Psychological Evaluations Designed to Bring Clarity

A thoughtful, comprehensive evaluation to understand how your child thinks, learns, feels, and functions to provide clear answers and practical next steps.

Why Families Seek an Evaluation

Families seek evaluations for many different reasons. Sometimes concerns center on learning, attention, or school performance. Other times, questions relate to emotions, behavior, or social development. Often, concerns overlap and don't fit neatly into one category.

At Hampton Child & Adolescent Psychology, evaluations take a whole-child approach. Rather than focusing on a single symptom or diagnosis, I look at how your child thinks, feels, learns, and functions in daily life.

When something feels "off", or when your child isn't thriving the way you expect, an evaluation can provide clarity helping you understand what's happening and how to move forward with confidence.

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Common Concerns

Many children present with concerns that span more than one area. It's common for learning, emotional, behavioral, and social challenges to interact. These concerns often overlap and may look different at home and at school.

Learning and Attention

Struggles with reading, writing, or math
Falling behind academically despite strong effort
Challenges with organization, following directions, or completing assignments
Questions about attention, executive functioning, or learning differences (such as dyslexia, dysgraphia, or dyscalculia)

Emotional & Social Wellbeing

Frequent worry, anxiety, or emotional sensitivity
Irritability, mood swings, or persistent sadness
Difficulty making or maintaining friendships
Challenges reading social cues or seeming socially disconnected

Behavior & Self-Regulation

Frequent emotional outbursts or power struggles, particularly during stress or demands
Difficulty with transitions or unexpected changes
Rigid thinking, shutdowns, or intense emotional reactions
Challenges maintaining frustration, flexibility, or emotional control

Other Common Concerns

Sensory sensitivities that affect daily functioning (e.g., sound, texture, clothing, or food)
Suspected autism or social communication differences
Giftedness or twice-exceptionality (2e), when high ability is paired with challenges
General uncertainty, when something just feels "off" and it's hard to pinpoint why

One Evaluation, Full Picture

Even when families come in with one primary concerns (such as attention, learning or behavior), I take a comprehensive approach that looks across cognitive, academic, emotional, social, and developmental domains.

This whole-child perspective helps ensure that important factors aren't missed and that recommendations are targeted, practical, and meaningful in daily life at home, school, and beyond.

COGNITION

Verbal & Nonverbal Reasoning

Processing Speed

Memory

LEARNING & ACADEMICS

Reading

Writing

Math

EXECUTIVE FUNCTIONING

Attention

Inhibitory Control

Cognitive Flexibility

SOCIAL INTERACTION

Social Understanding

Emotional Insight

Perspective-Taking

SENSORY PROCESSING

Auditory & Visual Processing

Sensory Sensitivities & Seeking

EMOTION & BEHAVIOR REGULATION

Emotional Regulation

Anxiety & Mood

Each evaluation is thoughtfully tailored to your child’s age, profile, and presenting concerns, so that you leave with clear understanding and actionable recommendations.

What To Expect

The evaluation process is intentionally structured so families receive clarity quickly and can begin implementing recommendations right away without months of waiting.

Getting Started

Initial contact, consultation, and scheduling

Every evaluation begins with a conversation, you do not need a referral from a doctor or school to reach out. Parents, caregivers, and educators often notice concerns related to learning, behavior, emotions, or development and want a clearer understanding of what's going on. Reaching out down not require having everything figured out.

A complimentary 10-15 minute phone consultation with Dr. Hampton is offered to discuss concerns, review the evaluation process, and determine fit. This conversation is designed to provide clarity and answer initial questions before moving forward.

To minimize delays and uncertainty, all three evaluation components (intake, testing, and feedback) are scheduled together from the outset. This structure helps ensure continuity and allows families to move efficiently from assessment to understanding and next steps.

Learning Your Child's Story

Developmental, academic, and emotional context

A 90-minute collaborative interview session is conducted with parents/caregivers and, when appropriate, with the child or adolescent included. The focus of this session is to allow Dr. Hampton to gather comprehensive background information, including:

Birth and developmental history
Medical and mental health background
Family and social context
School experiences and academic records
Presenting concerns

This whole-child/adolescent perspective helps us understand how your child/adolescent’s past and present experiences shape who they are today. It ensures the evaluation is personalized, meaningful, and rooted in real-life allowing Dr. Hampton to:

Understand how potential symptoms have manifest and changed over time
Explore current concerns in-depth
Learn about your child’s development, personality, and daily routines
Understand emotional, social, and behavioral patterns that may not appear in testing
Hear directly from adolescents about their own experiences, challenges, and goals

This conversation is a key step in our whole-child review, helping us see beyond the data to truly understand your child’s unique perspective and lived experience. It ensures the evaluation feels personalized, supportive, and meaningful.

Conducting Individualized Testing & Observation

Targeted assessment tailored to your child

About one week after the intake session, your child will return for a testing session that typically lasts 3-5 hours with breaks throughout.

What to expect:

- The experience feels more like puzzles and games than traditional schoolwork
- Testing can be split over two shorter days, if needed, to support your child’s focus and comfort
- Activities are chosen based on your child’s age, abilities, and referral questions

Parent options:

- Parents are welcome to stay in the waiting area, step out and return later, or check-in during breaks. We’ll make sure your child feels comfortable and supported throughout the process.

This session provides essential insight into how your child thinks, learns, and processes information forming the foundation for a thoughtful, individualized evaluation.

Putting It All Together & Next Steps

Clear findings, recommendations, and support planning

A feedback session is provided approximately two weeks after testing, designed to be integrative and comprehensive. A completed written report reflecting findings is provided day-of and utilized for discussion during the session covering:

- Standardized test scores
- Any relevant diagnoses
- Clear, practical recommendations tailored to your child’s needs at home and school

This is a parent-focused conversation, so your child does not need to attend. This appointment may be conducted virtually, and you’ll have time to ask questions, reflect, and discuss next steps for support. The goal is to ensure you feel informed, supported, and confident in understanding your child’s unique profile and how to move forward.