Cognitive Assessments
A cognitive assessment may also be called an IQ assessment, educational assessment or neuropsychological assessment. All cognitive assessments will involve a clinical interview and standardised testing. The specifics of the assessment will depend on the question that is being asked. I offer several options, depending on the need. These are outlined below
Cognitive Assessment
This assessment looks at general intellectual abilities. It can be suitable when a child is having difficulties learning or developing certain skills, or where an adult has concerns or curiousity about their own intellectual abilities. It does not include any academic achievement testing, so does not provide insights into a child’s academic abilities.
This assessment provides an overview of cognitive strengths and areas of difficulty. It can be used to identify whether an intellectual disability may be present and whether a person has particular strengths and difficulties that impact their lives. It is not suitable for identifing specific learning disabilities such as dyslexia.
This assessment involves a detailed discussion with the individual (in the case of adults or older teenagers), or with parents in the case of children. A battery of standardised cognitive tests are then administered. This assessment can typically be completed in a single session lasting 2 hours, although parents may prefer to break this up and attend separately for the clinical interview. Equally, if a child has difficulty maintaining attention and motivation, it may be necessary to complete shorter sessions over a period of weeks.
On completion of the assessment, you will receive a full written report and a detailed feedback session. This report will include recommendations and strategies to help, where necessary.
Cost: €700
Educational Assessment
A detailed educational assessment includes everything carried out in a basic cognitive assessment, with the addition of academic achievement. This may be suitable when a teacher has noted that a child is struggling in particular areas, or where a specific learning difficulty such as dyslexia is suspected. This is also suitable for the assessment of giftedness as it allows a comparison of overall IQ to academic performance.
Given the increased number of tests administered, a detailed cognitive assessment generally takes place in one to two sessions, plus a feedback session. I aim to complete the testing in a single session lasting approximately 3 hours, but if your child struggles with attention and concentration in this time, we can arrange to complete testing at a second appointment instead.
Cost: €850
Full Psycho-Educational Assessment
A full psycho-educational assessment includes a clinical interview with developmental history, cognitive and academic assessment, assessment of further areas such as attention, memory, learning and executive functioning*. Parents and teachers will be asked to complete several questionnaires where appropriate.
This level of assessment allows a comprehensive picture of a person’s cognitive abilities to be understood, integrating the potential impacts of specific areas of difficulty. Given the level of testing required, it is generally necessary to complete these assessments over 2-3 sessions, plus a feedback session with a full written report.
This assessment may be useful when a child is presenting with an unclear level of difficulties. For instance, where school accommodations have not improved performance, or where there are a number of areas that are being impacted by the person’s difficulties. If you feel like this may be useful, please do not hesitate to contact me to discuss whether this level of assessment is appropriate for you and/or your child.
*Executive functioning refers to the mental skills that help you plan, organize, pay attention, remember things, and control your behavior. It's like the "boss" in your brain that manages and coordinates different tasks. It helps you make decisions, solve problems, and achieve goals. It also helps you switch between different activities and adapt to changes.
Cost: €1350+ depending on complexity (cost will be discussed at the outset before proceeding).