MindWorks Blog
ABOUT THE INTELLIGENCE QUOTIENT
Posted on May 15, 2012
Have you ever wondered if your child has a learning disability? Perhaps you've noticed that it takes him/her a while to grasp certain concepts, but it's not that your child isn't bright—he/she eventually learns the principles and understands the subject matter. Sometimes students have a high IQ, but slower processing speeds in certain subjects.
Intelligence Quotient (IQ) testing measures thinking abilities, verbal abilities and processing speed, among other abilities to understand the level at which an individual is able to understand, process and use information.
IQ scores:
- 80 – less-than- average intelligence
- 100 – average
- 105 – average needed for college-level work
- 120 – average needed for post-graduate studies/medical school
- 140 – genius or near genius
The 4th grade is when learning issues often start appearing because of a heightened intellectual demand than what was previously required in Kindergarten – 3rd grades. However, IQ testing can be given as early as 5 years old, and many parents test their children early to know what's possible for their future. Test results can be used to seek special accommodations for learning disabilities, admission into special or private schools, or for educational forecasting.
EXPLORING HIDDEN APTITUDES OF HS GRADUATES
Posted on May 2, 2012
This year the average annual tuition to attend a private, four-year college is around $28,500. With such a daunting figure, parents of upcoming college freshmen often worry about the many financial decisions to be made — hoping terms like "fifth-year senior" don't exist in their student's vocabulary. Alternatively, many high school graduates find it difficult to determine what major they should choose upon entering college.
This is where psychological testing comes in. By discovering their interests, personality traits and any previously undiagnosed learning disabilities, students are able to learn their ideal occupational direction and clarify their vocational goals.
Comprehensive psychological assessments reveal an individual's strengths and weaknesses, answering many questions that may have caused learning or social problems for your student in the past. Evaluating your student's mental characteristics through career, personality, learning disability and other testing can help recent high school graduates find hidden aptitudes — allowing them to choose a major they may not have considered. Of the many beneficial psychological assessments, the Strong Campbell Interest Inventory can provide insight specifically into the interest patterns of your student.
- Psychological assessments can help determine:
- Basic Interests
- providing specific information about your student's interests
- Personal Styles
- defining your student's preferred work, learning, leading, risk taking and team participation style
- Occupational Interests
- relating your student's interest patterns to those patterns of satisfied workers in a preferred occupation
- General Personality Information
- helping students discover their preferred work environment
UNDERSTANDING PERSONALITY
Posted on April 19, 2012
Every person has a distinctive personality—an organized set of traits and characteristics making them unique. Such qualities not only indicate a person's social interaction patterns, but also how he/she perceives the world. Personality assessments through psychological testing can reveal other core information about an individual, including:
- Behavior (social and personal)
- Thought patterns
- Feelings
- Motivations
Recognizing these traits can help with pre-marital and marital issues, understanding your child's school performance, and recognizing why your teenager "acts out," among other things. Only trained professionals can provide an accurate personality assessment. For those making New Year's resolutions, a personality test may be just the ticket to discover the motivations behind what makes you, your spouse or your child tick.
PLANNING FOR BLISS
Posted on April 3, 2012
Before engagement, couples should discover their similarities, differences, weaknesses, strengths, how to handle conflict and how to build each other up. Dating relationships tell a lot about an individual, and differences that may impact the relationship are helpful or important to understand.
- Nervous/Composed
- Depressive/Light-Hearted
- Active-Social/Quiet
- Expressive Responsive/Inhibited
- Sympathetic/Indifferent
- Subjective/Objective
- Dominant/Submissive
- Hostile/Tolerant
- Self-Disciplined/Impulsive
Since psychological testing points out potential areas of conflict, testing results are helpful for pre-marital counseling. Engaged couples that desire to protect their relationship through life's ups and downs would greatly benefit from facing possible issues early on and not waiting until they are in the sacred, life-long commitment of marriage.
