Psychological Assessment
Our Psychologists offer a range of evaluations for individuals of all ages. Specialties include autism, ADHD, and learning disabilities/differences. Psychological evaluations aim to help individuals and those involved with them understand how their brains work, both in terms of areas of strengths and needs. Psychological evaluations are often used to clarify diagnoses according to the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual for Mental Disorders, Fifth Edition (DSM-5) and provide recommendations to inform clients’ therapeutic and educational/vocational programming. A diagnosis may be necessary for applying for certain forms of financial assistance or requiring reasonable accommodations for school or employment under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA).
The assessment process begins with an initial/intake interview where we gather a detailed case history, including a review of past psychological or other evaluations or school records. During this interview, clients are welcome to involve another person who knows them well, such as a family member, close friend, partner/spouse, or caregiver. After a thorough understanding of clients’ background, presenting concerns, and referral questions, your Psychologist determines the specific measures to use and explains the evaluation plan to clients. We ensure that clients are comfortable and fully understand this testing plan, including the projected total hours needed to complete the evaluation and cost. At the completion of testing, clients meet for a feedback session where the results of the evaluation are presented along with treatment recommendations to best meet clients’ needs. We provide clients with a report of the findings, and talk with clients about ways they might use this report to advocate for services or accommodations in school, work, or the community.
Autism Diagnostic Evaluations
We specialize in the assessment of Autistic individuals across the lifespan with challenges such as anxiety, depression, and OCD. Dr. Szafran received specialized training in diagnostic and neuropsychological testing during his pre-doctoral internship at the Fay J. Lindner Center for Autism and Developmental Disabilities in Brookville, New York. He further completed roughly 20 autism evaluations per year during his employment with Counseling Connection’s Autism Clinic.
His approach to the autism assessment comes from a neurodiverse affirmative paradigm, which views autism not as a “problem” to be fixed, but rather a neurological difference to be celebrated and supported. Our Psychologists utilize assessment measures, such as the Monteiro Interview Guidelines for Diagnosing the Autism Spectrum, Second Edition (MIGAS-2), which capture the experience of being autistic rather than over focusing on “symptoms” or “problems.” This approach often feels empowering and validating to many Autistics who have felt misunderstood or shamed by professionals for who they are. Through knowing and learning from hundreds of Autistics, our Psychologists have become adapt at assessing autism characteristics among those who “mask” or “camouflage” in order to pass in a neurotypical world.
Our team also recognizes that many institutions still hold firm to the medical model that views autism as a “disorder.” As such, we incorporate tasks from what many consider “gold standard” autism measures, such as the Autism Diagnostic Observation Schedule, Second Edition (ADOS-2) and Autism Diagnostic Interview-Revised (ADI-R). This ensures that your evaluation can be used to access needed services and supports through school systems, ADA, SSI/SSDI, among others.
When indicated, a diagnostic assessment may also require a neuropsychological evaluation, which may provide a more thorough understanding of an individual's cognitive abilities and attentional and executive functioning to support informed treatment planning and recommendations.
Neuropsychological evaluations
Child depicted is not a client.
A neuropsych. evaluation examines the relationships between the brain and behavior. When children and adults participate in neuropsych. testing, both standardized tests and observation are used, and results are compared to what is expected relative to others at their age level. In conducting neuropsych. evaluations for children, our Psychologists collect data about the school and home environments through interviews with parents, as well as structured questionnaires for both parents and teachers.
These evaluations of children and adults will examine a wide range of factors that might be impacting skill development, including:
● Intelligence
● Academic skills
● Problem solving
● Attention and concentration
● Learning and memory
● Processing speed
● Visual spatial perception
● Adaptive behavior functioning (self-sufficiency in real-life situations)
● Personality
● Executive function skills
● Social skills
● Sensory perception
● Visual motor and fine motor skills