All of the evaluations that I conduct are through
the Austin Psychological Assessment Center (or ApaCenter).
You can visit our website at www.ApaCenter.com.
The ApaCenter is comprised of Licensed Psychologists
who possess different but overlapping areas of expertise.The
ApaCenter focuses solely on assessments of children,
adolescents, and adults. Several of us are also Licensed
Specialists in School Psychology and have experience
working within schools and with special education
staff. So, we are able to tailor evaluations to meet
the specific needs of schools when eligibility for
special education and/or 504 services is in question.
Thus, no matter what your concerns are (e.g., dyslexia,
ADD / ADHD, learning disabilities, bipolar disorder,
chemical abuse/dependency, Asperger's Syndrome, clients
interested in 504 services at the college level),
there is an ApaCenter psychologist with the right
knowledge and skills to conduct a top-notch evaluation.
Although all ApaCenter psychologists do therapy as
well, our therapy is conducted completely independent
of the ApaCenter. The ApaCenter is at the same physical
office location as my therapy practice.
Unless otherwise
noted, all ApaCenter assessments will include the
following:
- Review of developmental, medical, behavioral and
family history
- A clinical interview
- Review of report cards, teacher information, results
of school administered standardized tests (for students),
and results of other psychological evaluations
- Individual testing in areas such as cognitive
abilities, memory, attention, academic and language
skills, and emotional/behavioral functioning
- A comprehensive report that includes answers to
your specific questions, identification of strengths
and weaknesses, diagnoses, educational/vocational
implications, and recommendations
- A one hour feedback session with the Licensed
Psychologist who conducted the assessment
The ApaCenter offers
the following assessments:
Asperger’s
Syndrome and High Functioning Autism (HFA) Assessments
Although there is no single standardized test
that can diagnose an autism spectrum disorder, a number
of autism rating scales and structured interviews
now exist that are helpful in determining the likelihood
of such disorders. While assessments look for the
main characteristics of an autism spectrum disorder
(social impairment, communication difficulties, reliance
on repetitive routines/ narrowness of interests),
a comprehensive evaluation will assess the following
areas of functioning through a combination of individualized
standardized testing, self-report measures, behavioral
checklists, interviews, and observations:
- Developmental and medical history
- Cognitive abilities and academic achievement
- Social competence and social perception
- Emotional and behavioral functioning
- Communication and language skills
- Perceptual-motor/visual-spatial ability
- Assessment of attention and memory as indicated
The ApaCenter may also recommend a full medical evaluation
to rule out other medical conditions that may be causing
symptoms (e.g., hearing loss). Diagnosis of an autism
spectrum disorder takes particular care, because it
often appears very different among individuals, and
symptoms often change with development. More often
than not, clients with Asperger’s or HFA also
experience other related difficulties such as ADD/ADHD,
depression, and learning disabilities that confound
diagnosis. In addition, many times individuals who
have characteristics that fit an Asperger’s
profile are actually experiencing other difficulties.
For example, it is sometimes challenging to distinguish
Asperger’s Syndrome from symptoms experienced
by a shy, depressed child who is verbally gifted.
Symptoms common to autism spectrum disorders also
need to be distinguished from symptoms that result
from trauma. For this reason, the consideration of
current life stressors is extremely important for
a reliable diagnosis. Finally, an awareness and sensitivity
to cultural factors that may confound accurate diagnosis
is essential (e.g., the norms for respectful eye contact
and communication vary from culture to culture).
Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity
Disorder (ADD/ADHD) Assessments
When determining whether a person meets diagnostic
criteria for ADHD (often called ADD), it is important
to keep in mind that this is a clinical diagnosis, and
there is no definitive test that can determine whether
a person has ADD/ADHD. Also, many different problems
and conditions can have a negative impact on attention
that need to be ruled out in evaluations of ADD/ADHD.
For example, depression, anxiety, stress, sleep deprivation,
memory problems, and slow processing speed can all have
a negative impact on attention and might look like ADD/ADHD.
So, a determination of whether ADD/ADHD is the appropriate
diagnosis is actually rather tricky. A proper diagnosis
leads to more effective treatment recommendations.
