Psychological Testing Services in Calabasas, CA

We provide comprehensive psychological and psychoeducational assessments for children, adolescents and adults utilizing neuropsychological tests

What Is A Comprehensive Evaluation?

Many times, individuals struggle at school, work, and/or home, but it isn't clear exactly why. A teacher may report that a child is struggling to pay attention, while the child may say they simply don't understand the material. In other cases, underlying anxiety, a learning disorder, executive functioning difficulties, or a combination of factors may be contributing.

If you are not sure where to begin, a comprehensive evaluation is often the best place to start.

We look at multiple areas of functioning using psychological and neuropsychological tests to better understand an individual's abilities, strengths, weaknesses, and areas of difficulty. The goal is to understand the full picture and create an individualized plan to help you or your child move forward.

Comprehensive evaluations are what MindWorks is best known for and what most of our families choose. Even when ADHD is suspected, for example, anxiety, learning disorders, and other concerns can sometimes look like or occur alongside ADHD. Looking at the whole person helps us better understand what is actually going on and provide recommendations tailored to the individual's needs.

What Do We Evaluate?

Cognitive Functioning: Do you or your child struggle with attention, staying on task, organization, time management, hyperactivity, or impulsivity? We evaluate attention and executive functioning skills to better understand these difficulties and what may be contributing to them.

Attention/Executive Functioning: Do you or your child struggle with attention, staying on task, organization, time management, hyperactivity, or impulsivity? We evaluate attention and executive functioning skills to better understand these difficulties and what may be contributing to them. Learn more about ADHD Testing.

Memory: How well do you or your child learn, retain, and recall information? We evaluate different aspects of memory, including working memory and the ability to learn and recall information over time.

Learning Disabilities:  Do you or your child struggle with reading, writing, or math? We evaluate academic skills and underlying processes to identify strengths and weaknesses and determine whether a learning disorder may be contributing to academic difficulties. Learn more about Learning Disorder testing.

Fine Motor & Visual-Motor Skills: Difficulties with handwriting and other fine-motor tasks can sometimes be related to visual-motor integration. We can screen these skills and refer to an occupational therapist for further evaluation when appropriate.

Language Skills: We can screen aspects of receptive and expressive language and language processing. When concerns are identified, we may recommend a more comprehensive evaluation with a speech-language pathologist.

Emotional & Behavioral Functioning: We screen for concerns such as anxiety, depression, behavioral difficulties, and other emotional factors that may be affecting functioning at school, work, home, or socially. Learn more about emotional testing.

Autism: If there are concerns about autism, comprehensive autism testing can be added to the evaluation when appropriate. Learn more about autism testing.

How Long Does Testing Take?

A comprehensive evaluation involves much more than the time spent in testing appointments. With your permission, we may gather information from parents, teachers, therapists, physicians, psychiatrists, and other providers. We also review relevant records and take time to score, analyze, and integrate all of the information gathered during the evaluation.

On average, a comprehensive evaluation includes approximately 5–6 hours of one-on-one testing, typically divided across 1–3 appointments. After testing is completed, you will receive a comprehensive written report explaining the findings and providing individualized recommendations.

A feedback appointment is generally scheduled approximately 2–3 weeks after testing is completed to discuss the results, recommendations, and next steps.

At MindWorks, we believe in comprehensive evaluations. We rarely assess only one area of functioning because difficulties in one area may be caused or influenced by challenges in another.

For example, a child may be referred because of attention difficulties, but testing may reveal that anxiety, a learning disorder, executive functioning weaknesses, or a combination of factors is contributing to what parents and teachers are seeing.

Looking at the full picture helps us identify underlying areas of difficulty and develop recommendations based on the individual's unique strengths and needs.

Gifted testing, autism, and kindergarten readiness evaluations are exceptions and may involve more focused testing.

What Is Included In Each Evaluation?

Initial Intake: After our initial consultation, a comprehensive intake will be conducted with the individual (and parent, if needed) to fully understand the individual’s needs. These initial series of questionnaires will help create the testing battery that will later be used for the series of one-on-one tests. Contact with doctors, teachers, schools, therapists and psychiatrists (with your permission) are also utilized to help understand the “full picture” of the patient.

Full Review: A full review of psychological, educational and past testing records is conducted.

Observations: A school observation may be conducted when appropriate.

One-on-One Tests: The individual will meet one-on-one with a psychologist in person. During the "testing" appointments, we use the testing battery created in intake to administer a variety of questions, puzzles, word games, pictures and drawings, and stories, as well as some school-like tasks, such as reading and math, to investigate how the student thinks and feels in different settings. Many of our sessions may range from one to four hours, with several short breaks, depending on the individual's energy level. Tests will examine one’s:

• General cognitive and mental strengths and weaknesses including a full IQ test.

• Academic skills in reading, writing, math, oral language and fine motor skills.

• ADHD concerns and full executive functioning skills.

• Memory skills.

• Emotional and behavioral concerns

• Autism/neurodevelopmental skills (if requested)

Evaluation and Interpretation: After the testing and evaluation is complete, Dr. Salanga will score, interpret, and integrate the information into a comprehensive written report. The report will include background information, test scores, psychologist interpretations, tailored recommendations to better help the individual, and referrals to any needed specialists.

Report and Feedback Discussion: After testing, evaluation, and reports are complete, Dr. Salanga will meet one-on-one with the individual and/or parent to discuss the report and answer any questions. This feedback may also be given to other professionals such as the teacher if desired, and many times Dr. Salanga will meet briefly with the child to go over their strengths and weaknesses as well. A copy of the full report will be given after the feedback appointment is complete.

What Makes Our Reports Helpful?

Deeper Look at Learning Differences: We go beyond simply identifying a learning disorder. When appropriate, we examine underlying processes that may help explain why reading, writing, math, or other areas are difficult. This allows us to provide more targeted recommendations and accommodations.

Looking at the Whole Person: Learning, attention, emotional functioning, and neurodevelopmental differences can overlap. We consider how these areas may interact rather than looking at each concern in isolation.

Practical Recommendations: Our reports include specific, individualized recommendations that can be useful for parents, educators, therapists, and other professionals.

Parent and Teacher Input: Parents and teachers often see different aspects of a child's functioning. We consider information across settings to better understand the child's strengths and needs.

A Strength-Based Approach: Evaluations identify areas of difficulty, but they also highlight strengths. We want individuals and families to leave the process with a better understanding of what they do well and how those strengths can be used to support areas of challenge.