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Frequently Asked Questions

Juvenile Psychological Testing

It is not unusual for the court to require youths to submit to psychological testing in order to gather information and make decisions which will assist a youth in benefiting from his or her experience with the court system. There are three levels of testing used by the court.

Level I Assessment consists of a clinical interview. Questions to be answered in a Level I Assessment include the following:

• Does this person need therapy?
• If so, how can this person benefit from therapy?
• If not, give an explanation.
• If they can benefit, what is the recommended treatment plan?

Expected time for a Level I Assessment is 1 hour.

Level II Assessment should include the same information in Level I and should also include the following:

• An actuarial test (e.g., Millon, MMPI or Hilson Adolescent Profile; for younger youths, other tests may be substituted)
• An I.Q. range (e.g., Shipley, Slossen)
• A clinical interview with DSM-IV diagnosis
• Treatment Recommendation

Expected time for a Level II Assessment is 2-4 hours.

A Level III Assessment consists of the same information in a Level II and also includes the following:

• Projective Testing (e.g., TAT, Sentence Completion, Drawings, Rorschach)
• An ADHD Evaluation/Screen
• More specific intelligence testing if indicated (e.g., WISC)

Expected time for a Level III assessment is 4-6 hours.

Any licensed therapist in Kansas or Missouri is qualified to complete a Level I assessment.  A Level II may be completed by a master's level psychologist.  Only a licensed Ph.D. psychologist may complete a Level III assessment. We suggest client's begin their search by contacting their insurance provider. If they do not have health insurance, we suggest they contact their local mental health agency.

If you have questions regarding psychological testing, please contact your supervising officer, or the Court Services Juvenile Division at 913-715-7400.