Importance of Developmental Assessment

Developmental assessment for adolescents and children is important for  various reasons. The assessments are carried out because of a concern  associated with the child’s developmental disorder or delay (Sadock,  2014). Hence, such assessments can help identify potential developmental  problems and the necessity for further diagnostic assessments. Also,  they can offer an objective description of the child’s deficits and  abilities, establish suitability for programs, and assist in the  preparation of suitable interventions. A psychological evaluation is  recommended to children and adolescents for numerous reasons. One reason  is that children and adolescents may have behavior or even attention  issues both in school and at home. Other reasons are that some kids and  adolescents could be subjected to mistreatment or bullying, be anxious,  or even depressed or have learning disorders (Angold, & Costello,  2000). Usually, when children and adolescents have learning difficulties  or appear to be developmentally behind compared to their peers, they  are most likely advised to go through a psychological evaluation. That  kind of assessment is essential since the results help individuals know  the areas that the child and adolescents do well in and those areas that  need to be addressed (King, 1997). Generally, carrying out a  psychiatric evaluation helps to promote children’s and adolescent’s  improvement in emotional functioning and even their academics. It allows  psychologists to develop appropriate strategies to assist these  children and adolescents in realizing or achieving their full  capabilities.

Two Assessment Tools

The  two assessment tools are related to diagnostic interviews. The first  instrument is the MINI Kid (Mini international neuropsychiatric  interview for children and adolescents. The instrument covers a broader  range of diagnosis which are apply to both children and adolescents. Its  validity and reliability have been tested and is recognized as a useful  tool in diagnosing adolescents and children. The other instrument is  CAPA (child and adolescent psychiatric assessment) which is a structured  interview that covers the age range between nine to seventeen. It  evaluates those disorders that impair cognitive, emotional, behavioral,  or physical functioning. The instruments are used in children and  adolescents and not children because first the child and adolescents  setting are different from those of the adults and hence the triggering  factors may be different and so does the interview questions (APA,  2013). Second, adolescents and children are at a continuous  developmental stage and hence the internal factors such as cognition and  behavior may vary from adults and hence the lack of use. Also, the  assessment for children and adolescent is complex and since the adults  were once children and adolescents, the use of such instruments may not  be necessary. Lastly, what may affect a child, or an adolescent may fade  in adulthood.

Treatment Options

One of the treatment options in adolescents and children that may not  be used in adults is related to ADHD treatment Sadock, (2014). This  includes the use of Clonidine. This is because this treatment option  helps symptoms such as aggression, impulsivity, and hyperactivity, all  of which may diminish in adulthood and hence not highly prescribed in  adults. The second treatment option is the play therapy. Although such  play therapies related to recreation and art are recommended for adults,  others such as playing with toys, and other children items are not  used. This is because such techniques are meant to assess the functional  attributes of children hence not effective in adults.

Role of parents

Parents play a crucial role in the treatment and assessment of children  and adolescents. First is offering support and encouragement during  both processes. They also ensure that the process is done successfully  through effective collaboration and engagement. Parents’ engagement in  psychiatric evaluation and treatment is vital. Their involvement gives  them the opportunity, from the beginning, to ask relevant queries and  contribute toward the various treatments and even numerous supports that  are recommended for the child. There are others essential role that  parents play in the evaluation and treatment process since they give  valuable information concerning their children and also give ideas,  proficiency, and insight regarding the approaches that work excellently  for their children and families (Romanelli et al., 2009). Parents are  also expected to put into action strategies in their homes to support  their children to achieve their treatment goals. Asking questions is  also essential since it helps parents to learn more concerning their  children’s mental disorders or statuses. Generally, parents are a  crucial asset in the entire evaluation and treatment procedure since  their involvement positively affects the treatment’s outcome. Also,  parents’ involvement empowers them to keep on nurturing their children’s  development.

Reference

American Psychiatric Association. (2013). Diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders (5th ed.). Washington, DC: Author.Sadock, B. J. (2014). Sadock’s synopsis of psychiatry: behavioral science/clinical psychiatry. 11th.

Angold, A., & Costello, E. J. (2000). The child and adolescent psychiatric assessment(CAPA). Journal of the American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry, 39(1), 39-48.

King, R. A. (1997). Practice parameters for the psychiatric assessment of children and adolescents. Journal of the American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry, 36(10), 4S-20S.

Romanelli, L. H., Landsverk, J., Mass, J., Levitt, L. K. L., Hurley, M. M., Bellonci, C., … & Peter, S. (2009). Best practices for mental health in child welfare: Screening, assessment, and treatment guidelines. Mental Health Services for Children Placed in Foster Care: An Overview of Current Challenges, 88(1).