Assessment Of Children Michael Hoerger

Why Assess? Difficult to diagnose problems Conflicting reports Facilitates problem solving/treatment

Interview Areas: Medical, developmental, social, emotional, educational, family life, activities/community Children: shy, confused, difficulty with abstract reasoning  Rapport and respect Adults: facts and behaviors = good, child’s emotions = bad

Observation Clinic, school, home, self-monitoring Count # or duration of behaviors Compare to other children

Rating Forms Checklists and ratings of problems Parents, teachers, or children (age 10+) Efficient, track success

Record Review Medical/psychological records Grades by subject Teacher comments

Intelligence Tests Examples: Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children (WISC), Stanford-Binet Predicts performance on a variety of cognitive tasks (r =.3 to.7) Facts, vocabulary, math, memory, reasoning, matching, social problem solving

Achievement Tests Measures knowledge for specific subjects Uses:  Weaknesses in specific subjects  Keeping up with grade level  Learning disabilities

Projective Techniques Assess personality, beliefs, motives, needs Child participates in an activity (story telling, drawing, playing), projecting own personality onto the activity

Assessing ADHD Interview Observation Rating Forms Record Review Intelligence Tests Achievement Tests Projective Tests

Michael Hoerger To cite this lecture: Hoerger, M. (2007, February 21). Assessment of Child Psychopathology. Presented at a PSY 220 lecture at Central Michigan University.