When would you use psychological testing on children… - Tokyo Fam... http://tokyofamilies.net/2014/02/when-would-you-use-psychologic...

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When would you use psychological testing onchildren…
By Dr. Douglas Berger MD on February 16, 2014
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Question “We have heard psychological testingis time consuming and costly.When would youuse psychological testing on children and what
are its pros and cons?”

AnswerThis depends on what the purpose of the testingis, and whether the results are intended to guideeducational interventions or mental healthtreatment.
Educational issues would include having trouble
with reading or math, inability to conceptualize
ideas appropriate for a specific age, etc.
Instances of a behavioral problem, i.e.,
depressed mood, inattention, rebelliousness,lack of energy, distraction, fighting, insomnia etc., would mean there is a mental health issue
involved.
For educational issues, psychological testing that focuses on specific learning functions or IQ mayhelp guide the educational needs of the child.
For mental health issues, a psychiatric interview of the child and the parents that is about an hourlong will usually allow the psychiatrist to narrow down the major problem(s) at hand into a“provisional diagnosis” that can be further refined in subsequent meetings as necessary, andpsychological testing is generally not required. A psychiatric examination is less time consuming andcostly than psychological testing which may take many hours, cost a few thousand dollars, and also
require refinement in further meetings.
Mental health disorders can not be proven or disproven by a test like an illness in medicine can beproven by a blood test or x-ray. Diagnostic suspicions in mental health can only be empiricallytested by a combination of direct examination, seeing a person longitudinally over time, and seeing

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When would you use psychological testing on children… - Tokyo Fam... http://tokyofamilies.net/2014/02/when-would-you-use-psychologic...

how persons respond to treatment and/or withdrawal from treatments.
The next issue is whether a “to treat or not” decision will be made based on psychological testing. In
medicine or psychiatry, treatment decisions should be based on what a patient seems to need, not
the result of a test which may not be definitive. For example, if a child is writing suicide notes, isirritable and has insomnia (and no family or peer-stress reasons to be depressed), we would want totreat this child with an appropriate intervention rather than withhold treatment and chance they may
have a bad outcome regardless of the outcome of psychological testing.
Treatment itself gives information whether a child may actually have a problem
or not if they respond to the treatment, and relapse if treatment is stopped. This
information strengthens or weakens the suspicion of the provisional diagnosis,
i.e., response to treatment is the test. Psychological testing is also often
requested by a school and may follow a child until adulthood in their educational
record regardless of the validity of the results.
In summary, the objective of a test, the time and costs, how that test’s results may be archived, andhow they may be used for treatment decisions, all need to be considered carefully before deciding
to have a battery of psychological testing.
The topic in this column is meant for advice and information only. Please consult with an appropriate
professional in the case of an actual mental health need.

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About Dr. Douglas Berger MD
Dr. Berger and his staff at the Meguro Counseling Center in the Shibuya-Ebisu area provide
mental health care for individuals, couples, and families, in both English and Japanese.
www.megurocounseling.com

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