School Psychologist's Perspective on Assessing Students with TBI

Assessment of students with TBI can pose special challenges. Here are some issues that warrant consideration:

Change and recovery issues

The goal of initial assessment is to provide base-line information for educational planning. As much as possible, schedule assessments close to the time the results will be utilized. This is important because of the rapid changes occurring after the injury. It is best to use periodic ongoing assessments rather than a single assessment.

Pay attention to the changes noticed by significant people in the student’s life:  Changes in personality and behavior are quite common for students who have had a TBI. These changes often lead to difficulties readjusting to the social aspects of school.

Developmental issues may influence assessment results

For example, a student may not demonstrate difficulties in abstract thinking at a younger age, but problems may become apparent as the student matures. Don’t make predictions about how well the student will or won’t perform in the future, however, be careful not to mislead parents into thinking there won’t be problems later.

Be aware of practice effects

If a student has had recent previous assessments in the hospital or in a rehabilitation facility.

Assessment of TBI

Assessment of a student with a TBI is not the same as an assessment of a student with LD or other disability – it is different. It is usually recommended that the assessment be conducted along behavioral or cognitive domains rather than a global assessment. For example, rather than conducting an overall IQ test, assess memory, attention, specific behaviors (e.g., depression), and cognitive tasks such as mental flexibility or planning.

Adapted from:

Telzrow, C. (1991). The school psychologist’s perspective on testing students with traumatic brain injury. Journal of Head Trauma Rehabilitation, 6 (1), 23–34.