered range from full psychological evaluations, educational and cognitive assessment, learning disability identification and diagnosis of possible childhood developmental disorders.

The assessment process is carried out in various steps: The first step of any assessment process is the initial meeting with parent(s) which aims at clarifying the concerns posed by parents and/or school concerns. The second step is that of meeting with the child or adolescent in order to assess the concerns posed and eventually administer testing tools which serve to identify problems as well as gain insight into what kind of support the child may need. This part of the process can be carried out in two to four meetings with the child. The last step is that of meeting again with the parents and providing feedback, both verbally and in writing, in order to work towards ameliorating the child’s difficulties.

Why are psychological tests an important part of a comprehensive evaluation?

Psychological evaluations provide a structured, organized and succinct description of current psychological functioning, which oftentimes include both cognitive abilities and current emotional experiences. A comprehensive evaluation offers insight to the severity of a particular disturbance and of the capacity for ways to improve adequate functioning be it at home or at school. It is a formal and structured way of gathering objective information about a person for the purpose of making decisions and sorting out questions about the particular child or adolescent. A comprehensive evaluation can help to identify needs in therapy, school and/or home setting which may be an essential part of intervention and to offer guidance about potential outcomes of treatment.

What is involved in a psychological evaluation?

A comprehensive psychological evaluation begins as above-mentioned with an interview with the parents. A number of psychological tests can then be carried out depending on the nature of the questions posed. Testing generally takes several hours and usually requires separate appointments with the child or adolescent. Different types of assessments tools are used which can be based on personality styles, tests of social/emotional well-being, intellectual (IQ) testing, tests of academic achievement, and tests for specific psychological disturbances and other childhood disorders.

What will a testing situation look like with my child?

At the Venosta International Studio of Mental Health, the consultants believe the assessment process is an important experience for the child as well as for their parents.This process must be a positive experience for the child where he/she is able to establish a collaborative and trusting relationship with the clinician. The setting is informal and is usually presented to the child in the form of play with various ‘tasks’ to complete. The assessment process usually takes between 2-4 one ½ hour sessions. The first meeting is very important as the child may feel insecure about the meeting. Depending on the questions/concerns posed by the parent, the specialist will usually establish a positive relationship with the child on the first meeting and will incorporate play techniques as well as drawing activities where the child feels successful and which helps the specialist better understand the child’s social and emotional well being.

The second through third or fourth meeting is usually dedicated to selecting the assessment tools which will best answer the questions posed by the parents. These tests may explore intelligence measures, achievement measures, processing measures and social/emotional measures. We offer the following types of testing tools which are decided upon together with the family beforehand.

Intelligence and Achievement Testing:

These types of tests cover a wide scope of overall cognitive abiliity testing as well as screening tests that can be useful in the early identification of learning or language difficulties as well as attention and developmental issues.
Many of these tests are very useful in indentifying specific learning needs which the child may have that are related to his/her school success. These can offer insights into a child’s strengths and difficulties, as well as where specific incongruences lie, in order to provide a learning plan that can help overcome critical areas.
Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children (WISC-IV)
Phonological Assessment Battery (PhAB)
Learning Disabilities Diagnostic Inventory (LDDI)
Attention-Defecit/Hyperactivity Disorder Test (ADD/ADHD)
Autism Rating Scales (CARS)
Asperger Syndrome Diagnostic Scale (ASDS)
Progressive Matrixes
Evaluation of Metaphonological Awareness Test (CMF)
Rey-Osterrieth Complex Figure
Dyslexia Screening Test for Children (DEST)
Clinical Evaluation of Language Fundamentals (CELF)

Social/Emotional Testing:

These types of tests help to assess the overall emotional and psychological functioning of the child, providing insight into family dynamics, level of self-esteem, frustration, feelings of anger or resentment, anxiety-related feelings and insight into how the child may view him/herself. Usually at least one of these types is administered in order to further understand how the child may be experiences his/her world at the moment, and how those feelings may impact other areas of difficulty, such as school related issues or learning needs.

Personality Inventory for Youth (PIC-2;Children and Adolescents)
Robert’s Apperception Test for Children and Adolescents
Blacky Pictures
Children’s Apperception Test (CAT)
Object Relations Test (adolescents)
Thematic Apperception Test (adolescents)
Duss Fables (children)
Standardized Drawing Tests (House, Tree, Person Drawings
All of the these tests are further explained by the specialist before administration and a combination of tests is decided upon together with the caretakers in order to best assess the child’s current needs.

What happens after the assessment process?

After the first level assessment process has taken place (2-4) sessions with the child/adolescent, the specialist meets with the primary caregivers to discuss the outcome of the results. An overall assessment is then made with respect to the questions posed and recommendations are made to ameliorate the problem(s). A full report is provided for parents and/or school in which the child’s best interest is of greatest concern. Oftentimes, strategies can be made for teachers or other school personnel, such as support teachers and/or guidance counselors who may work more closely with that child. Continued communication and consistent follow up is an important aspect of the assessment process which calls upon the teamwork of many members involved in the child’s life.

The caretakers can decide how they would like to use the assessment report given to them and also can explore with the clinician whether they would like to implement further support therapies which can be psychological, school related or home related. When appropriate, the specialist can continue to work with the child/adolescent on specific goals and may continue to visit the specialist for further support. Some of these types of activities can include structured play, art-therapy/art related activities, role playing, drama and other techniques which help bring to the surface the specific identified concerns.

In some cases, the child may be referred to a speech pathologist or a child neuro-psychiatrist when specific issues need further testing or a different type of support therapy. In these cases, the therapy may be integrated with another professional and another type of therapy. After each cycle of 3-4 sessions, the parents or care-takers are invited for another meeting together with the specialist to discuss the progress that has been made and to plan for further steps.

How long does therapy usually last?

As each child is different, there is no set time for how long therapy may last. While in some cases, only the initial level 1 assessment is necessary, in some cases it may also be important to continue with another cycle of meetings. In this way the specialist is able to carry out on-going assessment and to note changes over time, especially where social/emotional issues are the main areas of concern. The parents are kept informed every 3-4 sessions of progress made and also, when appropriate, the school can also take part of the process where learning needs may also be a targeted area.

Is my child given feedback as well?

Depending on the age of the child, he/she may be periodically given ‘Feedback Fables’ which incorporate the problem(s) and progress they may be experiencing. In this way, a child is able to receive information in a way that is easier to process and act upon it. Likewise, the specialist is able to communicate their thoughts in a language that is appropriate for the child. With adolescents it is more appropriate to communicate in the way of direct ‘adult-like’ feedback which can be structured with the parents, with the goal of involving the adolescent and empowering them as part of the therapeutic process.

Other commonly asked questions:

Can this assessment be used for my child’s school?

Yes, this is an important aspect of the assessment process. It can be used to inform the school as far as what the child’s strengths and weaknesses are, and can be used to develop an IEP (Individualized Educationa Program) for the child. The assessment, however, can only be given to the school by the parents.

Will there be future contact with my child after the initial assessment?

Yes, ideally after a 6 month period it is usually a good time to re-assess the child to see if the strategies proposed have yielded positive outcomes for the child. If not, the importance of creating new strategies or in some cases considering pharmacological intervention is important.

Will my child need the help of another specialist and if so, where can I find one?

In some cases the child can be referred to a child neuropsychiatrist, a speech therapist or a tutor who can follow up on the recommendations made from the initial assessment. Our team is usually able to make these referrals although in some instances it can be difficult to find the right specialist for the individual needs of the child.