Assessment.

What is a neuropsychological assessment?

A neuropsychological assessment integrates the fields of psychology and neuroscience to provide a holistic understanding of why  a child may be struggling, how these challenges impact their academic, social, emotional, and/or behavioral functioning, and what research-based techniques are needed to support a child’s development and obtain the best possible outcomes at home, school, and in the community.

What’s the difference between a psychoeducational evaluation and a neuropsychological assessment? 

Psychoeducational evaluations conducted through the school are typically used to determine if a child is performing at grade level and if they are eligible for special education services. 

Neuropsychological assessments identify a child’s neurocognitive, academic, and social-emotional strengths and weaknesses, determine if these challenges are consistent with a specific etiology or diagnosis, and provide recommendations for how to best support the child across home, school, and community settings.

What are the primary domains assessed in a neuropsychological assessment?

Intellectual Functioning 

• Verbal Comprehension 

• Visual Spatial Reasoning

• Fluid Reasoning

• Processing Speed

• Working Memory

Academic Achievement (Reading, Writing, Math)

Receptive and Expressive Language 

Visual Motor Integration

Evaluations may be helpful in identifying neurocognitive or social emotional difficulties associated with:

• Dyslexia (reading disorder)

• Dysgraphia (writing disorder)

• Dyscalculia (math disorder)

• Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD)

• Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD)

• Language and Communication Disorders

• Giftedness

• Intellectual Disability

• Social or Behavioral Problems

Can you give me an example? How would you help my child who is struggling with reading?

A child may be struggling with reading for a variety of reasons, such as a reading disorder, a language disorder, or attentional disorder. A neuropsychological assessment gets to the bottom of these challenges by identifying the underlying subskills or neurocognitive processes involved.

For example, a child with a developmental reading disorder may struggle to understand letter-sound relationships, hold sounds in memory, and/or quickly retrieve letters and numbers. They may also present with co-occurring challenges, such as difficulties with handwriting, spelling, and math facts. Importantly, they may also display many strengths, such as their ability to remember narrative stories or visual information, which can be used to accommodate for their reading difficulties. The assessment aims to uncover a child’s unique pattern of strengths and weaknesses and provide a comprehensive “road map” for how to best help them at home, at school, and in the community.

Find about more about the process for neuropsychological assessments here.

Treatment.

Treatment modalities include:

• Cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT)

• Mindfulness-based therapy

• PEERS®Social Skills Program 

• Narrative therapy  

Common difficulties that are addressed in psychotherapy:

• Anxiety

• Depression

• Low Self-Esteem

• Social Difficulties

• Behavioral Difficulties

What is cognitive-behavioral therapy?

In cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT), the client learns about the connection between thinking patterns, emotional responses, and associated behaviors. While clients cannot always control the situations they encounter, they can control how they interpret and deal with situations or perceived stressors. The client and psychologist work collaboratively to identify, challenge, and change any unhelpful thinking patterns that might keep a client feeling “stuck” and reinforce feelings of stress. These unhelpful thinking patterns are called cognitive distortions or “thinking traps,” which lay the groundwork for emotional reactions and behaviors. For example, when a person is running late to a meeting due to traffic, they may think to themselves, “I’m always late” (i.e., “making generalizations”) or, “Everyone is going to be mad at me when I arrive late” (i.e., “predicting the future”). These thoughts contribute to feelings of worry, and the person may avoid the meeting altogether. In CBT, the client is provided with techniques, such as relaxation exercises, mindfulness techniques, and cognitive restructuring exercises to calm their mind, improve their mood, and overcome their fears. CBT is an evidence-based therapy (EBT) and has been proven effective in peer-reviewed scientific experiments. 

What is mindfulness-based therapy?

Mindfulness refers to cultivating awareness of the mind and body to live in the here and now. It is grounded in the belief that individuals have a natural tendency to try to extend or intensify pleasant experiences and minimize or stop unpleasant states. This desire to change, rather than accept an uncomfortable feeling or state, may promote feelings of distress. Mindfulness practices, such as meditation and breathing exercises, can be incorporated into cognitive therapy to facilitate a client’s ability to cope with unwanted feelings or negative thought patterns that take hold. Repeated practice of mindfulness techniques is associated with several benefits, such as reduced anxiety and increased attention.

What is the PEERS® program?

The Program for the Education and Enrichment of Relational Skills (PEERS®) was developed by Dr. Elizabeth Laugeson at the UCLA PEERS Clinic. It is an evidence-based social skills program for adolescents, teens, and young adults with autism spectrum disorder (ASD), attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), anxiety, depression, and other social-emotional difficulties. This program incorporates explicit teaching of a variety of skills, such as how to develop and maintain friendships, start or exit conservations, and handle disagreements.

What is narrative therapy?

Narrative Therapy focuses on the stories people create to make sense of themselves and the world around them. These stories reflect meanings that a person ascribes to life experiences, meanings that are heavily influenced by social and cultural contexts. When events that have a relatively negative, “problem,” focus is strung together, this is considered a “problem-saturated,” a storyline that exemplifies ways of being in the world that is incongruent with a person’s values or “preferred identity.” Once cornered into a “problem-saturated” storyline, individuals may start to internalize these problems as being valid representations of their identity. The client learns techniques to go against this “problem-saturated” storyline, have control over how they react to and cope with stressors, and ultimately develop a positive self-image that is in line with their preferred way of being in the world.