Parent experiences of their child's assessment

Description of impact

This research addresses the critical need to improve the parent experience during a child's psychological assessment process, which was historically overlooked. There is a notable disconnect between clinicians' perceived work and parents' actual perception of the assessment process. This work highlights that the parent's journey through assessment can be metaphorically understood as a "hero's journey", emphasizing the challenges and transformative potential for families. The core finding is that the relationship between clinicians and parents is instrumental in a child's success, and improving this relationship through specific practices can significantly enhance outcomes. Key insights include the importance of gathering parent expectations, considering testing before the intake, and holding a second feedback meeting.

The primary knowledge users of this work are clinicians, specifically mental health professionals involved in child and adolescent psychological assessments. Parents undergoing or considering assessments for their children are also indirect beneficiaries and critical stakeholders. As a result of this work, clinicians are encouraged to adopt a more parent-centric approach to the assessment process, proactively gathering parent expectations, being mindful of common mistakes, and providing more robust support after evaluations. The benefit of this change is a significantly improved quality of life for families by making the often-stressful assessment journey more supportive and effective. By enhancing the parent-clinician relationship and empowering parents, the process is better geared towards maximizing confidence and resilience in children and their families. Evidence supporting this impact includes the active dissemination in a peer-reviewed journal, resources used by clinicians in the community, and two dedicated episodes on the The Testing Psychologist podcast, which offers CE credits for professionals, indicating a structured effort for professional development and knowledge uptake. Listener comments like "Love these episodes, so many gems!" provide qualitative indication of the perceived value and relevance of the information for the audience.

Does this research involve place-based activities in the Athabasca region? (yes/no)

No

Category of impact	Scholarly, Public awareness, Policy