What is a psychoeducational assessment?
A psychoeducational assessment is a comprehensive evaluation that provides insight into how a student learns and processes information. It can also determine if an individual is experiencing any barriers to learning that may be impeding their academic success. The information gathered in a psychoeducational assessment can help understand an individual’s current level of functioning, as well as their potential level of functioning. Additionally, a psychoeducational assessment can determine an individual’s strengths and weaknesses across many areas of functioning so that strategies and accommodations individualized to the student can be implemented in the classroom.
What does a psychoeducational assessment entail?
A psychoeducational assessment consists of: clinical interviews, observations, a review of academic records, individualized testing with standardized assessment tools, as well as various questionnaires looking at different aspects of a student’s social, emotional, and behavioral functioning. Assessment measures are determined based on the presenting concerns and needs of the student. A psychoeducational may consist of testing in the following areas:
- Intelligence
- Memory and Learning
- Attention and Concentration
- Visual Perception and Motor Coordination
- Planning and Executive Functioning
- Listening Comprehension
- Reading: Decoding, Comprehension, and Fluency
- Writing
- Mathematics
- Behavior
- Emotional Status
- Social skills
- Adaptive Functioning
What happens once the assessment is complete?
Following the assessment, a detailed report is written and includes the following:
- Reason for referral
- Background information
- Test scores and results
- Summary and clinical impressions
- Recommendations
All of the information gathered in a psychoeducational assessment is considered important and relevant in understanding a student’s level of functioning. The data is carefully reviewed, analyzed, and clinical impressions are developed and presented in a way that are clear and make sense of a student’s presenting concerns. A detailed list of recommendations individually tailored to the student are also included in the report. The recommendations may consist of learning and behavioral strategies, classroom accommodations and curriculum modification, as well as suggestions for optimal functioning both at home and in the school environments.
A one hour debrief meeting is also scheduled at the conclusion of the assessment to review the findings, discuss the report, and answer any outstanding questions or concerns.
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