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SERVICES
PSYCHOEDUCATIONAL EVALUATION
A psychoeducational evaluation is a comprehensive assessment
of a student's functioning in areas that impact learning and
academic functioning. These areas typically include aptitude,
academic skills, and psychosocial adjustment factors. In addition,
my evaluations include an assessment of learning and memory,
as well as executive functioning. Because of my background
in neuropsychology, the evaluation that I provide for students
is much more comprehensive and in-depth than the type of standard
evaluation typically administered by schools. The following
are areas that usually require evaluation:
•
Aptitude is measured by intelligence
tests (Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale; Wechsler Individual
Scale for Children) which are used to assess verbal and
visual reasoning abilities, working memory, processing
speed, and a variety of other cognitive abilities.
•
Learning and memory measures
(Wechsler Memory Scale; Children’s Memory Scale; California
Verbal Learning Test) are administered in order to better
understand a student’s skills and abilities in both verbal
and visual learning and memory. This includes working
memory, short-term memory, and long-term memory.
•
Executive functions refer to a
set of higher-order cognitive functions such as planning,
cognitive flexibility, initiation and inhibition, and
attention. These functions are assessed by a range of
neuropsychological tests, many of which are included in
the Delis-Kaplan Executive Functioning System.
•
Academic skills are measured by
instruments that assess a range of academic abilities,
including reading, written language, oral expression,
and mathematics (Wechsler Individual Achievement Test;
Woodcock Johnson, Tests of Achievement). Within each of
these academic domains, the student is tested on measures
of basic skills development and higher level application
and reasoning skills. For example, reading tests assess
word decoding, phonetic skills, word identification, fluency/rate
and comprehension.
•
Tests of psychosocial adjustment are used
if it appears that a student may be suffering from anxiety,
depression, perfectionism, or other emotional factors
that may be affecting his or her academic functioning.
A
psychoeducational evaluation is often conducted in order
to determine whether a specific learning disorder or other
condition that affects learning (e.g., ADHD) may be impacting
significantly on a student's academic performance. For instance,
the presence of a learning disability, attention deficit
disorder, or emotional disorder can result in a great deal
of academic frustration and inability for a student to perform
at his/her level of potential. A learning disability is
diagnosed when assessment results reveal a significant discrepancy
(difference) between a student's scores on achievement tests
(in reading, mathematics, and/or written language) and his/her
educational expectancy range (based upon age, educational
background, and intelligence.)
In
addition to determining whether a student has a specific
disability that impacts upon learning, a psychoeducational
evaluation gives an excellent indication of how a student
learns best, his or her “learning profile”. When teachers,
parents, and students are empowered with this knowledge,
they can make adjustments in order to maximize the student's
learning potential.
A
psychoeducational evaluation would be appropriate in situations
where a student continues to experience academic difficulties
after various interventions have been attempted (e.g., parent/teacher
conferences, tutoring, study skills, behavior modification,
etc.) Another situation that would precipitate a referral
would be when parents and/or teachers observe major discrepancies
over time in academic performance (e.g., from day to day
or between subject areas). A more thorough evaluation is
also sometimes sought following an evaluation performed
by the school, which may not be specific enough to clarify
the relevant issues.
For
learning professionals (learning specialists,
educational therapists, teachers, school and vocational
rehabilitation counselors), I can provide psychoeducational
and/or neuropsychological testing that can help to identify
a client's or student's cognitive and emotional strengths
and challenge areas. I can also create specific recommendations
for:
•
Student IEPs
•
Classroom, workplace, and other environmental supports and
accommodations
• Strategies to enhance learning and performance in school
and at work.
NEUROPSYCHOLOGICAL
ASSESSMENT
A
neuropsychological evaluation is a comprehensive assessment
of cognitive and behavioral functions, such as attention,
language, and memory, using a set of standardized tests
and procedures. Sometimes an assessment of emotional, or
psychological, functioning is also needed. It includes a
clinical history, behavioral observations, and evaluation
in the following areas:
•
Intellectual Functioning
• Attention and concentration
• Memory and learning
• Problem solving and conceptualization
• Visual-spatial functions
• Language functions
• Sensory-perceptual functions
• Planning and organization
• Emotions, behavior, and personality
A
neuropsychological assessment should be considered when
cognitive and/or behavioral problems are exhibited, when
there is a history of known or suspected brain injury, there
is a history of genetic or neurodevelopmental disorders,
including autism or Asperger’s Syndrome, and in the context
of neurological problems such as stroke, dementia, tumors,
seizure disorder, etc. A neuropsychological evaluation for
attention and learning disorders typically provides for
more specific and in-depth assessment than the type of standard
psychoeducational evaluation performed by a school district.
