Psycho-Educational
Evaluations
What is the Purpose of a
Psychoeducational Assessment?
Our psychoeducational evaluations are a comprehensive assessment of your child's cognitive, academic, and socio-emotional functioning. These assessments are designed to evaluate any academic or learning concerns for your child.
To determine if a psychoeducational evaluation at Oklahoma Children's may be appropriate for your child, please answer the following questions:
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Is your child achieving their fullest potential academically?
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Do you know what you should be expecting from your child academically?
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Is your child able to complete their homework without assistance from a teacher or you?
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Is your child able to complete their homework or academic tasks without needing extra time?
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If your child has already been diagnosed with a disorder (e.g., ADHD), are they succeeding in school with the current accommodations?
If you answered no or I don’t know to any of the questions 1-5, your child would likely benefit from having a psychoeducational evaluation.
If you are still unsure, please answer the additional questions about your child:
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Does your child struggle with reading, writing, or mathematics?
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Has your child received tutoring for at least 6 months and still not showing any progress?
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Does your child have informal academic accommodations in school (e.g., extra time on tests)?
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Do you notice your child has difficulty learning material or retaining information?
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Have you asked your child’s school for a Child Study, 504 Plan or IEP meeting and have been denied due to a lack of evidence of your child’s difficulties?
If you answered yes to any of the questions, your child would likely benefit from having a psychoeducational evaluation.
Psychoeducational Evaluation Process
Step 1: Clinical Interview
To determine an accurate diagnosis of learning disorder (e.g., dyslexia, mathematics, reading), the evaluation process begins with a Clinical Interview. The clinical interview is simply a conversation with a Licensed Psychologist at Oklahoma Children's to better understand the presenting problems and relevant history of the problems for your child or adolescent.
The Clinical Interview will cover a wide range of topics related to your child and family, including:
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Early developmental history and milestones
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Family history
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Current symptoms and concerns
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Educational history
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Medical history, including illnesses, injuries and hospitalizations
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Friends and social relationships
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Hobbies, interests, and extracurricular activities
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Strengths, talents, unique abilities and coping skills
Psychoeducational Evaluation Process
Step 2: Testing Session
The second session is the "Testing Session" where a Licensed Psychologist and assessment staff will conduct a comprehensive psychoeducational examination which includes:
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Evidence-Based Intelligence or Cognitive Testing
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Achievement Testing
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Caregiver-Report Assessments
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Other Empirically-Supported Subject-Specific Assessments
When evaluating learning disorder symptoms in your child or adolescent, staff at Oklahoma Children's utilize "gold standard" assessments to make objective ratings of your child’s behavior and determine whether the behavior pattern suggests a Specific Learning Disorder diagnosis.
The Testing Sessions are scheduled for 4 hours (a school absence excuse will be provided, if needed). For children/adolescents undergoing an evaluation, a multiple informant approach is used. That is, questionnaires are completed by parents/caregivers and teachers to provide additional information about your child and the presenting concerns.
Psychoeducational Evaluation Process
Step 3: Feedback Session
The last session is the "Feedback Session" which is typically scheduled one to two weeks after the Testing Session. Caregivers meet privately with their Licensed Psychologist who will provide you with a detailed report.
During the feedback session, the psychologist will:
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Review the results of each assessment
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Provide a specific diagnosis (or diagnoses)
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Give specific treatment and intervention recommendations
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Answer any questions you have about the evaluation results
Related Articles & Resources
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