A psychoeducational assessment helps answer the question: why is learning harder than it should be? When a child, teen, or adult student isn’t achieving as expected at school — despite effort — an assessment identifies exactly what’s getting in the way and what will help.
What a Psychoeducational Assessment Measures
The assessment explores three areas and, importantly, how they interact:
Intellectual aptitude. How your child reasons, solves problems, processes information, and remembers — their cognitive strengths and weaknesses.
Academic achievement. Standardized measures of reading, writing, and math skills compared against age and grade expectations.
Social-emotional functioning. A screen for anxiety, attention, and behavioural concerns that can contribute to — or result from — struggles at school.
The result is a complete learning profile: not just what’s difficult, but why, and what supports will actually work.
Who benefits from a Psychoeducational Assessment?
School-age children and adolescents (ages 6+) who are struggling to keep up with peers, resisting school, or working far harder than classmates for the same results.
Students heading to college or university who want an updated understanding of their strengths and weaknesses, or who need current documentation to access accommodations in post-secondary education.
High school students planning their future. Career interest and strength exploration can be added to psychoeducational testing, helping adolescents and parents choose programs that genuinely fit abilities and interests.
Diagnoses a Psychoeducational Assessment Can Identify
- Specific Learning Disorder in reading (dyslexia), writing (dysgraphia), or math (dyscalculia)
- Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) — see below
- Generalized Anxiety Disorder and related social-emotional concerns
- Among others
Dr. Swan does not offer Autism-specific assessments. Additional testing for career interests can be added for an additional cost.
ADHD Assessment for Children in Kelowna
Parents often ask whether Dr. Swan assesses ADHD in children. Yes — for children and teens, ADHD is assessed within a psychoeducational assessment rather than as a standalone test. This is deliberate: attention difficulties in the classroom can stem from ADHD, but also from a learning disorder, anxiety, or a combination. A full psychoeducational assessment looks at all possible causes at once, so your child gets the right diagnosis — and the right support — the first time.
Adults seeking ADHD assessment can learn more about the Adult ADHD Assessment.
The Assessment Process
- Clinical interview. Dr. Swan meets with you (and your child, as appropriate) to understand the concerns, developmental and school history, and the questions we want answered.
- Testing day. Conducted at Dr. Swan’s Kelowna office at 301-2755 Tutt Street. Many activities feel like puzzles and games; most kids find at least some of it fun. Free parking is available in the parkade off Osprey Road.
- Questionnaires. Parents — and with written permission, teachers — complete rating scales to capture how things look at home and in the classroom.
- Interpretation and report. Dr. Swan analyzes the results and writes a full report with any diagnoses, next steps, and concrete recommendations. Reports are typically delivered within two to three weeks of testing.
- Feedback session. Dr. Swan walks you through the results in plain language and answers all your questions. You receive the complete report and can share it with the school, your GP, or other providers.
Need help deciding? Book a 15-minute consultation.
Looking for a different type of assessment?