Psychological Testing For
Kids & Teens
Mind Works in Texas offers psychological testing for kids and teens between the ages of 5 and 17. This comprehensive process helps families obtain a diagnosis, receive targeted support services, and better understand their child’s needs.
Psychological Testing in Texas, for Kids and Teens
Mind Works in Texas provides specialized psychological testing for children and teens aged 5 to 17, addressing developmental, educational, and psychological concerns. Our dedicated team of psychologists and psychometricians conducts thorough assessments to deliver accurate diagnoses and tailored treatment recommendations. By evaluating mental health, cognitive abilities, and behavioral functioning, we offer insights that support individualized care plans and educational accommodations, ensuring your child receives the best possible support for their growth and well-being.
What Sets Mind Works Apart?
Specialized Pediatric & Adolescent Expertise
Our team is specially trained and qualified to treat mental and behavioral health concerns in children and teens, from ages 3 to 17. Every provider is trained by our registered play therapist supervisor.
Evidence-Based Therapies for Bipolar Disorder
Our team uses a range of evidence-based therapeutic techniques, including cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT), dialectical behavior therapy (DBT), eye movement desensitization and reprocessing (EMDR), and solutions-focused therapy.
Collaborative Care Across Therapy, Assessments & Medication Management
Our integrated team comes together to provide the absolute best care for your child, sharing key information and working cooperatively to establish a comprehensive treatment plan.
Strategic, Session-Based Treatment Planning
Our team is dedicated to helping children and teens develop individualized treatment plans that evolve based on session-based goals. This approach ensures tailored care that adapts to each child’s progress.
Family Partnership & Parent Education
We partner with families by offering educational resources and workshops that empower parents to support their child’s wellness journey.
Consistency, Continuity & High-Quality Clinical Oversight
Our commitment to clinical oversight guarantees consistent, high-quality care through regular supervision and ongoing staff training, leading to optimal outcomes for our clients.
1. Homework & Discovery
At the start of the assessment, we’ll gather essential information to better understand your child’s history and your concerns as a parent. First, we identify all the important stakeholders – such as the patient, parents, significant other, healthcare providers, referral consultant, and any other professionals that may have insight. You and your child will be provided with a parent questionnaire to fill out prior to the interview, and parents or caregivers can submit their own narrative or timeline.
2. Testing
Our tests are not one-size-fits all. Providers pick and choose a specific set of assessments and tests depending on your child’s needs and areas of concern. These commonly include cognitive tests, such as IQ and achievement tests, aimed to determine the strengths and weaknesses of a child’s thinking. We may also use emotional, behavioral, and executive functioning tests, testing for common mental health disorders, risky behaviors, thought disorders, and a range of issues revolving around memory, self-regulation, and problem-solving.
3. Analyze & Plan of Action
Once testing is complete, the psychometrist and psychologist will begin the process of scoring test data and analyzing all historical and interview information to understand your child and provide a summary of all findings and diagnoses. This report is written from a developmental perspective and will provide a psychosocial history, as well as a review of all relevant history that may be influencing learning, personality, and change.
4. Recommendations
As part of the written report, our team will provide a recommendations section that is customized and tailored to the immediate and long-term needs of your child. These recommendations can address a wide range of solutions, including therapy, specific interventions, academic accommodations, social development training, substance abuse treatment, executive function skill building, vocational development, medication, or medical referrals for neurology, occupational therapy, or speech therapy.
5. Execute Plan
Once our report is finalized and ready for presentation, we’ll set up a face-to-face meeting or video teleconference call with all available stakeholders to provide our feedback regarding testing and recommendations. If you have already agreed to therapy prior to testing, your child’s therapist will be invited to this call as well. Together, we’ll collaborate on a plan of action and promptly guide you toward the next action steps, whether that’s beginning therapy, providing referrals, prescribing medication, or other interventions.
Begin Your Child’s Success Story
Ready to get started or have more questions for our team before moving forward? Give us a call or fill out a simple form online to start the journey toward your child’s thriving future.
How Psychological Testing Supports Your Child’s Care
While you may already have a good idea of some of your child’s areas of weakness or noticed symptoms that point to common behavioral, emotional, or developmental disabilities, testing can help confirm your concerns or identify new factors to consider.