A neuropsychological evaluation can more accurately assess,
and provide information about, the nature and degree of
an individual’s cognitive, behavioral, and emotional abilities
and disabilities.
The
outcome of a neuropsychological evaluation provides a wealth
of information about an individual’s functioning. An assessment
clarifies diagnosis, provides a profile of strengths and
weaknesses to guide rehabilitation, educational, or vocational
services, and includes specific recommendations for further
support and/or treatment.
For
physicians (including neurologists, pediatricians,
and primary care physicians), a neuropsychological evaluation
can:
• Provide standardized measurement of a client’s cognitive
functioning
• Provide differential diagnosis
• Measure cognitive decline and improvement
• Provide assessment of cognitive functioning both prior
to and following rehabilitation
• Evaluate treatment effectiveness over time.
PSYCHOLOGICAL
ASSESSMENT
Psychological
assessment explores an individual’s psychological issues,
identifying ways in which a person experiences emotion,
thoughts, relationships, coping methods, and overall psychological
functioning. Psychological testing is also an effective
means to identify psychiatric symptoms that may be interfering
with an individual’s quality of life. Through interviews,
questionnaires, and standardized tests, this evaluation
identifies psychiatric symptoms and diagnosis, psychological
coping, responsiveness to psychological interventions, and
personality style. It may be conducted on its own or as
a component of a psychoeducational or neuropsychological
evaluation. A psychological assessment may be indicated
in order to:
•
Identify and understand the causes of psychological problems,
such as depression, anxiety, social skills deficits, low
frustration tolerance, anger problems, impulse control,
mood instability, or poor coping skills
• Identify underlying behavioral and conduct problems
• Provide a clear psychiatric diagnosis in order to aid
treatment planning
• Determine eligibility for special education services and/or
residential services
• Provide information about response to medication and/or
other treatments.
For
mental health professionals (psychiatrists,
psychologists, social workers, marriage and family therapists,
and other mental health professionals), I can provide consultative
psychological testing that can provide assistance in better
understanding your clients’ diagnostic issues and assisting
with treatment planning. This type of testing can:
•
Identify areas of concern
• Improve your assessment of new clients
• Supplement intake interview with standardized assessments
• Differential diagnosis
• Help clients gain self-knowledge
• Increase client motivation and self-efficacy
• Evaluate treatment effectiveness over time
• Compare clients' performance in a variety of areas against
normative statistics
• Provide additional recommendations to supplement your
own professional advice.
ASSESSMENT
APPROACH
Working
with children and adults, ages 6 and above, I tailor each
assessment to my clients’ concerns. Starting with thorough
background questionnaires and interviews, I then use a core
set of procedures that are used to develop an initial profile
and reveal any areas that need further exploration. These
areas can next be explored to the extent necessary to get
a complete and detailed picture. This "flexible battery,"
process-based approach is comprehensive yet individualized
to each unique person. I conduct all testing myself and
follow up with a detailed report that includes a summary
of all previous evaluations, services, education, and treatment,
a detailed analysis of the evaluation results and conclusions,
and clear recommendations. My goals are to help clients
understand the nature of their challenges and to appreciate
and build on their strengths.
COGMED
Cogmed
Working Memory Training is a home-based program that helps
people with attention problems by training and increasing
their working memory capacity. Working memory is the ability
to keep information in your mind for a short time, focus
on a task, and remember what to do next. By training your
working memory, you will be better able to stay focused,
ignore distractions, plan next steps, remember instructions,
and start and finish tasks. Candidates for this type of
training are children and adults with attention deficits
or learning disorders, victims of brain injury or stroke,
adults experiencing information overload or the natural
effects of aging, and adults wishing to maximize their cognitive
efficacy.
The
Cogmed program includes an initial interview, a start-up
session, 5 weeks of training from home with weekly coaching
calls, a wrap-up meeting, 6-month follow-up interview, access
to the Cogmed training web, and the Cogmed extension program
(12 months). This program is appropriate for preschool children,
adolescents, adults, and the elderly.
You
may also wish to go to the Cogmed website to review published
and ongoing scientific research that supports the effectiveness
of this program at www.cogmed.com.
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