populations
Dr. Politis works with children, teens, and adults. While the majority of her work is with clients six years and older, she also conducts brief cognitive evaluations and Autism evaluations with younger children (age 18 months+), when appropriate.
purpose
Testing may be recommended for a variety of reasons. Often, a client, parent, or treating professional requests an evaluation to answer a specific diagnostic question to inform treatment (therapy, medication, tutoring) or qualify for academic accommodations in the form of a Section 504 Plan or Individual Education Program (IEP). In other cases, testing referrals may be less motivated by diagnosis and more by a desire to understand a particular challenge in the emotional, behavioral, or relational realm.
Dr. Politis’ collaborative approach to testing is primarily aimed at answering the specific questions brought by the client, parents, and/or referring clinician. While accurate diagnosis is sometimes one appropriate outcome of testing, understanding and describing the client as a complete and complex individual is the ultimate goal of every evaluation, with comprehensive recommendations provided for improved personal adjustment and self-actualization.
components of testing
The specifics of each evaluation are determined by the referral question and initial telephone consultation with Dr. Politis. All evaluations will involve a thorough clinical interview, in addition to a combination of the following potential components:
Records review (prior evaluation reports, school assessment records)
Collateral interviews (for example, with parents, teachers, tutors, and/or therapists)
Classroom observation
Cognitive testing
Achievement testing
Neuropsychological testing
Self-report measures
Collateral rating scales (completed by parents and teachers, when appropriate)
Performance-based measures
Structured interviews
types of testing
Psychological evaluations
Autism evaluations
Psychoeducational evaluations (to rule-out specific learning and attention disorders and qualify for accommodations in school and/or on high-stakes tests)
Brief cognitive evaluations (to fulfill private school entrance requirements)
Adult ADHD evaluations
Dr. Politis does not conduct child custody or forensic evaluations at this time. In the case of divorced or separated families, Dr. Politis requires that both parents sign consent for treatment or testing ahead of time. In the event one parent legally possesses sole medical and educational decision-making rights, Dr. Politis will need a copy of the court order. Whenever possible, Dr. Politis encourages involvement from both caregivers.