Clarifying Treatment and Therapy Needs
Psychological testing can help meet your child’s mental health and developmental needs by providing:
- Treatment recommendations
- Accurate diagnosis
- Progress monitoring
- Early intervention access
Together, this creates an accurate and specialized therapeutic plan designed specifically for your child.
Supporting Your Child’s Well-Being and Daily Life
Mental health care is not the only aspect of treatment at Mind Works. We are also dedicated to improving your child’s well-being and daily life through various support services. This can include accommodation plans and personalized learning opportunities for children in school. Testing helps parents as well, not just children, allowing them to parent from a place of understanding. By better understanding their children, parents are best able to provide the daily support they need to grow and thrive.
What to Expect From a Psychological Assessment
A psychological assessment is a structured process that includes questionnaires, standardized tests, and interviews to evaluate an individual’s cognitive, emotional, and social functioning. At Mind Works, children and teens can receive a psychological assessment tailored to them.
Understanding the Purpose of Psychological Testing
Psychological testing is designed to assess an individual’s mental health, cognitive abilities, and behavioral functioning. Psychologists use this information to help address underlying problems, diagnose conditions, guide treatment plans, and provide insight for self-awareness and personal growth. Testing is also used to provide referrals, prescribe medication, and begin therapy and other interventions.
Comprehensive Evaluations, Not One-Size-Fits-All Testing
Psychological testing for teens is not quite the same as psychological testing for kids. As such, each evaluation is personalized to the individual child, ensuring comprehensive assessments for all.
Conditions and Concerns We Evaluate
Mind Works works with pediatric specialists to evaluate children and teens for a wide range of conditions that can affect their growth, learning, and overall well-being.
Mental Health and Emotional Concerns
Evaluations help identify and diagnose mental health and emotional concerns that can impact an individual’s sense of health and wellness. Some common conditions that affect children that we test for include:
Neurodevelopmental and Learning Differences
Neuropsychological testing allows our professionals at Mind Works to diagnose a wide range of neurodevelopmental conditions that can affect a child’s ability to socialize and thrive at school. Some conditions we test for include:
Our Evidence-Based Assessment Process
Assessments at Mind Works are streamlined to reduce stress and utilize evidence-based testing methods to ensure accurate results. The process is simpler than most people would think.
Clinical Interviews and Caregiver Input
The first step of assessment is to gather information. This is provided through questionnaires and a clinical interview conducted by a mental health provider. Parents and caregivers may address specific concerns during the information-gathering process, which helps providers determine the appropriate testing.
Testing Sessions Designed for Children and Teens
Our testing services are designed to help identify underlying problems affecting your child’s behavior, mental health, and ability to thrive in school. The testing that is used will vary based on your child’s needs and areas of concern. Some examples include educational testing, personality testing, and executive functioning testing. All testing is conducted by industry professionals trained in pediatric psychological testing and assessment.
Multidisciplinary Review by Licensed Clinicians
Once testing is complete, mental health professionals, such as psychometrists, psychologists, and neuropsychological specialists, will analyze the available data. All persons who analyze this data will be licensed clinicians specially trained in pediatric psychology and development.
What’s Included in Your Child’s Psychological Evaluation
1. Comprehensive Testing Results
Each psychological assessment will come with test scores, relevant history (such as medical records), and interview information. The resulting report will include a summary of findings, behavioral observations, and history that contribute to a diagnosis.
2. Written Report With Actionable Recommendations
Each written report will include a recommendations section tailored to your child’s immediate and long-term needs. These recommendations can include a wide range of options, such as:
- Therapy
- Specific interventions
- Acedemic accommodations
- Social development training
- Executive function skill building
- Vocational development
- Medication
- Medical referrals for neurology, occupational therapy, or speech therapy
This report is presented to caregivers (and your child’s therapist if applicable) via a face-to-face meeting or video teleconference call.
3. Educational and School-Based Support Guidance
Each written report will include guidance on school and education. A psychological assessment may determine eligibility for special education services or recommend specific interventions and academic accommodations that your child needs. Mind Works collaborates closely with caregivers to ensure their children receive an education, including assistance with gaining access to special accommodations if needed.
How Assessments Help Your Child Thrive at Home, School, and Play
While you may already have a good idea of some of your child’s areas of weakness or noticed symptoms that point to common behavioral, emotional, or developmental disabilities, testing can help confirm your concerns or identify new factors to consider. Here are some ways screening and assessments set your child up for success.
