Short Paper: Psychological Report Writing

Psychological testing is guided by the specific needs of each patient and may include cognitive, projective/personality, and selected neuropsychological measures. According to Flanagan and Caltabiano (2010), the professional conducting a psychiatric evaluation of a child or adolescent faces two important questions: Does this child have a disorder, and if so, what is the correct diagnosis? Without a diagnosis, treatment recommendations are not possible. The report of a child should clearly answer these questions.

According to Flanagan and Caltabiano (2010), the report should include the following elements, based on an assessment of a child or adolescent. There should be a summary section that explains the scores and provides clear reasons for specific diagnoses, which is a diagnostic rationale. It should include recommendations for proven (research-supported) strategies and treatments for identified problems and recommendations for educational strategies to best meet the needs of the child or adolescent. If warranted, there should be a section that includes eligibility considerations for school services. There should be a list of each client’s unique strengths and areas to target for change. Lastly, the report should include a description of all tests administered, a list of any appropriate diagnoses, and an appendix with a complete presentation of all scores from all tests given.

Psychological testing is a good tool to use when the professional is looking for support of a suspected diagnosis. That being said, the professional should be aware that this assessment report will likely be shared with other professionals in the child’s or adolescent’s life. The report should therefore be as accurate and customized as possible to that specific child. Depending on the situation, there is a possibility the child or adolescent could be retested, usually when he or she has made improvements or when a decline in the mental issue is present. Another time one could be retested and a report rewritten would be after a certain number of years. For example, if a child is tested at age five, it is probable that he or she will be retested at age seven due to advancement in intellectual, emotional, and behavioral growth. That being said, all reports written about children or adolescents will stay in their files and follow them throughout their lives. Professionals should always be aware of this and be ready to support the reports they have composed.

Reference

Flanagan, D., and Caltabiano, L. (2010). Psychological reports: a guide for parents and teachers. Bethesda, MD: National Association of School Psychologists.