How can I prepare my child for psychoeducational testing?
Behind the test: 7 tips to prepare your child or teen for a psychoeducational evaluation
What is a psychoeducational evaluation?
The goal of a psychoeducational assessment (or commonly referred to as a psychoeducational evaluation) is to help create a blueprint for your child’s learning, academic, and socio-emotional strengths and weaknesses in order to enhance their ability to be successful. Psychoeducational assessments are utilized in schools to determine and monitor special education eligibility. In private practice settings, psychoeducational assessments are utilized to identify strengths and weaknesses, as well as to assess clinical psychopathology, learning, or other developmental needs. Assessments are also important to use to determine school enrollment, readiness, gifted eligibility, or special education eligibility. Think of psychoeducational assessment as a pediatrician’s physical or check-up, but for your child’s brain, mental health, and academic success.
Families may prefer private psychoeducational evaluations as they can be more comprehensive in nature and can assess your child’s cognitive/learning abilities, language, patterns of strengths and weaknesses, academic skills, processing and memory, executive functioning, and socio-emotional functioning, as well diagnostic clarity on any concerns. While schools do conduct thorough psychoeducational evaluations, they are for the primary purpose of determining eligibility for special education services or monitoring progress of children who receive special education. Therefore, private psychoeducational evaluations are not bound by the same eligibility purposes. Best part is, many private evaluators still work with your child’s school and you will have a psychologist or neuropsychologist there to walk you through tailored recommendations. For additional information on the school’s role with psychoeducational evaluations and how this differs from private evaluations, check out “What is the difference between an Individualized Education Program and a 504 Plan in school?”
How can I prepare my child for the psychoeducational evaluation process?
Avoid the surprise factor—share what you know.
In an effort to normalize the evaluation experience, share the facts about the appointment just as you would other appointments. You can avoid using the word “test” if it makes your child or teen feel more comfortable. Some students who come to us may have experienced anxiety, frustration, or difficulties in school and the word “test” can produce unanticipated stress. More importantly, be honest. You can avoid telling the child everything will be fun and they will play games, as you want them to have realistic expectations. While some students find activities game-like and to be fun, you don’t want your child anticipating a day full of the games they enjoy from home, just to be disappointed. The goal is to share the facts and the general idea that the evaluation is simply a way to determine more information about your child’s symptoms or how your child learns best.
Talk with the evaluator and ask about general expectations, information about the setting, and other details that will be helpful to share with your child. Children and adolescents benefit from simple facts that may reduce anticipatory anxiety about unknown factors. Consider talking about the time of the appointment, location, who they will meet, and what the experience may be like in developmentally appropriate terms.
Try this script and adjust it to the needs of your child or teen
On Wednesday, dad is going to drive you to see Dr. B from 9am to 12pm. She is a doctor who is trained in how students learn and with your help, she will teach you about your brain and ways to make learning easier. She may ask questions, have you complete puzzles, or other activities on an IPAD that you may find fun. Some questions may feel like a quiz you take in school, but it’s not the same as school because it doesn’t impact your grades and it’s meant to see how your brain thinks. It’s okay to be nervous to meet someone new. After the appointment, we will grab lunch and I will bring you back to school!
2.) Skip the preparation
Save your time and money by typing “IQ test prep” into a search engine or having your child engage in other activities you think will enhance scores. It simply does not help. While as parents, you always want your child to do their absolute best and achieve to their highest potential, in the long run this can do a disservice to your child or teen. Preparation with online exercises or non-evidence based tasks place additional pressures on your child, lead to fatigue, produce additional anxiety, and can be an inaccurate representation of their skills. We want the child to be themselves. If you were taking them to a medical appointment, you would want to make sure the doctor was able to accurately assess their health. It’s the same with a psychoeducational evaluation. Evaluations do not rely on a single test and a clinically trained professional uses a compilation of evidence-based tools to better learn about your child’s natural strengths and find ways to support their success with learning.
3.) Stick with regular routines
In general, stick with typical routines throughout the week. Continue with regular meals, school attendance, and participation in extracurriculars if this is part of their typical week. One important routine to focus on…sleep. Try and ensure your child gets a good nights sleep and avoids staying up late the night before the evaluation. To help, reduce caffeine intake or screen time the night before.
4.) Help promote energy for the 3-4 hour appointment
Make sure your child is well-fed and hydrated. Your child should eat a nutritious breakfast and be well hydrated prior to the appointment.
5.) Keep medication as regularly prescribed
Unless otherwise indicated by the evaluator or prescribing doctor, your child should take all prescribed medication as usual on the day of the appointment.
6.) Bring the essentials
Ask the evaluator if your child can bring a snack. It is recommend to bring water or a light snack to help your child sustain energy throughout the morning during breaks. Evaluators allow breaks throughout testing and many children benefit from breaks to help maintain focus and energy throughout the appointment.
Unless already provided to the evaluator, bring all necessary forms, previous evaluations, and IEP/504 plan information if applicable. These documents are a necessary part of the evaluation process and help the evaluator gather important information about your child, their development, and their functioning. When in doubt, bring any paperwork you feel would be helpful and the evaluator can let you know if they need a copy.
As a parent, you will be required to remain on-site for the duration of the appointment. Bring whatever necessary materials you need as well!
7.) Family self-care
Lastly, while as a parent you may feel nervous yourself, it is important to know that children and teens are resilient, adaptable, and will be completing tasks that likely feel familiar or easy to navigate with the evaluator’s support. In many ways it will feel like appointments you’ve been to with your child in the past or like some experiences in school. It is also normal to have expectations or nerves regarding outcomes.
While waiting for results may be stressful, take care of yourself and talk openly with the evaluator about expectations and timelines. Ensure you have opportunities to ask questions! After the evaluator has had time to process all data and information for the psychoeducational assessment, a feedback appointment will occur. During this appointment you will have the opportunity to thoroughly go through results, ask questions, and gather information about resources and recommendations.
For more information about psychoeducational evaluations or if you would like to book an appointment at Behind the Behavior Psychology, contact us today! Behind the Behavior Psychology also publishes weekly informational blogs about IEP and 504 plans, tips on looking behind behavior, and ways to support and advocate for your child’s mental and behavioral health!