Psychological Testing for Children and Teens
At Mindful Psychology and Wellness, LLC, child psychological testing is offered to children and adolescents between the ages of 6 through 16.
Children and teens who are struggling with academic work, social interactions, and emotion regulation have atypical neurological development that can be identified through psychological assessment.
Your child’s school, pediatrician, or mental health provider may refer you, but a professional referral is not necessary for testing.
Typical referrals for testing include the following problem areas:
Attention Deficit, Hyperactive Disorder (ADHD) learn more about ADHD testing
Autism spectrum disorders
Emotional difficulties/mood disorders
Early entry into Kindergarten
Disruptive behavior problems, such as: defiance toward a parent or other authority figure (such as a teacher); hostility or extreme anger toward a sibling or peer; extreme shyness or withdrawal from peers; avoidance of homework or other expected chores
Learning disabilities and learning/processing problems
Depression and anxiety
Giftedness testing
Psychological factors associated with medical conditions
Social problems
Failure to perform up to expected standards, such as consistently being unmotivated or unwilling to do work that is required
Areas to be assessed will include intellectual and academic functioning, attention and concentration, psychological status, and the child’s emotional adjustment.
Additionally, if any learning disabilities or psychological conditions or disorders are detected, these will be diagnosed.
Child psychological testing activities can include a variety of questions, puzzles, drawings, and stories as well as some school-like tasks like reading, writing and math.
Most children and teens find psychological assessment to be an interesting experience as well as a means of learning more about oneself.
The assessment process begins with a parent(s) interview that typically requires 60-90 minutes. Administration of the tests to the child can take anywhere from 2-10 hours, depending on a number of factors (child’s age, attention span, etc.). Generally, a full comprehensive psychological testing battery averages 8 hours of direct interaction. The testing may be completed in one day, but may be spread out on different days to attend to the needs of the individual. Once the tests are administered, they are scored and interpreted, which results in the preparation of a comprehensive written report. A feedback session is then scheduled with parents. During this session, the full written report is reviewed which includes identifying strengths and areas of challenge as well as recommendations for the child and family to incorporate for future success. These results may be shared with educators and other health providers upon written consent of the parent.
The cost of testing is determined by the total number of hours required by the psychologist to complete the full evaluation process from the initial meeting with parents, testing time with the child, to the results review session with parents. Many insurance companies do not cover psychological testing, and those who do will typically only reimburse a portion of the costs. It is your responsibility to contact your insurance company to determine benefits.
Ask the following, when you call your medical insurance carrier: