By Dr. Pam McCaskill
This is a question we often hear from parents who are wanting to let their adult child spread their wings, while at the same time knowing they still need help and support. Many parents stay awake at night worrying about their child struggling with academic difficulties, missing assignments, poor grades, and/or not being able to complete the required work. Many students are so stressed out with the high demands of college courses and they often shut down, try to hide that they are falling behind, and further fall into the possibility of dropping out.
There are many reasons why college students struggle, and a more thorough look into what is going on beneath the surface may shed some light and direction toward ensuring a path of success vs. a path of failure.
A neuropsychological evaluation may offer the answers you and your child need.
What Is a Neuropsychological Evaluation?
A neuropsychological evaluation is a comprehensive assessment of how a person’s brain functions identifying a pattern of strengths and weaknesses. It goes beyond basic educational testing to look at:
• Attention and concentration
• Memory and learning
• Language and communication
• Problem-solving and reasoning
• Processing speed
• Emotional functioning
• Executive functioning (planning, organization, time management)
The goal is to get a better understanding how your child thinks, learns, and regulates emotions—and where they may be having difficulty. This "x-ray" so to speak will help us to understand the "WHY?" behind the academic struggles, missed assignments, mismanagement of finances, difficulties making friends, and symptoms of stress, depression and anxiety.
Many students hit a wall for the first time in college when the structure of high school and parental oversight that were once in place are gone. Undiagnosed conditions such as learning disabilities, ADHD, processing difficulties, anxiety, depression can help explain what is going on and more importantly help help you and your child know what do to about it.
How do I Know if my Child may Benefit from an Evaluation?
Here are some common things we see that would indicate a that an evaluation may be helpful:
• Constantly overwhelmed and worried about school
• Missing classes or not completing assignments even though they say they want to be in college and are putting forth effort
• Complaining that they can't remember what they read or study when it comes time to take the test
• Difficulty focusing or concentrating in class or while completing assignments
• Poor time management
• Mismanagement of money and finances
• Struggling with writing, reading or math that doesn't seem to respond to getting help from the instructor, tutoring or academic support options,
It is important to seek out help from a licensed clinical psychologist who has extensive experience in working with and evaluating college-aged students. At McCaskill Family Services, we have been helping college-aged students and their parents for over 25 years. There is no need to struggle alone. We can help. For more information on our testing and evaluation services, please visit our website or call 734-416-9098, Ext. 1 to set up an initial consultation appointment to determine if an evaluation is recommended.
At this age, one of the best ways we can support our children is to give then the resources and support to better understand what is going on and help them define the best road to success and reaching their highest potential.
