Assessment Services

Effective treatment is dependent upon having a thorough understanding of what the problem is, what is causing it, and the prognosis. At APC, we conduct thorough assessments that include clinical interviews as well as the latest psychological tests and equipment to assure you an accurate diagnosis.

For example, our ADHD test battery is one of the most comprehensive, high-tech batteries available. In addition to objective tests, APC psychologists use parent and teacher ratings, a clinical history and examination, and direct observations to arrive at a final diagnosis.

A thorough assessment is essential because we want to do everything possible to help our clients succeed. Few children struggle in school because they want to be bad or fail. In the vast majority of cases, behavior and academic problems can be traced to ADHD, learning disabilities, emotional problems, or socialization difficulties. In these days of managed care, there is pressure to skimp on evaluation and begin treatment based on a superficial assessment (e.g., single interview). However, there are several problems with this approach: Many disorders have similar symptoms, such as ADHD vs. Learning Disorders vs. Adjustment Disorders. So, it is easy to make the wrong diagnosis with limited information. Additionally, there is frequently more than one issue contributing to the presenting problem. This is very common with LD and ADHD. A complete diagnostic work up may cost a little more initially, but the benefits are invaluable long-term.

Knowledge is the key to unlocking your child’s potential and opening doors to success. To get your child started down the road to a rewarding life, you need to know answers to questions about his or her intellectual abilities, learning style, career interests, personality type, and if there are any problems that might block success. Psychoeducational testing gives you answers to these questions and serves as your map with your child to provide the best that his or her life has to offer. APA provides three phase of psychoeducational evaluation:

Phase I: Identification—”What is the Problem?”
Phase II: Evaluation—”What is Causing the Problem?”
Phase III: Solution—”How to Solve the Problem?”

Some of the reasons to test include:

• ADHD
• Learning Disabilities
• Intelligence
• Cognitive Abilities
• Academic Abilities
• Learning Style
• Emotional Problems
• Personality
• Vocational Interests
• Private School Admissions
• College Special Needs Programs