Psychological Evaluations FAQ's...

Do I have to tell the doctor everything?

Why should I tell the doctor anything?

Can they help me figure out ways to work on things that are bothering me?

Where does this happen?

What’s a parent/child interaction?

Why am I seeing a psychologist? I’m not crazy.

What’s this involve, anyway?

Will the questions be personal?

Is this confidential?

How long does it take?

When do I get to see the doctor’s report about me and my family?

So, why should I do this?

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Do I have to tell the doctor everything? No. You don’t have to tell the psychologist anything you don’t want to.

Why should I tell the doctor anything? Because your family is already involved with DCF, people like therapists, counselors, parent aides, DCF workers, judges and lawyers are already doing a lot of talking about you and your family. Different people have different ideas, and you may not agree with what they say. This is another way (besides having your lawyer talk for you) to tell the judge how you feel, what you think and what you’ve seen. Also, the psychologist is working to find things that will help you and your family. The more information you can give him or her, the more likely it is that he or she can find the right answers.

Can they help me figure out ways to work on things that are bothering me? Sort of, but probably not like you’d think. The psychologist’s job is to help the judge find the right solutions for you and your family. Though most psychologists do counseling, that isn’t what they’re supposed to be doing when they see you and they can’t really give you advice.

Where does this happen? Depends on what the judge orders, but often these meetings take place at the psychologist’s office. Less often, they might take place at a court, the DCF office, or other places where you or other people in your family may be living.

What’s a parent/child interaction? The psychologist will watch you and your families do something together so he can tell the judge how you and your family act when they are together. You might just talk, or you could sit and play cards or a game. These sessions are usually 45 minutes to an hour.

Why am I seeing a psychologist? I’m not crazy. Judges think of psychiatrists and psychologists as experts in understanding about people’s feelings and behavior, and ask them to get this kind of information to help make decisions about what is best for families,

What’s this involve, anyway? Expect to answer a lot of questions.  These questions can sometimes be pretty boring, and you may have answered some of them already, but it is important that the doctor hears what you have to say so he is not depending on what others have said. Most teenagers also have to fill out some questionnaires which sort of look like CMT’s or skill tests.  These tests help the psychologist understand how you are doing and, if there are concerns, what sort of things might help.

Will the questions be personal? Probably. Since DCF and the court are involved because of issues in your family, you can be pretty sure some questions will be about you, your brothers and sisters, and your parents. Also, judges want to know how you and your family members are doing during a stressful time, so the psychologist will want to ask you about feelings. Sometimes these are sensitive things to talk about, and personal.

Is this confidential? Absolutely not. Anything you talk about at the psychological evaluation will be put in a report and might be talked about at court.

How long does it take? It depends on you, but you can expect to be at the evaluation for about the same amount of time you are at school.  Also, just like at school, some people are faster at writing and answering questions, and some kids talk more than others. The important thing is that you pace yourself, and not get too stressed out doing all this. If the doctor doesn’t offer you breaks, ask for them. Most of the time, this can all be finished in a day, but sometimes you might have to come back for a shorter time another day.

When do I get to see the doctor’s report about me and my family? You don’t. Judges want this information to help them make their decision, and that’s mostly what this is about. Your lawyer may tell you some of the things in the report, but this is mainly for discussions in court.

So, why should I do this? Your lawyer, your parents’ lawyers, or DCF usually asks for a psychological evaluation when things aren’t going the way everyone had planned, like when a family isn’t getting back together quickly, or when things that people thought would help haven’t. Judges want this information because the psychologist doesn’t work for DCF, the state or even the judge. They want an “outside opinion” to help them decide what to do now. When you participate, those decisions have more to do with what you say and think.

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This information was prepared with the assistance of Kelly F. Rogers, Ph.D