Straight Talk about Psychological Testing for Kids

by Ellen B. Braaten, Gretchen Felopulos

This authoritative guide gives parents the inside scoop on how psychological testing works and how to use testing to get the best help for their child. Two Harvard experts spell out the entire process of testing for dyslexia, ADHD, math and reading disorders, Asperger syndrome, depression, anxiety, and other common childhood problems. Parents learn what different tests actually measure and how to "crack the code" of jargon-filled reports, numerical scores, and educational recommendations. Also discussed are key qualifications to look for in evaluators, what kinds of testing schools are required to provide, and when to consider paying for private testing instead. Comprehensive and accessible, the book includes tips on making testing less stressful for children and loads of resources, FAQs, and examples.

260 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2003

Reviews

[Valarie · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book mostly covered testing for learning disabilities in the school system, with only a brief section on actual psychological tests that may be ordered. Based on the title, I would expect most parents are picking it up not because they are concerned about dyslexia, but because they are seeing warning signs of depression or bipolar disorder.

[Sally Martin · Rating 4 out of 5]

Excellent book with tons of useful information. Wish I had known about this a year ago. It's a great summary of information that I had to dredge up from a variety of places. Was still very helpful as I was reviewing DD school evaluation from last year.