ASSESSMENT SERVICES
Dr. Roberge provides diagnostic and psychoeducational assessment services for children and youth from 2 years and a half to 21. This usually involves an initial interview lasting 1 h to 1.5 hr with parents to clearly identify their concerns, the interventions attempted to date, and to obtain a thorough developmental history. By the end of this initial interview, Dr. Roberge should be able to indicate whether undertaking a complete psychological evaluation is necessary for your child and to outline the nature of the question we hope to address through the process. She will also explain the risks and benefits of undertaking such an evaluation.
PSYCHODIAGNOSTIC ASSESSMENT
Psychodiagnostic assessment aims to help diagnose and clarify concerns regarding behavior, mood, emotional, functioning,, cognitive processes and personality traits. Psychodiagnostic assessment involves clinical interviews, the administration of scientific, evidence-based questionnaires and clinical observations. This type of assessment is guided
by the diagnostic questions and will help differentiate among different possible diagnoses. In some cases, cognitive tests may also be appropriate.
Based on the findings, a comprehensive report is written to describe and explain the results, as well as provides recommendations for treatment and management of symptoms at home and in other contexts (e.g. school or work).
PSYCHOEDUCATIONAL ASSESSMENT
A psychoeducational assessment aims at having a fuller understanding of an individual’s development or functioning in various areas (e.g., cognitive, educational, social-emotional, behavioural,). An assessment among other things:
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Assesses with tests and questionnaires a wide range of skills including, thinking & reasoning (intellectual), language, memory and learning, attention, planning and organization, fine motor, academic and social-emotional.
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Highlights an individual's areas of strengths and weaknesses.
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Evaluates academic functioning (reading, writing, spelling, math).
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Provides useful information on how an individual is functioning academically compared to his/her potential.
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Identifies areas for academic support based on profile of strengths or weaknesses
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Assists in identifying factors that may be impacting an individual's learning and general functioning (e.g., social and/or emotional problems).
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May lead to a diagnosis that helps facilitate academic accommodations at the elementary, secondary, college or university level as well as academic funding or access to community resources and services.
Based on the findings, a comprehensive report is written to describe and explain the results, as well as provides recommendations for a better school functioning and to optimize learning.
AUTISM SPECTRUM DISORDER ASSESSMENT
Autism spectrum disorder is a diagnosis that describes individuals with difficulties in social communication and social interaction, as well as difficulties with restricted behavior, interests, and/or activities.
The ASD assessment usually involves :
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a clinical interview that focuses on developmental and behavioral features.
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questionnaires specifically targetting the symptoms of Autism given to the parents
and the teacher or childcare staff.
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assessing social, interaction and communication skills, repetitive and stereotyped
behaviours, as well as sensory interests or sensitivities during a formal diagnostic
assessment, namely the Autism Diagnostic Observation Schedule (ADOS-2).
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cognitive measures are also often used.
Based on the findings, a comprehensive report is written to describe and explain the results, as well as provides recommendations for treatment and management of symptoms at home and in other contexts (e.g. school).