SYDNEY Beyond IQ

SYDNEY Beyond IQ Scores: Clinical Value of Behavioural Observations during Cognitive and Developmental Assessments

Why focus on behaviours displayed during cognitive and developmental assessments?

Cognitive and developmental assessments provide a wealth of information about how children and adolescents respond to both academic and social demands. How children and adolescents respond to an examiner offering unfamiliar activities in an unfamiliar environment can provide important clues in identifying further assessments required, including autism, learning difficulties, ADHD, ODD, executive functioning and anxiety.

Why this workshop?

Often training focuses on administering, scoring and reporting on the client’s performance in relation to norms. However cognitive and developmental assessments offer a rich opportunity to observe more than the client’s verbal, visuospatial,memory and processing speed skills (i.e. coping with a change in their routine, following your agenda, adapting in response to feedback, dealing with uncertainty, frustration and boredom). This workshop includes videos, case reviews, and examples of reports. Course notes include a checklist of behaviours, tips on what behaviours may mean, and further assessments & strategies to recommend.

Who should attend?

Psychologists who want to observe & report on behaviours, refer on appropriately and make recommendations with confidence.

Research basis for the workshop

Lydia Meem (Clinical Psychologist, Autism Understanding) asked Australian psychologists to complete an online case review questionnaire to identify behaviours displayed during cognitive and developmental assessments conducted as part of their usual caseload. Comparison of an ASD group (n=114) versus a non-ASD clinical group (n=34) identified 18 behaviours significantly more likely to be displayed by the autism group. The autism group was also significantly more likely to display a “spiky’ pattern in their profile of subtest scaled scores. Lydia then developed a “Cognitive Assessment Behaviour Checklist: 89 behaviours worth noting when writing reports and referring on”. (Presented at the Asia Pacific Autism Conference, 2015)

Assessment Resources included:

• Cognitive Assessment Observation Checklist (89 behaviours worth noting when writing reports and referring on)
• How to gain and maintain rapport with kids with developmental difficulties
• How to modify assessments and how to include this in your report
• How to describe behaviours observed in the assessment, and how they may be relevant in the classroom and the playground
• Menu of recommendations & when to use them, including further assessments
• Samples of assessment reports including behavioural observations and strategies

Behavioural Assessment resources included:

• Behavioural Brainstorming(functions to consider for challenging behaviours)
• Chain Analysis drawing((for incident debriefing and prevention of recurrence)
• Incident Prevention & Response Plan(sample of a completed IPRP & proforma)

Autism resources included:

• ASD Screening Tools and Autism Understanding’s ASD Student Profile
• Visual Timetables & Behaviour Supports for classroom, playground & home
• Visuals for Emotional Awareness and Regulation
• Social Stories When I’m angry, When it’s noisy, Dealing with mistakes, Catching the school bus, We take turns to talk and listen (for primary school students), Being a good listener (for high school students), Assembly and awards, Athletics carnival, Information for Students (zoo excursion), Touching myself in private

Beyond IQ Scores: Clinical Value of Behavioural Observations during Cognitive and Developmental Assessments

How do I secure my place in the workshop?

Just click one of the "Join Workshop" buttons below to register and pay by credit card (via Stripe with a 2% processing fee).

Alternatively, you can contact us on (02) 4967 3363 for offline booking and payment by credit card (2% surcharge) or direct deposit (no surcharge).