Testing/Assessments/Evaluations

INFORMATION ON OUR COMPREHENSIVE EVALUATIONS

The decision to have your child evaluated is an important one. Thus, choosing a provider to complete this evaluation is an important one as well. At Samantha Carella, PsyD, ABPP and Associates we pride ourselves in keeping up-to-date with the latest available psychological tests and research. Our evaluations are very comprehensive and individualized and as a result, testing is not done in a rushed manner. We strongly believe that meeting the child over several occasions will give us a better understanding of their behavioral, emotional, academic and cognitive functioning.

There are a number of reasons parents and schools request an evaluation for a child. Our comprehensive evaluations will be helpful in answering questions regarding your child’s overall developmental profile and learning styles (including strengths and weaknesses), as well as emotional and behavioral functioning. Testing is done for many reasons. Common referral reasons are to provide diagnostic clarification regarding:

• Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD)
• Learning Disabilities (i.e., dyslexia, nonverbal, processing, etc.)
• Autism Spectrum Disorders (Autism, Asperger’s and PDD-NOS)
• Traumatic Brain Injuries
• Disruptive Behavior Problems (Oppositional Defiant Disorder, Conduct Disorder, etc.)
• Mood Disorders (Depression, Anxiety, Bipolar)
• Socials Skills/Functioning
• Study Skills, Organization and Executive Functioning
• Early Childhood and Developmental Concerns
• Reactions to Divorce, Traumatic Events, etc.

Upon completion of the testing, extensive time is spent interpreting the results and explaining them in a manner that is understandable to the reader, thereby providing practical and useful suggestions. Our evaluations are accepted in the public and private schools and can assist your child in receiving the necessary accommodations and services they may need to be successful. The written report will serve as a guideline for treatment to help your child succeed in school, as well as in relationships, but most of all, within themselves.

Our complete fee for a comprehensive Psychoeducational Evaluation is $ 2400.00. The fee for returning clients is $ 2100.00. At times, parents are unsure whether or not their child needs an evaluation. If you are unsure of this, an initial Parent Interview and History consultation can be set to gather history and assess whether or not an evaluation is needed. This fee of $ 250.00 would be applied to the testing fee if testing was recommended since the Parent Interview and History appointment is part of the evaluation process. Below is a breakdown and steps of what the evaluation entails.

Description	Approximate Time

Step 1.	Parent Interview and History - 1st Meeting	1 Hour
	This first meeting is a very important step in evaluation process. The evaluator will meet with the child’s parent(s) to obtain information about the child’s school, medical, and developmental history, and learn about any social, emotional, or behavioral concerns. This will provide a better understanding of the nature of the concerns and assist the evaluator in deciding which tests should be administered.

Step 2.	Testing Sessions - 2 to 4 meetings	6-8 Hours
	During the testing sessions, many areas will be measured depending on the referral reason, information gathered in the parent interview and age of the child – Below are the different areas that may be measured and time frame needed:
	Intellectual Testing	1 - 2 hours
	Academic Achievement	1 - 2 hours
	Visual Motor Integration and Graphomotor Function	.5 hour
	Information Processing Tests – These tests measure Memory Language, Attention, Auditory/Visual Processing, Executive Functions, etc.	1 - 3 hours
	Psychological and Emotional Testing – screener	1 hour
	Questionnaires and Behavior Rating Scales	1 hour
	Tests of Adaptive Behavior	.5 hour
	Assessment of Autism Spectrum Disorders (if appropriate)	1 - 2 hours
	School Observation*	1 hour
	Extensive/more in-depth emotional testing*	1 - 2 hours
	Neuropsychological testing*	2 - 4 hours
	(*Additional Services for an additional charge of $180.00 per hour)

Step 3.	Scoring, Interpretation and Written Report	5 Hours
	The questionnaires and tests are scored, analyzed and interpreted. Medical, psychological and school records are also reviewed. Findings from the testing, observations, and information gathered are all considered when the overall interpretations and conclusions are made. A written detailed report is completed.

Step 4.	Feedback Session with Parents/Caregivers	1 Hour
	An appointment will be made to review the results of the testing. During this meeting, a detailed written report is presented and reviewed with the family. The child's strengths and weaknesses are discussed, and intervention/treatment recommendations are provided to serve as a guide to help the child succeed academically, socially, emotionally, and behaviorally.

Following the Feedback session, some families request that we attend a school meeting to help explain the testing results to the child’s school and professionals that are working with the child. We often assist in developing educational plans and accessing services that your child needs. This is considered an additional service and is billed at $180 per hour.

