Neuropsychological Testing
an in-depth look at brain-based functions such as attention, memory, executive functioning, language, and processing, especially helpful for complex learning or medical histories.
Neuropsychological Testing & Assessment in New York City
At PAC Psych, we provide psychological testing and assessment for children and adolescents who are struggling at school, at home, or emotionally, and where there are important questions about how to best understand and support them. From our Upper West Side practice, we offer comprehensive evaluations that look at your child’s thinking, learning, behavior, and emotional functioning so you can move forward with clarity and a concrete plan.
Our assessments are thorough, child-centered, and grounded in evidence-based tools. We focus not only on identifying areas of difficulty, but also on highlighting your child’s strengths and providing clear, practical recommendations for home, school, and treatment.
When Psychological Testing & Assessment Can Help
Psychological testing at PAC Psych may be a good fit when you know your child is struggling, but you’re not sure why—or when you need more information to guide school or treatment decisions. Families often seek an evaluation when they notice ongoing academic difficulties despite extra help, problems with attention, organization, or impulse control, changes in mood or behavior, or confusing or overlapping diagnoses.
Assessment can be especially helpful when there are questions about learning disorders, ADHD, anxiety, depression, autism spectrum traits, or when a child has a complex medical or developmental history. Testing may also be recommended when school is requesting documentation for accommodations, or when current supports don’t seem to be enough.
Every child’s profile is unique, and part of our role is to pull together information from different sources so you have a clear understanding of what is happening and what to do next.
Our Approach to Psychological Testing & Assessment
We see assessment as a way to understand the whole child—not just a list of scores. We start with a detailed intake to learn about your child’s history, strengths, challenges, and daily life at home and school, then work with you to clarify the questions you most want answered. From there, we conduct a broad evaluation of emotional, behavioral, and learning concerns, often combining cognitive measures, academic tests, and behavior/emotional questionnaires..
Depending on your goals, we may also conduct:
Cognitive Testing
focused assessment of intellectual abilities and how your child reasons, solves problems, and processes information, often used to clarify learning profiles or giftedness.
Personality Testing
specialized tools to better understand emotional patterns, coping styles, and personality traits when presentations are complex or diagnoses are unclear.
Selective Mutism Assessment
targeted evaluation for children who speak comfortably in some settings but not others, integrating anxiety assessment, speech patterns, and environmental factors.
Whenever appropriate, we integrate information from teachers, physicians, and other providers so that the final picture is as complete and accurate as possible. We interpret all results in light of your child’s background, culture, and experiences, and translate complex data into language that feels clear and usable.
Each assessment—whether general psychological testing or a more specialized evaluation—leads to specific, actionable recommendations you can use to advocate for your child and plan next steps.
Guidance and Support for Families
We recognize that seeking psychological testing can come with a mix of relief, worry, and many questions. Throughout the evaluation process, we provide guidance on what the results mean for your child and your family’s day-to-day life. We help you understand how your child’s strengths and challenges show up in real situations, what supports are likely to be most helpful, and how to communicate effectively with schools and other providers about your child’s needs.
Our clinicians are available to discuss how to share feedback with your child in a developmentally appropriate way, and to help you prioritize recommendations so the next steps feel manageable rather than overwhelming.
What Happens in a Psychological Evaluation?
Psychological testing and assessment unfolds over several steps, and we walk you through the process from start to finish.
In a typical evaluation, you can expect:
Initial meetings
We begin with a parent or caregiver intake appointment to gather detailed background information, review previous reports or school documents, and clarify your questions and goals for the assessment.
Testing sessions
Your child or teen will attend one or more testing sessions at our office. During these visits, the clinician will administer a combination of activities, puzzles, questions, and questionnaires. Many children experience testing as “doing challenges” or “brain games,” and we build in breaks and pacing so the process is manageable.
Information gathering
With your consent, we may request input from teachers or other providers, such as rating scales or narrative feedback, to understand how your child functions across settings.
Scoring and interpretation
After testing is complete, your clinician scores and analyzes the results, integrating data from all sources—testing, interviews, observations, and records—to develop a clear picture of your child’s profile.
Feedback session and report
We meet with you to review the findings in detail, answer your questions, and discuss next steps. You will receive a written report that summarizes results, explains any diagnoses (if applicable), and provides specific recommendations for home, school, and treatment.
Throughout the process, we strive to make the experience as comfortable as possible for your child and as informative and collaborative as possible for you.
Getting Started with Psychological Testing at PAC Psych
We know that deciding to pursue an evaluation is a significant step, and we aim to make the process clear and organized from the outset. When you contact us about psychological testing, we’ll talk briefly about your concerns and the questions you’re hoping to answer, review the types of assessments we offer, and help determine which evaluation is the best fit for your child or teen. We will then schedule an intake appointment with a clinician experienced in the areas you’re concerned about and outline the anticipated timeline, structure, and fees for the assessment.
If you’re ready to explore whether psychological testing can provide the clarity and guidance you need for your child, contact us today to speak with a clinician.