Psychological Testing Services

Cognitive: IQ and/or achievement testing to determine the strengths and weaknesses of a person's thinking in eleven domains, including general awareness, attention, memory, verbal comprehension, visual-spatial ability, computation, abstract thought, impulsivity, problem solving, social comprehension, and judgment. Obtain level of academic functioning and compare results to national norms. Rule out learning disabilities, ADD/ADHD, or nonverbal learning disability. Rule out thought disorders and screen for organic impairment.

Emotional: Assess emotional functioning and assess for depression, anxiety, deficits in identity formation, obsessive/compulsive disorders, and sleep disorders. Assess personality functioning. Obtain data regarding developmental and emotional age. Obtain data regarding family dynamics. Evaluate who the child is and identify possible causes for presenting behaviors.

Behavioral: Screen for substance abuse. Screen for trauma and abuse. Screen for risk of self-harm, aggression, and treatment compliance or flight. Detect malingering and deceit. Screen for behaviors that are high-risk, illegal, or violate the rights of others or major social values.

The following is a summary of the tests most frequently administered at Psychological Testing Services. Various combinations of these tests are given in order to obtain the most accurate and helpful information possible about a particular student. Psychological evaluations include clinical interviews, a write-up of test results, and consultation with parents and (when requested) with possible aftercare placements. Many boarding schools and residential treatment centers request test results to ensure that they are accepting students who are most compatible with their program structure. Testing is often an important component of treatment and aftercare planning.