Why Comprehensive Assessment Matters at Neurobehavioral Center for Growth
When a child struggles with attention, learning, behavior, or development, finding answers can feel overwhelming for families. Dr. Cardinal founded the Neurobehavioral Center for Growth with a clear mission: to provide thorough, objective assessments that clarify complex presentations—especially in children with multiple, overlapping, or neurodevelopmental concerns. Our early work answered pediatricians’ and parents’ requests to clarify and understand the root causes of a child’s challenges, so treatment could be targeted and truly effective.
As our reputation grew, so did our scope. While our beginnings focused on neurodevelopmental conditions and co-occurring challenges in children, we soon recognized the need to address a broader range of concerns. Today, we offer comprehensive assessment services for children, adolescents, and adults, with an expanded focus across neurodevelopmental, neurocognitive, psychological, and behavioral domains. Every evaluation is thoughtfully customized to the individual’s unique needs, integrating neuropsychological testing as needed to clarify functioning across all relevant areas.
Why Are Comprehensive Assessments So Important?
Many symptoms—such as inattention, anxiety, learning difficulties, memory changes, or social challenges—can appear similar on the surface but have very different underlying causes. For example, a child who is easily distracted might have ADHD, anxiety, autism spectrum disorder, a learning disorder, or a combination of these and other neurodevelopmental or neurocognitive conditions. Without a clear understanding of the underlying issues, treatment can be hit-or-miss.
Comprehensive assessment is the process of gathering in-depth information using standardized tools and expert clinical judgment. This approach:
· Clarifies Diagnosis: Differentiates between conditions such as ADHD, anxiety, autism, learning disorders, and neurocognitive disorders, or identifies when they co-occur.
· Guides Treatment: Informs decisions about therapy, medication, school supports, and accommodations tailored to the individual’s specific neurodevelopmental and neurocognitive needs.
· Empowers Families and Providers: Gives everyone a shared understanding and a clear roadmap for next steps, fostering collaboration and confidence.
What’s Included in a Comprehensive Assessment?
Our process may include:
· Clinical Interviews: Gathering detailed history from the individual and family, including developmental milestones, cognitive changes, and relevant medical or educational background. Many families appreciate the option of virtual intake interviews, which can take place in the comfort of their home if preferred.
· Behavioral Observation: Observing the individual’s behavior in both direct (in-person) and virtual settings, as appropriate. This allows us to gain insights into social interactions, emotional regulation, and overall functioning in different environments, and can be especially helpful for understanding behaviors in the home setting.
· Behavioral and Emotional Questionnaires: Measuring symptoms across mood, anxiety, attention, executive function, and more, using standardized tools completed by individuals, parents, teachers, or other informants.
· Personality Assessments: Gaining deeper insight into patterns of thinking, relating, coping, and emotional regulation, which can be particularly valuable for understanding complex or longstanding concerns.
· Neuropsychological Testing: Assessing memory, attention, language, executive functioning, processing speed, and other cognitive abilities, with a focus on identifying neurodevelopmental and neurocognitive strengths and challenges.
A key strength of our approach is the collaboration between our psychologists and psychometrists. Psychologists oversee the entire assessment process, conduct clinical interviews, interpret results, and provide integrated recommendations. Our skilled psychometrists administer standardized testing with care and precision, ensuring that every client’s experience is supportive and every data point is reliable. This teamwork allows us to offer the highest quality, most comprehensive evaluations possible.
We select assessment tools based on your unique questions and concerns. For some, a focused evaluation is appropriate; for others, a comprehensive neuropsychological battery is needed to uncover subtle or overlapping issues, especially when neurodevelopmental or neurocognitive disorders are suspected.
Real-World Impact
Consider a child who is struggling in school or an adult experiencing new memory issues. Is it ADHD, anxiety, autism, a learning disorder, a neurocognitive disorder—or a combination of these? Through comprehensive assessment, we can pinpoint the causes, helping families, pediatricians, and other care providers choose the most effective interventions, supports, and accommodations.
Our Commitment
At the Neurobehavioral Center for Growth, we believe every individual deserves a clear understanding of their strengths and challenges across all domains—neurodevelopmental, neurocognitive, psychological, and behavioral. Our assessments provide the clarity needed to move forward with confidence—empowering individuals, families, and care teams to make informed decisions.
If you’re seeking answers for yourself or a loved one, contact us to learn more about our customized evaluation services.