Accurate Diagnosis
There are many benefits to receiving an official diagnosis, including insurance coverage, access to resources, legal protection, and more.
Progress Monitoring
Assessments provide a baseline, allowing your child’s care team to monitor and track their progress over time.
Early Intervention
Testing allows parents and other stakeholders to detect issues early, which can lead to better outcomes in the long run.
Accommodation Plans
Professional testing assists in the development of IEPs or 504 plans for educational accommodation plans.
Parental Understanding
It’s relieving to no longer parent from a place of uncertainty. Testing allows parents to better understand their child’s needs.
Personalized Learning
Developmental, educational, and psychological assessments allow providers to effectively tailor their care based on results.
Assessments as Part of Integrated Outpatient Care
Psychological assessments and testing are critical to obtaining specialized, comprehensive outpatient care for your child. Once testing is complete, it opens the door to individualized support.
One Entry Point, Multiple Paths of Support
After testing is completed, we use the data to create a personalized treatment plan for your child. This plan can include therapy, medication management, and other support services available at Mind Works or by referral.
Session-Based Care That Respects Your Family’s Needs
We at Mind Works do not believe in putting a time limit on care. As such, we use session-based care, offering flexible treatment for your child. This allows families to approach care at their own pace, reducing stress on your child.
Why Parents Choose Mind Works for Psychological Testing
Our team is composed of industry professionals with decades of combined experience in pediatric behavioral and mental health care. This wide range of expertise ensures that your child receives the focused support they need to excel in school and in daily life.
We work closely with parents and caregivers throughout each step of the assessment process. Parental and caregiver involvement is crucial at Mind Works, and as such, we are committed to using clear and effective communication practices throughout assessment and treatment.
When It's Time to Seek Help
Psychological assessments are for any individual who may be experiencing mental health issues, learning difficulties, or behavioral concerns. The results of these assessments help diagnose conditions, guide treatment plans, and provide insight into an individual’s cognitive and emotional functioning.
A psychological assessment may help your child if:
- They are expressing emotional or behavioral concerns that impact their daily functioning, how they interact with others, and their ability to succeed in school
- Current interventions or strategies are not working
- You’re having difficulty understanding your child’s needs
- They need documentation to receive early intervention, mental health care, and school services
- You would like a reassessment or a second opinion for your child’s needs
Referrals and Self-Referrals Welcome
Your healthcare provider may refer you to Mind Works, but you may not need a referral for your child to be psychologically assessed. We are happy to help parents and caregivers obtain care, with or without a referral.
What to Expect Before Your First Testing Session
Before testing begins, Mind Works will gather essential information during the homework and discovery phase. This includes collaborating with parents, healthcare providers, referring consultants, and any other professionals who may have insight into your child’s mental, physical, and cognitive health.
You and your child will be provided with a parent questionnaire to fill out before the clinical interview begins. This will allow you to compile an accurate timeline and narrative of your child’s behaviors and concerns, helping our providers better understand your child.
FAQs: Psychological Testing for Kids and Teens
The exact number of testing sessions your child will need will depend on their specific needs and the type of evaluation required. Some children may need multiple sessions, while others may need fewer. Our staff at Mind Works will be able to give you a more accurate estimation.
Yes, psychological testing can help children qualify for school accommodations or an Individualized Education Plan (IEP) by identifying conditions or learning disabilities that affect their academic performance. This testing provides the documentation needed to support requests for any necessary educational adjustments or additional educational services, such as special education enrollment.
Yes, parents and caregivers will receive a written report of their child’s test results once the tests are completed.
Testing results help determine an accurate diagnosis, which in turn helps therapists develop a personalized treatment plan tailored to your child’s needs. These results also indicate which interventions and support strategies will be needed to help your child thrive.
Yes, we test for ADHD, autism, and other common mental health and developmental disorders that affect adolescents.
Psychological testing is often covered by insurance, but coverage can depend on whether the testing is deemed medically necessary. To know for sure, it’s best to check with your insurance provider for details on coverage.
A Mind Works developmental evaluation comprehensively assesses all aspects of early development to identify challenges such as sensory processing issues, speech and motor delays, or social and emotional difficulties. It’s designed to pinpoint why a child may struggle with communication or behave inappropriately in stimulating environments, or why they may interact with peers in atypical ways.
