Developmental vs. Psycho-educational Assessments
Here are some tips on how Developmental and Psycho-educational Assessments differ
It can be difficult for parents to know which assessment is right for their child as many assessments can appear to yield similar results. To help you understand our assessments, we have some comparisons to show you the differences between our two major types of assessments. We hope this will help you choose an assessment that best suits your child’s needs.
What do the two assessments have in common?
Developmental & Psycho-educational Assessments both help guide intervention and therapy.
How do the two assessments differ?
At what age can a child have an assessment?
Developmental: 0 to 6 years
Psycho-educational: 2.5 -16 years (can be as young as 12 months for pre- diagnostic monitoring)
What is the Purpose of the assessment?
Developmental:
- Determine developmental stage
- Set developmental goals
- Monitor developmental progress
Psycho-educational:
- (Re-) Diagnose developmental, learning or other special needs
- Guide school placement
- Monitor learning, social, behavioural progress
What can I expect as possible outcomes from the assessment?
Developmental: Range of developmental functioning levels
Psycho-educational: IQ or other standardised scores
Who assesses my child?
Developmental: Speech & Language Therapist and Occupational Therapist
Psycho-educational: Psychologist
What areas are assessed?
Developmental:
- Developmental levels in the following areas
- Gross Motor
- Fine Motor
- Pre-Writing
- Cognitive
- Language
- Self-Help
- Personal-Social
Psycho-educational:
- Learning styles, patterns and developmental profile
- Cognitive Functioning – indicates learning potential (verbal & nonverbal intellectual functioning) expressed in IQ scores
- (Pre-)Academic Knowledge and Functioning – regarding colours, numbers/math, letters/reading/writing, shapes and concepts
- Adaptive Functioning – applied skills regarding communication; daily living; socialisation; and motor skills
- Social Responsiveness – existence and degree of social functioning, social awareness, social information processing, reciprocal social communication, anxiety/avoidance
- Behaviour Patterns – existence of any behaviour patterns in the normal/ borderline/clinical ranges
What assessment tools are used?
Developmental: One comprehensive test measuring all developmental areas.
Psycho-educational: One test for each of assessment area. Test selection is guided by reason for assessment and psychologist’s choice. Other diagnostic tools related to other concerns, e.g. specific learning or attention issues might also be used.