At ABC Resources we provide a full range of assessment services to people, schools, courts, organizations, and companies. Each assessment is outlined and summarized in a professional assessment report. Such reports are backed by expert testimony or professional consultation. We use state-of-the-art assessment practices to glean the most appropriate information for our clients.
Educational Assessments
ABC Resources offers psychological testing services to children above the age of four. Psychological testing provides in-depth information about a student’s strengths, abilities, and areas where they will benefit from support. Testing can identify a wide range of issues that may lead to problems with school, work, behavior, and emotions. Assessments may include:
- ADHD- Determines the presence and severity of ADHD symptoms and screens for other psychiatric difficulties that may adversely impact attention, concentration, and behavioral control
- Cognitive- Identifies level of cognitive ability (IQ) and any associated functional impairment, and determines whether criteria is met for an Intellectual Disability diagnosis
- Psychoeducational- Includes measures of cognitive ability (IQ) and academic achievement, as well as screening for other psychiatric difficulties that may negatively impact academic functioning. Can assist in diagnosing a specific learning disability.
- Autism- Determines whether a patient’s symptoms meet DSM-V diagnostic criteria for an Autism Spectrum Disorder and screens for the presence of other psychiatric difficulties
- Social/Emotional/Personality- Identifies current psychiatric symptoms and provides differential diagnosis across a wide range of potential psychiatric difficulties. Can provide diagnostic clarification regarding issues such as anxiety, OCD, oppositional defiant disorder, conduct disorder, depression, bipolar disorder, PTSD, schizophrenia, and borderline personality disorder.
- Comprehensive– A general assessment that may include components from any of the evaluations listed above.
- Entrance/Eligibility– For admission to private schools or to determine eligibility for specific programs that have a requirement for psychological testing as part of the application process.
Diagnostic Assessments
People often have difficulties in physical, emotional, intellectual, spiritual, social, and occupational challenges. At times these problems are significant and the causes may not be well understood. When problems are very complicated or the causes are hard to determine, psychological testing can be very helpful in gaining an understanding for the nature of the problem and making a plan for moving forward. Assessments may include:
- Personality- A personality test is a method of assessing personality constructs. Most personality assessment instruments define social interaction styles and how people gather and process information.
- Biopsychosocial- These tools help identify biological, psychological, and social factors such as depression, anxiety, psychosis, etc. that can lead to life challenges.
- Psychoeducational- Includes measures of cognitive ability (IQ) and academic achievement, as well as screening for other psychiatric difficulties that may negatively impact occupational functioning.
Stress and Wellness Assessments
Stress and tension can create physical and emotional disease in people. At ABC Resources we provide state-of-the-art tools for identifying, alleviating, and preventing stress. By allaying distress we can learn to live happy and healthy lives. Assessments may include:
- Biofeedback Testing- This form of assessment is used to conduct a comprehensive evaluation of a person’s energy effusion, health, and balance. This process involves measuring biological responses to various conditions.
- Structural Assessments- These tools help identify areas in which people meet, exceed, or fall short of health and physical markers.
Forensic Assessments
Forensic assessments are often required by, or submitted to, the courts to support determinations that the proceedings may make regarding a case. Such reports are typically initiated by a defense attorney, a prosecutor, guardian ad litem, or judge and involves a court order. In all cases the forensic examiner is an objective participant and is accountable to the court. Examples of such reports include:
- Competency to Stand Trial Assessments- These assessments use a systematic method to determine if an individual accused of a crime understands the charges against them, that they are the subject of the charges, and that they possess the basic cognitive skills and understanding to assist their attorney in developing a defense.
- Responsibility Phase Assessments- Competency to be sentenced is a specific form of legal competence that addresses an individual’s ability to participate in the sentencing stage of trial. A responsibility phase assessment is often required to determine if an individual has such competence. This type of assessment is used to determine if an individual both understands and appreciates the ramifications of any sentence that is imposed.
- Involuntary Commitment Assessments- This type of assessment identifies if an individual represents a sustained danger to themselves or others requiring confinement to protect the individual and to protect the public.
- Competency Restoration Assessments- When an individual has been deemed incompetent the next aspect to explore is whether their competency can be restored? This form of assessment is used to identify areas of the legal process that the individual does not understand such that restoration training can be targeted to increase their comprehension.
- Status Assessments- The court may required period updates regarding the status of an individual to determine the next steps in the legal proceedings.
Behavioral Assessment
When an individual displays challenging behaviors our first instinct is to label the behavior and the person as “bad.” At ABC Resources we understand that all behavior has meaning and that most problematic behaviors are a means of communicating unmet needs. Our approach in such cases is to identify the function of the behavior, identifying positive replacement behaviors, develop a plan of harm reduction, and work with parents, teachers, and staff to support the enrichment of a meaningful life. Happy healthy people have fewer problem behaviors. Assessments in this domain include:
- Functional Behavioral Assessment- This form of assessment uses behavioral sampling to develop hypotheses regarding the function or purpose of a problematic behavior. Once identified, these hypotheses can be tested over time and settings in a systematic manner. Studies show that this type of structured process leads to improved behavioral management.
- Positive Behavioral Support Plan- The PBS plan generates teaching methods for parents, teachers, and staff to support people in avoiding problem behaviors by using positive replacement behaviors. We try to develop a model to enrich people’s life experiences, get their basic needs met, and create an environment wherein positive behaviors can emerge to become part of a person’s routine repertoire of behavioral responses.
- Environmental Analysis- Through an environmental analysis we work with families, schools, and other community networks to identify behavioral triggers that can lead to problematic behavior. The goal of such assessment is harm reduction and positive behavior support.
www.abcresources.life 