You’ve decided to pursue a psychoeducational evaluation for your child! Congratulations on getting to this point! It can be a difficult and long process to make it here. We’re glad you made it! Talking with your child about completing an evaluation and what they can expect can be a helpful next step.
Why
A great starting place when explaining to your child that they will be completing an evaluation is answering “why”. The purpose of an evaluation is to learn more about your child and their brain: how they learn, what things come easy for them and what things are more of a challenge. This is important to know because it helps your child know more about themselves (and knowledge is power). It also helps you and your child’s teacher know more too!
It can be helpful to start with an observation that you or your child’s teacher has made. For example, if your student has been having a tough time learning trick words (e.g., words that cannot be sounded out and are often recognized by how they look), you could start by saying: Your teacher has shared that it has been harder for you to learn trick words. Your teacher is not sure why this is happening and wants to learn more about your brain and how it works. Learning this will give your teacher a better idea of what will help you and what you need for trick words to make more sense to you.
If your child is feeling reluctant, that’s totally normal! Sometimes talking with your child about what they have been noticing can help. Children often recognize that something is different about how they are learning or doing things, but might not know exactly how to describe it. Asking them about what they have been noticing is also a great way to get a sense of how they experience and thus describe what is happening. For example, an adult might say, “I have a hard time paying attention in work meetings and notice myself struggling to get started on work that needs to be done”. A child, instead, might say, “My teacher is unfair. They are always telling me things I already know”. By using your child’s own language, you can help explain to them that an evaluation will help everyone understand why that is happening.
Describe what to expect
The unknown can be scary for anyone, so describing what will happen in as much detail as you know can work wonders on easing fears. If you don’t know the answer, let your child know. You could write down the question and ask the evaluator when you meet in person on the day of testing or you may have the ability to email them beforehand. Most evaluations include a mix of testing, interview, and questions to answer (like rating scales), none of which should be threatening. Testing often includes face-to-face activities, like picture puzzles or word puzzles. The interview is usually about how things tend to go for your student in general (at home and school), things that they enjoy or come easy for them, as well as things that are harder. You could say:
“You’ll get to play some word puzzles and picture puzzles. There will be activities like puzzles and remembering activities. You will get to complete school activities like reading, writing, and math. It’s not like a test at school where you get a grade. These puzzles help us know more about how you learn and what your brain might need”.
I often explain to students and parents alike that we’ll get to do a lot of different things: word puzzles, picture puzzles, and remembering games. Some of the things we’ll do will probably be brand new, while other things (like reading, writing, and math) will be similar to things you get to do at school. While we’re meeting, we can take a break whenever you need one. On a break, we can go for a walk, have a snack, or chit-chat. Please let me know what questions you have about what we’re doing. Most of the time, we get to practice before you do something new. We don’t have a way to look into your brain and see what it is good at and what is trickier. So, we get to spend this time together to learn more about what comes easy for your brain and what is harder right now. Dr. Liz Angoff calls these areas of strength highways and areas of difference roads that are still under construction. She also has links on her website about how to prepare your child for testing.
Read on to learn more about what is included within a psychoeducational evaluation.
Preview
Hesitant kids (and adults) can benefit from seeing what things will be like before they happen. This might include seeing the building or the waiting room before the day of the evaluation. Or seeing a picture of the person they will be spending 4-5 hours with. At Monarch, your child can see a picture of our waiting room and psychologists and intake coordinator.
What if my child does not want to complete a psychoeducational evaluation?
Some children are hesitant and unsure about testing. If you have explained the above information to your child and they are still actively or passively refusing to participate, let them know it’s not mandatory. While most children can feel uneasy about spending 4-5 hours with a person that they just met, other children are unable to participate in the evaluation process. When this is the case, it is often helpful to not move forward with an evaluation for a couple of reasons. Firstly, if your child is refusing to participate, it is likely that the tests they complete will not provide a good picture of their true abilities, which is not helpful in answering anyone’s questions or finding out how their brain works. Trying to force a child to complete an evaluation when they are refusing can also make it difficult for them to be open to an evaluation in the future.
Instead, let your child know that a lot of students are hesitant and think an evaluation will be a “waste of time” (or whatever words they are using). In the end, it’s their choice. Oftentimes, this can help a child feel empowered and help them feel more open to an evaluation.
Talking to your child about a psychoeducational evaluation can feel daunting. With clear and supportive information and an openness to answer their questions, you can help your child understand the process of an evaluation and reduce any anxieties they may have. With your reassurance and support, your child will feel more confident and prepared for the evaluation process.
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