Often employees seek a psychoeducational assessment because they are noticing patterns of difficulty at work that get in the way of performing their essential duties well (e.g., writing or reading difficulties, math problems, difficulty picking up on non-verbal cues, problems sustaining attention, prioritizing, time management, etc). A psychoeducational assessment can help employees and employers gain a better understanding of the problem and how to work with it or overcome it all together. Canada has strong legislation to protect people with disabilities. Employers and employees with learning difficulties should work together for mutual benefit.
How do I know if I need a psychoeducational assessment?
Here are few things that are commonly observed among adults who are struggling:
- Slow to read and comprehend
- Spelling errors
- Reluctance to read or write
- Poor writing skills
- Doesn’t complete work
- Gets easily frustrated
- Slow to complete tasks
- Easily distracted
- Memory seems poor – doesn’t retain information
- Trouble organizing written text, ideas, things
- Difficulty with multi-step instructions
- Problems prioritizing and managing time
How should I prepare for a psychoeducational assessment?
It helps us to know that you have had a recent physical examination and that possible physical causes for your concerns have been ruled out. Also, because of the importance of hearing and vision to learning it is ideal to have hearing and vision tested by a proper specialist prior to the assessment.
What are accommodations?
People with learning disabilities often benefit from accommodations and these will be part of the recommendations section of your report. Accommodations could involve the use of different strategies (e.g., use of visual organizers, extra time) and may include adaptive technologies (e.g., spell check, tape recording) for improved work performance. It will be important to inform your employer of exactly what your needs for accomodation are. Employers and employees who have learning disabilities have a shared responsibility for making the accommodation process a success and we’re here to support you in reaching that goal.
Note: Always hold on to a copy of your report as a part of your health history. Reports are often requested many years down the road and can be invaluable to those offering support.