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Below is a list of some of the tests we use in our office. If you have any additional questions before scheduling an appointment, please do not hesitate to contact the office.

List of Psychological Tests

Please note that tests are chosen based on the reason for the evaluation and your evaluator’s clinical judgment as to which tests will be most appropriate for an individual. In addition to the tests listed, other testing measures may be used.

Intellectual Testing (will include one)		1-2 Hours
	Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children – Forth Edition (WISC-IV) Wechsler Preschool and Primary Scales of Intelligence – Third Edition Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale – Third Edition Leiter International Performance Test-Revised Differential Abilities Scale- Second Edition

Academic Achievement (will include one or two if needed)		1-2 Hours
	Woodcock Johnson III, Tests of Achievement, Wechsler Individual Achievement Test, Second Edition Kaufman Survey of Early Academic Language Skills Nelson-Denny Reading Test Kaufman Survey of Early Academic Learning Gray Oral Reading Test (GORT)

Visual Motor Integration and Graphomotor Function (will include one or more of the following)		.5 Hour
	Developmental Test of Visual-Motor Integration, 5th Edition Developmental Test of Visual Perception Developmental Test of Motor Coordination Bender Visual-Motor Gestalt Test Benton Test of Visual Retention

Information Processing Tests – These tests measure Memory, Language, Attention, Auditory/Visual Processing, Executive Functions, etc. (may include one or more of the following)		1 - 3 Hours
	Woodcock-Johnson III, Tests of Cognitive Ability Peabody Picture Vocabulary Test, Third Edition Expressive One-Word Vocabulary Test Test of Problem Solving (Elementary and Adolescent versions)-Revised NEPSY: A Developmental Neuropsychological Assessment-Second Edition Token Test for Children Comprehensive Assessment of Spoken Language Wide Range Assessment of Memory and Learning – Second Edition Comprehensive Test of Phonological Processing (CTOPP) Boston Naming Test Wechsler Memory Scale Ravens Colored Progressive Matrices Children’s Color Trails Test Wepman’s Auditory Discrimination Test

Psychological and Emotional Testing* - screener (may include one or more of the following)		1 Hour
	Robert’s Apperception Test Children’s Apperception Test Thematic Apperception Test Millon Adolescent Clinical Inventory Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory-Adolescent House-Tree-Person and Kinetic Family Projective Drawings Revised Children’s Manifest Anxiety Scale Kovac’s Children’s Depression Inventory Rorschach Inkblot Technique Sentence Completion Test Harris-Goodenough Draw-A-Person Rating System Social Anxiety Scale Children’s Inventory of Anger Conduct Disorder Scale Trauma Symptom Checklist for Children Suicide Probability Scale *Additional charge if extensive emotional testing is requested

Questionnaires and Rating Scales (may include one or more of the following)		1 Hour
	Behavior Assessment System for Children (parent, self, and teacher forms) Behavior Rating Inventory of Executive Function (parent, self, and teacher forms) Social Skills Rating System (Parent, Teacher and Self-Report Form) Children’s Problem Checklist

Tests of Adaptive Behavior		.5 Hour
	Adaptive Behavior Inventory Vineland Adaptive Rating Scales-Second Edition Developmental Profile – II

Neuropsychological Tests (may include one or more of the following)		2 - 4 Hours
	Category Test Controlled Oral Word Association Test (COWAT) Finger Oscillation Test Grip Strength Test Grooved Pegboard Test NEPSY: A Developmental Neuropsychological Assessment-Second Edition Reitan-Indiana Aphasia Screening Test Reitan-Klove Lateral Dominance Exam Reitan-Klove Sensory Perceptual Exam Rey Osterrieth Complex Figure (ROCF) Seashore Rhythm Test Speech Sounds Perception Test Stroop Color and Word Test Tactual Performance Test (TPT) Trail Making Test (TMT) Wisconsin Card Sorting Test (WCST)

Other included information (may include)		1 - 2 Hours
	School Observation Review of School Records Review of Past Evaluations and Medical Records Telephone contact with teachers, professionals, other relevant individuals

Assessment of Autism Spectrum Disorders		1 - 2 Hours
	Autism Diagnostic Observation Schedule (ADOS) Autism Diagnostic Interview – Revised (ADI-R) Asperger Syndrome Diagnostic Scale Pervasive Developmental Disorder Behavior Inventory (PDDBI) Social Communication Questionnaire Social Responsiveness Scale