ApaCenter evaluations
for ADD/ADHD typically include the following:
- Comprehensive review of the client’s history
and a client interview
- Behavioral checklists and self-report measures
- Testing in the areas of cognitive abilities, academic
skills, and auditory processing
- Computerized tests of attention
- Comprehensive emotional evaluation (in some cases)
Dyslexia
Assessments
The ApaCenter's assessments for dyslexia are based on
the recommendations by the International Dyslexia Association
and renowned dyslexia expert, Sally Shaywitz, M.D. In
addition to gathering background information that we
use for a dyslexia evaluation, our individualized testing
using standardized measures includes:
- Cognitive abilities and processing (including
auditory processing, visual processing, visual motor
integration)
- General academic achievement in reading, writing,
and math
- Specific evaluation of reading and writing skills
including:
- Phonological processing
- Rapid automatized naming
- Single word decoding of both real and nonsense
words
- Oral and silent reading in context to evaluate
rate, fluency, comprehension, and accuracy
- Reading comprehension
- Dictated spelling test
- Written expression
- Tests of specific oral language skills
- Evaluation in other areas as indicated, such as
attention, memory, and emotional functioning
Independent Educational Evaluations
If your son or daughter receives an evaluation by
his/her school to determine eligibility for special
education services, and you disagree with the results,
you can request an independent educational evaluation
for which the school might pay. You also have the
right to request who conducts the evaluation. The
ApaCenter has several Licensed Psychologists who are
also Licensed Specialists in School Psychology. So,
we are able to conduct evaluations that will meet
your needs as well as the school's standards for acceptability.
The psychologists at the ApaCenter know how to advocate
for parent and student rights and interests and can
communicate with schools in an effective manner.
Learning
Disabilities Assessments
Sometimes referred to as psychoeducational evaluations,
these assessments typically consist of a review of
the client's history, interviews, cognitive testing,
and assessments of academic skills. Such evaluations
might be used to:
- Provide academic/career direction based on an
individual’s profile of strengths and weaknesses
- Establish whether a learning disability in a
particular area (e.g., written expression) is present
that might merit special education or 504 services
- Determine whether there is a disability present
that might merit accommodations such as extended
time, preferential seating, and note taking assistance.
Personality
and Psychological Assessments
Sadness, anxiety, lack of focus, irritability, and
impulsive behavior may be related to many different
causes. A thorough evaluation of personality features
and current emotional and behavior concerns can provide
clarity and options as you search for solutions. These
assessments include screening of intellectual and
academic abilities, plus standardized questionnaires
and tests to clarify diagnoses and personality features.
Some of the test procedures used in assessments of
individuals experiencing emotional/behavioral challenges
include interviews, behavior checklists, self-report
measures of personality and behavior, and projective
tests (e.g., drawings, sentence completion, story
telling, inkblot). Procedures for very young children
may also include play-based techniques. Assessment
reports include recommendations for resolving troublesome
symptoms, for building on strengths, and for developing
new strategies to manage personal challenges. These
assessments can also be used to determine whether
the individual has an emotional disability that merits
504 services and accommodations at primary, secondary,
and college levels.
Substance
Use Assessments
Substance use and abuse is often related to many factors,
including a person’s home, school, and work
environments, personality style, impulse control,
and emotional concerns such as depression and anxiety.
Through an in-depth clinical interview and personality
assessment, the ApaCenter provides an assessment that
describes the severity of a person’s substance
use, the factors that contribute to that individual’s
substance use, and strategies for breaking the cycle
of substance use and abuse.
TCLEOSE Evaluations
- L-3 Declaration of Psychological and Emotional Health
These evaluations are used by law enforcement and
related agencies to ensure that applicants meet standards
for emotional health/well-being. The total time for
these assessments is approximately 2-3 hours. Initially
you will be asked to complete some questionnaires
and provide some background information followed by
a brief interview (30-45 minutes). At the end of this
time, you will immediately be provided with results
of the evaluation and completion of the L-3 form if
appropriate.
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