Valley kids’ psychological assessments should be accessible, affordable

Jamie Bludworth, Ph.D.

Submitted photo/Arizona State University

When cost or availability delays an evaluation, it can also delay the information needed to determine what support may be appropriate. Making assessments accessible and more affordable must be part of the broader conversation about educational and behavioral-health access.”

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Arizona State University’s Counselor Training Center in the School of Counseling and Counseling Psychology provides low-cost psychological assessments for individuals ages 8 and older for ADHD, learning disorders and autism spectrum disorder. It also provides low-cost counseling for the broader community while training the next generation of licensed counselors. Visit cisa.asu.edu/ctc for more information.

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OPINION — When a child struggles in school, some of the first advice they, and usually their parents, may hear is to study harder, pay closer attention or spend more time on homework. For many students, those strategies help. For others, the problem has nothing to do with the effort being made.

A student can spend hours studying for a test only to struggle when it is time to take it. Another may understand a lesson but have difficulty completing an assignment. A child who excels in one subject may consistently fall behind in another. Behavioral concerns may emerge at school even though parents see a very different child at home. 

In these cases, telling a young person to simply “try harder” or “pay more attention” misses the larger question: Why are they struggling?

Psychological assessments can help provide that answer. 

Comprehensive evaluations for such things as attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder, autism spectrum disorder and learning disorders examine how an individual processes information and functions across different areas. Rather than looking at a single grade, behavior or symptom, an assessment brings multiple pieces together to provide a clearer understanding of strengths, challenges and needs. 

For families with a young person who is struggling, that understanding can be transformative. 

Without answers, children may begin creating their own explanations for why school seems easier for their classmates. They may decide they are just not smart enough, are bad at school or simply cannot succeed. Frustration becomes avoidance and repeated struggles affect their confidence, relationships and emotional well-being. 

It’s important to note that a diagnosis does not determine what a child can accomplish. When used appropriately, an assessment provides information that can help families and educators better understand how that child learns. 

That information can also lead to practical support. Assessment findings may help guide educational planning, identify appropriate accommodations or provide recommendations that families can discuss with schools and other professionals. A comprehensive report can turn a broad concern such as “something is not working” into specific information about where difficulties exist and what may help. 

Psychological assessments are extensive by design. A comprehensive evaluation may include a lengthy intake process, several hours of testing, analysis of results, a feedback appointment and a detailed written report. That work requires specialized training and expertise, and private evaluations can cost thousands of dollars. 

For families already managing housing, food, childcare, medical expenses and other necessities, several thousand dollars for an assessment may simply be impossible. Others may have insurance that provides limited coverage or encounter long waits for available providers. 

The result is an access problem with consequences. When cost or availability delays an evaluation, it can also delay the information needed to determine what support may be appropriate.

Making assessments accessible and more affordable must be part of the broader conversation about educational and behavioral-health access. 

University-based training clinics offer one solution. Similar to teaching hospitals, these learning environments allow advanced clinicians to develop specialized skills while working under the close supervision of licensed professionals. In turn, communities gain access to another source of evidence-based services at substantially reduced costs. 

There is more than one way to learn, just as there is more than one way to demonstrate intelligence, solve a problem or become a successful student. Understanding those differences gives parents, educators and young people themselves better information from which to make decisions. 

A diagnosis cannot write a child’s future. It can provide a roadmap for helping them navigate it.

Jamie Bludworth, Ph.D. is director of Arizona State University’s Counselor Training Center in the School of Counseling and Counseling Psychology. Please submit comments at yourvalley.net/letters or email them to AzOpinions@iniusa.org. We are committed to publishing a wide variety of reader opinions, as long as they meet our Civility Guidelines.