Educational and Psychological Testing for Ages 6 Through Young Adulthood

Frequently Asked Questions

1. What are some common struggles that you see and address in testing through Gained Insight?

  • Academic underachievement
  • Concerns related to ADHD or to formally diagnose ADHD
  • Concerns related to Learning Disabilities or to formally diagnose Learning Disabilities
  • Updated testing to determine appropriate supports for a child’s continuing education
  • Assessment for potential accommodations on standardized testing such as (SAT and ACT)
  • Poor study habits
  • Low self esteem
  • Lack of motivation
  • Poor social skills
  • Diagnosis of Aspergers and Autism
  • Substance Use/Abuse/Dependence
  • Depression and Anxiety
  • Oppositional Behavior
  • Other Psychiatric Concerns

2. What ages does Gained Insight work with?

At Gained Insight we specialize in educational and emotional evaluations for children ages 6 through young adulthood; however, adult evaluations are also available.

3. Who will see the results? Will my privacy be protected?

Gained Insight only provides testing results and information related to the testing to the parents, legal guardians or adult clients. Following review of the testing results, the parents, legal guardians or adult clients can decide with whom they would like to share the information. A release of information will need to be signed before any information is released. There are some limits to confidentiality such as: in the case of suspected child abuse; suicidality and homicidality. These limits will be discussed prior to testing as well as are outlined in the testing contract.

4. Does health insurance pay for testing?

Some insurance companies pay for evaluations under certain conditions. We recommend that you consult your insurance company regarding your coverage. Gained Insight does not bill directly to insurance companies. We will provide an invoice with the dates and types of service provided, the cost of services and the diagnosis codes upon completion and scoring of the testing. You may submit this invoice to your insurance company for reimbursement.

5. I heard that I am entitled to free testing through the public school system. Is this true and what is the difference between that testing and the testing provided through Gained Insight?

This is true. Your child is entitled to educational testing through the school district should there be some concern related to your child’s ability to be successful in the classroom. However, some of the limitations of testing through the public school district include: they often do not complete formal testing to assess for attention deficits; they often do not complete thorough emotional testing but rather may only complete brief checklists; there is often limited input from parents and other individuals in a child’s life outside of the school setting; testing frequently focuses solely on educational needs and as a result, critical information in understanding your child as a whole may be missed. Additionally, limits are not tested and therefore, it can be unclear if a child could have improved their scores. Furthermore, due to financial constraints, at times, school psychologists have increased pressure to recommend the least services possible and by completing less formal and comprehensive testing, fewer diagnoses are often made. Wait times for the testing results are significantly longer for testing that is completed through the public school district.

6. What should I tell my child about the testing?

The reason for testing and what they can expect will be explained to your child prior to the start of testing. However, they will likely to want some information before they go to the testing office. We encourage parents to briefly describe the purpose of testing. Some examples are: to help make learning easier; to better understand how you best learn and/ or to make things better at home. It is helpful to present that the information gained from the testing will help you as a family to make changes in an effort to make a child not feel that they are alone in this process. Please refrain from setting up the illusion that they will be playing games as this typically sets the child up for disappointment. Often older children assume that they will be sitting for several hours taking multiple choice or true/false tests as they do in school. This is not the case. They are typically very happy to find out that the testing involves much more engagement and interaction with the examiner. Breaks are provided as needed.

* If you don’t see the answer to your specific question – please contact us.

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