These assessments are designed for children ages 2-12 and are conducted by a pediatric psychologist. They include testing cognitive, speech and language, motor, adaptive, and emotional and behavioral functions, as well as a specialized assessment of play and social skills.
The goal is to understand your child’s challenges, define their strengths and weaknesses, and guide you toward the appropriate interventions.
Our educational evaluations for individuals from ages 5-17 are designed to create a comprehensive profile of learning strengths and weaknesses using standard measures. We aim to understand and optimize how your child or teen learns, processes information, and performs tasks relative to their peers.
Assessments cover key domains like intellectual functioning, memory, processing skills, and executive functions such as planning and organization. In addition to academic skills like reading, math, and writing, we observe task approach and performance patterns to identify potential learning disabilities.
Tailoring tests to each individual ensures a personalized learning profile, while also considering emotional well-being and social interactions.
The tests your child is administered as part of psychological testing are ultimately decided by their psychologist. It is a highly tailored process, with the provider picking a specific set of assessments and tests that fit the child’s background and areas of concern. These may include:
- Cognitive Testing: IQ and assessment testing, including protocols such as WAIS, WISC, WJ-III, SB-3, WIAT, and WRAT.
- Emotional Testing: Emotional functioning assessments for depression, anxiety, obsessive-compulsive disorders, and more, following protocols such as MMPI, MACI, MCMI, BDI, and Rorschach.
- Behavioral Testing: Tests that evaluate substance abuse, trauma and abuse, self-harm, and harmful behaviors, including protocols such as Achenbach, BASC, and Vanderbilt.
- Executive Functioning Testing: These include evaluations for EF skill development, following protocols such as BRIEF, WCST, D-KEFS, and EFSD.
Mind Works provides psychological evaluations for individuals ages 5 to adult. Psychological evaluations assess difficulties in the behavioral, emotional, and social realms of a child’s life. These evaluations are essential opportunities to examine your child’s strengths and weaknesses — and, more specifically, to gather the information required to accurately diagnose and effectively treat your child.
Other tests evaluate whether clients are experiencing emotional disorders such as anxiety or depression. The underlying cause of a person’s problems is not always clear.
Psychological tests and assessments allow a psychologist to understand the nature of the problem and to figure out the best way to go about addressing it.
Initial test findings are given to a Mind Works provider (therapist or prescriber) and referral sources as soon as possible so treatment planning can begin. The referral process is a bit like the tango in that it requires partners to work in coordination to optimize the outcome. Done well, a Mind Works internal referral provides important and timely specialist recommendations for patient care without undue burden for parents or patients.
Success Stories
“Highly recommend Mind Works. I am a clinician in Illinois and needed to find a clinic in Texas that could provide services to my client that was moving. This is no easy feat to do across the United States. Mind Works was fabulous to work with from the very beginning. Coordination of care was 5 stars and my “previous” client is very happy with their new counselor. Thank you very much for going above and beyond during this difficult time so many other counseling offices are facing. I appreciate all the help and coordination you offered my client!”
“I have known the owners for over 8 years and have taken a family member to Mind Works. Therefore, I can speak of them both personally and professionally. There truly is no better place for this service, especially for children and young adults. On the personal level, I know how much they truly care about everyone they meet. On a professional level, the entire staff is a reflection of the dedication to helping others and competence that gets results that the owners exude. During the incredibly trying time of this pandemic and the fear and anxiety it has caused many people, we are incredibly blessed to have Mind Works available to support.”
“The front desk staff is kind and courteous and helped me find the right therapist for my child. When I met my therapist she was kind and explained the process to me. I love that she included me in the play therapy process and helped me understand how to help my child. Thankful for the therapists at Mind Works!”
“Mindworks is the leader in child centered play therapy and collaborative care in San Antonio and surrounding areas. Their focus is solely on the mental health of children and teenagers. Each clinician at all four locations is seasoned, knowledgeable, experienced, and capable. Parents trust that their child is going to get the treatment and services they need and deserve.
I thoroughly enjoyed working as a clinician at Mindworks. The support and leadership is consistent and outstanding. Unlike any other job that I have had, leadership and clinicians work together to cultivate an awesome work environment.”
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