My youngest daughter will undergo a psychoeducational evaluation beginning at the end of this month. Her testers, a listensed clinical psychologist with a PhD and an educational diagnostician with an medication, will conduct the assessment over several sessions. They will meet with us (parents) for a 1-hour intake appointment, the psycholgist will test our daughter for 3 hours on one day and 1.5 hours on a second day, the educational diagnostician will test her fon a third day for 3 hours, and then both testers will provide us with feedback for 1 hour.
The evaluators provided us with information about the testing from which I will quote:
"The testing is divided into three sections.
Cognitive Testing. These tests are designed to help us understand how an individual takes in information, uses that information and is able to carry out work in an efficient and effective manner. Among other things, these tests are useful for examining memory functions, verbal and non-verbal abstract reasoning, general knowledge, vocabulary skills, expressive language ability the abiliyt to analyze visually presented information, planning and organizational skills and rates at which the individual can work effectively. Aspects of motor development, grapho-motor functioning and attentional processes are also examined using these tests.
Social-Emotional Assessment. A variety of different instruments are useful in helping to understand a youngster's personality. These instruments can help determine whether and to what extent a youngster is suffering from depression or anxiety. They can help to gain a fuller understanding of areas of strength and potential areas of psychological vulnerability.
Educational and Academic Assessment. This portion of the evaluation uses a variety of objective instruments to develop a profile of a child's cognitive and academic strengths and vulnerabilities. Educational and academic tests, in conjunction with cognitive tests, help to determine the presence, nature and scope of specific learning disabilities. These tests provide an objective and independent means of determining a youngster's grade level in a number of different subject areas."
To my knowledge, each psychoeducational evaluation is tailored to the individual child so the evaluator chooses which specific tests to use to explore the scope of these psychological and educational areas.
I would be very concerned if the end result of your evaluation is a diagnosis of ODD. ODD is rarely a stand-alone diagnosis. It should be thought of as a symptom of underlying disorder rather than a diagnosis unto itself. When the underlying disorder is identified and treated, the ODD behaviors generally subside. Typically, psychoeducational evaluations yield dxes of ADHD, anxiety, depression, learning disabilities, Autistic Spectrum Disorders, etc.
Did your evaluator ask you to fill out a history or any questionnaires prior to your first visit?