An individual who is having difficulties in school or with work-oriented tasks will likely have “PsychoEducational Testing” or “Neuropsychological Testing.”
Quality testing is NOT just filling out a scantron sheet questionnaire. We use only highly skilled testers with doctoral level qualifications.
Neuropsychological testing is the formal, systematic, assessment of the major areas of cognitive functioning (intellectual ability (IQ), attention (ADHD) memory, executive functioning, language, information processing, visual-motor integration, learning, (dyslexia, dsygraphia, dyscalculia) and behavior).
An Interactive Process
Testing is an interactive process where we engage the test taker in different tasks to understand how his or her brain learns and how he or she processes information.
- Each task provides us with more information about what the individual does well and why some things are more difficult.
- Testing tasks could be hands-on like working on a puzzle, language based such as naming pictures, problem-solving using critical thinking and planning, or timed tasks.
- Test takers may be asked to read aloud, remember spoken and visual information, and complete mathematical calculation and word problems. Each task helps us understand an individual’s personal strengths and weaknesses.
- Each “test” has many subcomponent levels which tap into different cognitive abilities and educational skills. We then integrate and interpret scores with behavioral observations to make meaningful conclusions.
- We do not have ‘cookie-cutter’ test batteries. At Mindwell, your psychologist will work with you to determine the best testing plan to answer your questions, make a diagnosis (if appropriate), and provide concrete recommendations. Each child has a unique assessment plan created around his or her needs.
At MindWell, all testing is done by the psychologist and not a technician or student.
- Having the psychologist administer the tests personally is critical so that we can observe how the individual solves problems and why he makes the errors he does.
- We believe that the psychologist’s skill in making observations is an essential part of understanding the test taker as a whole person.
- The psychologist’s expertise in administrating the tests and supporting the child is also imperative to making sure results represent the test taker’s true abilities.
- The psychologist’s skill is also fundamental to making testing a positive experience for children and teens. Understanding the person both quantitatively and qualitatively is key to determining an effective ‘action plan’ for every family.
At Mindwell, our psychologists identify or diagnose:
- Dyslexia and language-based learning disabilities
- Learning disabilities in writing and mathematics
- ADHD
- Giftedness
- Intellectual disability
- Developmental delays
- Emotional/behavioral issues (Anxiety, Depression, Mood Disorders, OCD)
- Autism spectrum disorders.
Contact us today to schedule a testing consultation with one of our testing experts.
At Mindwell, we take pride in offering evidence-based assessments using state of the art testing tools.
Tests often administered include:
- Intellectual Ability: WISC-V, Stanford Binet-5, WAIS-IV, WPPSI-IV, Comprehensive Test of NonVerbal Ability, Woodcock Johnson Tests of Cognitive Abilities – IV (WJ-Cog), Differential Abilities Scale (DAS)
- Autism Spectrum: Autism Diagnostic Observation Schedule (ADOS-2), Social Language Development Test (elementary and high school versions), NEPSY-II Theory of Mind, Social Responsiveness Scale II, Pervasive Developmental Delay Behavior Rating Inventory, GARS, ASDS, Test of Problem Solving
- Broad Tests of Achievement: WJ-IV, WIAT-III, KTEA-II, SATA
- Reading: Gray Oral Reading Test-5 (GORT-5); Test of Reading Comprehension (TORC-4), Nelson Denny Reading Test, Oral and Written Language Scales II (OWLS), Test of Word Reading Efficiency (TOWRE-2), Illinois Test of Psycholinguistic Ability – 3 (ITPA-3), Feifer Tests of Reading, Gary’s Silent Reading Test (GRST)
- Orthographic Short-term and Long-term decoding: Test of Orthographic Processing (TOC), Process Assessment of the Learner (PALS-2), Jordan Left-Right Reversal Test, OWLS II Reading
- Mathematics: PALS-II, WIAT III, WJ IV
- Phonological Processing: Comprehensive Test of Phonological Processing (CTOPP-2). PALS-2, Developmental Neuropsychological Assessment (NEPSY II), WJ-IV Tests of Oral Language, Test of Auditory Processing System – 4 (TAPS-4)
- Visual and Auditory Memory: Childrens Memory Scale (CMS), Wide Range Assessment of Memory and Learning (WRAMAL II), Wechsler Memory Scale (WMS), Rey Complex Figure Test, NEPSY II, WJ-Cog IV
- Attention: Tests of continuous performance to assess attention, impulsivity, and vigilance: CPT-3, TOVA-8, Conners Auditory Test, Kiddie Conners Performance Test (KCPT)
- Written Expression: Test of Written Language (TOWL-4), WIAT-III, PALS II, OWLS II Written Language, Test of Early Written Language – 4 (TEWL-4)
- Visual Motor Integration: Rey Complex Figure, VMI-6, NEPSY II, DEKFS
- Executive Functioning: Delis Kaplan Executive Functioning System, NEPSY, WJ-Cog, Rey Complex Figure, Behavior Rating Inventory of Executive Functioning, Conner’s Parent/Teacher Rating Scales
- Expressive and Receptive Language: Clinical Evaluation of Language Fundamentals (CELF-5), Oral and Written Language Scales-Expressive and Receptive Language, NEPSY-II, Mullen Scales of Early Learning
- Social Awareness and Skills: Social Language Development Test (elementary and high school versions), NEPSY-II, Social Responsiveness Scale II, Pervasive Developmental Delay Behavior Rating Inventory, GARS, ASDS, Test of Problem Solving
- Emotional and Behavioral Functioning: MMPI-II-RF, Millon Scales of Personality (MPACI, MACI, MCMI), Rorschach (Exner System), Behavior Assessment Scale for Children, Piers Harris, Achenbach Child Behavior Checklist, Behavior Rating Inventory of Executive Functioning, Thematic Apperception Test, Roberts Apperception Test, Childrens Apperception Test, Rotter Sentence Technique, Projective Drawings
NOTE: In-depth testing is needed to diagnose learning disabilities. If there are no academic or behavioral concerns, focused testing to diagnose ADHD can be done, although this form of testing is not extensive enough to be used to create educational recommendations or obtain accommodations for school/college or standardized testing.