This authoritative guide gives parents the inside scoop on how psychological testing works and how to use testing to get the best help for their child.

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This authoritative guide gives parents the inside scoop on how psychological testing works and how to use testing to get the best help for their child. Child psychology experts Drs. Braaten and Felopulos spell out the entire process of testing for dyslexia, ADHD, math and reading disorders, Asperger syndrome, depression, anxiety, and other common childhood problems. Parents learn what different tests actually measure and how to "crack the code" of jargon-filled reports, numerical scores, and educational recommendations. Also discussed are key qualifications to look for in evaluators, what kinds of testing schools are required to provide, and when to consider paying for private testing instead. Comprehensive and accessible, the book includes tips on making testing less stressful for children and loads of resources, FAQs, and examples.

260 pages, 6 x 9

"Straight Talk about Psychological Testing for Kids, by Harvard psychologists Ellen Braaten, PhD, and Gretchen Felopulos, PhD, would have saved me many sleepless nights. It covers just about everything parents need to know about testing....The book takes a user-friendly 'who, what, when, how' approach, with many case studies. Odds are, you'll find your own questions answered, as I did."
-Terry Matlen, MSW, mother of a child with special needs (Additude Magazine, Volume 6, Issue 1, September 2005)

"At last! A superb book for the lay person about psychological testing. It is highly informative, extremely interesting, and it is really fun to read. Braaten and Felopulos have written a totally engrossing book on a topic that is usually deadly dull. Their secret is to give testing a human face and describe how it points the way to solutions for many kinds of human suffering. They write with clarity, but also with heart. They are clear, without oversimplifying. They cover a huge amount of ground, but allow the reader to enjoy the ride. This is the best book of its kind that I have ever seen."
-Edward M. Hallowell, MD, author of The Childhood Roots of Adult Happiness and coauthor of Driven to Distraction

"For parents wrestling with the question of how best to help a child struggling with school or with social or behavioral problems, this book is an absolute godsend. Clarifying what psychological testing is and what it can tell parents about their child, Drs. Braaten and Felopulos manage not only to demystify these complex diagnostic tools but also to teach parents about child development in general. Warm and wonderfully reassuring, the authors convey their extensive knowledge and clinical experience in language that is clear, direct, and accessible. Parents will appreciate the effort to highlight important terminology, the Q & A sections, and especially the affirming message that their 'non-expert' insights and understanding of their child are invaluable."
-Bonnie Ohye, PhD

"Professional psychologists, while mindful of the complexities associated with psychological testing, often fail to remember how intimidating the process can be for parents and families. Drs. Braaten and Felopulos provide an excellent review of the psychological testing process from the beginning to the closing stages. The book will be both enormously helpful to parents and instructive to professional psychologists, social workers, school-based professionals, and graduate students. This is a very valuable book."
-Tanya L. Eckert, PhD, School Psychology Program, Syracuse University

"This book is an extraordinary reference for parents and professionals in truly understanding when to use, and how to interpret, the various psychological tests available. Drs. Braaten and Felopulos provide an exceptional service by distilling complex information into a very readable and pragmatic guide."
-Timothy E. Wilens, MD, author of Straight Talk about Psychiatric Medications for Kids

Introduction
I. Where Do I Begin?
1. How Do I Know My Child Needs Testing?
2. What Is Involved in a Testing Evaluation?
3. Who Is Qualified to Conduct the Evaluation?
II. A Practical Guide To Commonly Used Tests
4. The Tests: What Are They and What Do They Do?
5. What Do All the Numbers Mean?
III. Common Childhood Disorders
6. Dyslexia
7. Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder
8. Nonverbal Learning Disorders and Asperger Syndrome
9. Autism and Pervasive Developmental Disorder
10. Mathematics Disorder and Disorder of Written Expression
11. Children at the Extremes: Mental Retardation and Giftedness
12. Depression, Anxiety, and Other Psychological Concerns
Resources

Ellen Braaten, PhD, is the track director of the Child/Adult and Neuropsychology training programs at Massachusetts General Hospital and is on the faculty of Harvard Medical School. Dr. Braaten is a staff psychologist at the Massachusetts General Hospital's Psychology Assessment Center, where she specializes in child neuropsychology. She has authored numerous scientific papers and chapters on children with ADHD, depression, anxiety, and learning disabilities.

Gretchen Felopulos, PhD, is a licensed clinical psychologist on the Massachusetts General Hospital staff in Child Psychiatry and in its Psychology Assessment Center. She is also on the faculty of Harvard Medical School and has a private practice in Lexington, Massachusetts. In addition to her specialization in pediatric neuropsychology and psychological testing, Dr. Felopulos provides psychotherapy to children as well as parental guidance. She is a primary supervisor for psychology interns studying the process of testing, and she teaches many seminars each year to interns and residents on the topic of children and testing.

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