Tag - Clinical Assessment

Autism and the Pandemic: Diagnosis, Treatment, and Symptom Changes

The COVID-19 pandemic and its associated public health response led to the enforcement of restrictions such as physical distancing, in-person school and office closures, shifts to online learning and virtual work, and reductions in community and school-based services and extracurricular activities. While these restrictions helped control the spread of COVID-19,...

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The long-term effects of COVID-19 on cognition

According to Harvard Health Publishing, “brain fog,” a term used to describe slow and sluggish thinking, has been cited as a lasting symptom post-COVID-19 infection. The highly contagious virus has been reported to affect various aspects of an individual’s cognition, including executive function. Sam Goldstein and Dr. Jack A. Naglieri’s...

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ADHD Evaluations: Examining Impairments Beyond Symptomology

Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) is a neurodevelopmental disorder marked by symptoms of inattention and/or hyperactivity and impulsivity that interfere with functioning and development. Both the outlined criteria in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth Edition, Text Revision (DSM-5-TR; APA, 2022) and the determination of educational eligibility under the...

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The importance of normative comparisons in diagnosing Autism Spectrum Disorder

Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is a neurodevelopmental disorder characterized by deficits in social communication and social interactions and accompanied by restricted, repetitive patterns of behavior, interests, or activities (American Psychiatric Association, 2022). The degree to which these symptoms manifest can vary considerably across different individuals and can even differ among...

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Trust, Equity, Fairness and Bias Reduction in Assessments

Tests are gateways to opportunity. An opportunity to get mental health treatment and receive learning supports, to be selected for special academic programming. To get hired, coached, or promoted, and to guide decisions regarding risk, levels of supervision, and treatment in criminal justice settings. They are a gateway to life-changing...

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A red paper cutout of a child with their hands up. The background behind the cutout is a mountain landscape. The Conners 4th Edition logo is on the right side of the image.

Conners 4th Edition is Now Available!

MHS is excited to announce the highly anticipated release of the Conners 4th Edition (Conners 4™). Conners 4 is a revision of Conners 3rd Edition (Conners 3®), the world’s leading Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) assessment. This newest edition of the tool is rooted in 50 years of research on childhood and youth...

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A girl sits on the edge of a dock. She faces a body of water.

The Need to Address Self-Harm During Youth ADHD Assessment

Youth with ADHD are at a greater risk of self-harm (Simioni et al., 2017). These behaviors include non-suicidal self-injury (i.e., self-directed, deliberate harm of self in the absence of suicidal intent, such as cutting or burning), as well suicidal ideation, suicide attempts, and completed suicide (i.e., direct, self-injurious behavior with...

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A mother and father sit together with their child across from a practitioner. The mother talks to her son.

Diagnosing Autism Spectrum Disorder with Dr. Sam Goldstein

We sat down with Dr. Sam Goldstein, co-author of MHS’ Autism Spectrum Rating Scales™ (ASRS®), to discuss challenges that can arise when diagnosing autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and emerging trends within the clinical field related to ASD. The interview below has been edited for length and clarity. An ASD diagnosis can be...

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A mother and child sitting down with a practitioner. The mother and child are both facing the practitioner.

Performance Validity Testing and Accuracy in Assessment Practices

The necessity of including performance validity measures in neuropsychological evaluations has been understood for some time (Chafetz et al., 2015; Greher & Wodushek, 2017). One cannot draw inferences about brain-behavior relationships unless they are confident the examinee performed to the best of their ability on all assessments. Understanding performance validity...

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