ADOLESCENTS AND ANXIETY
Posted on March 20, 2012
Did you know? 7% of college students have an anxiety disorder. Alarmingly, if you stretch that statistic out a few years to adulthood, you’d find that anxiety-related disorders cost the United States roughly $42 billion a year in work-related and medical losses.
Unfortunately, many people don’t realize that this issue can be a crippling problem, as it interferes with a person’s ability to lead a normal life. And, for many students, it can be hard to discuss with others. While it’s a common emotion that many students experience, an anxiety disorder constitutes a serious mental illness. For those suffering from a disorder, such as panic, obsessive-compulsive or social anxiety, the constant fear and worry can be debilitating — both emotionally and academically.
With the wide range of anxiety disorders that exist, symptoms can vary depending on the type.
However, if your child is experiencing one or more of the following symptoms, he or she may be suffering from severe anxiety:
- Nervousness
- Inability to control worrying
- Restlessness, feeling on edge
- Tiring easily
- Difficulty concentrating
- Muscle tension or tightness
- Difficulty sleeping
If you think your child may be suffering from this kind of disorder, have them tested — the sooner, the better. It’s worth it for your child to forgo suffering from a lifelong issue.
EARLY DETECTION CAN FOSTER FASTER, EASIER LEARNING
Posted on March 6, 2012
Sometimes learning difficulties are not readily apparent until adolescence or adulthood — when the complexity of information becomes greater than an individual's ability to compensate.
44% of parents who noticed their child exhibiting signs of difficulty with learning waited a year or more before acknowledging their child might have a serious problem.
Since many of tomorrow's opportunities depend on what is learned in school today, have your child tested for a lifetime of faster, easier learning. Get to know how the mind works through psychological testing. To learn more, call 281.480.7554 or visit mindworkstesting.org.
Source: Roper Starch Poll: Measuring Progress in Public and Parental Understanding of Learning Disabilities, 2000
STRUGGLING WITH PROCESSING INFORMATION?
Posted on February 24, 2012
You as an adult or your child may have difficulties processing information. Often this struggle is not obvious because both kids and adults can develop compensation skills to cope with their learning struggles. However, poor reading comprehension or problems staying focused are frequently symptoms of an individual's inability to process information in a timely fashion.
At MindWorks Testing, we can distinguish if you or your child truly has difficulty processing information. With the right tests, your child can have their specific needs met at school (for 504 Accommodations), and you as an adult can create an accurate strategy to overcome problems at work, and in other professional arenas.
ARE YOU IN THE RIGHT CAREER?
Posted on February 14, 2012
Many professionals are confused, unhappy or burned out in their jobs. If you have any one of these feelings, you may be in a career that is not best suited for your personality. Quite often, people do not end up working in the same field they studied in college, and to be happy at work, it is crucial to discover what you are passionate about.
At MindWorks Testing, we offer career preferences testing and counseling to reveal occupational interests and clarify vocational goals. Testing results can also assist in finding hidden aptitudes that professionals can capitalize on during their job hunt.
Individuals who most benefit from career preferences testing include:
- Unemployed professionals
- Adults seeking a career change
- College students
- Graduating high school students
DO YOU KNOW THE THREE SUBTYPES OF ADHD?
Posted on January 31, 2012
Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) is one of the most prevalent and widely researched diagnoses of U.S. children. Often accompanied by a specific learning disability, ADHD can make it very difficult for a child to succeed in school. Diagnosis depends on a complete evaluation, which includes testing, by a mental health professional.
The three subtypes of ADHD:
- Inattentive type: inability to pay attention to details, difficulty with sustained attention, forgetfulness in daily activities
- Hyperactive-impulsive type: fidgeting or squirming, difficulty remaining seated, excessive running or climbing
- Combined type: combination of the other two types and is the most common
At MindWorks Testing, we offer comprehensive evaluations for ADD, ADHD and learning disabilities. Our experienced clinicians will assess the type and severity of your child's condition and recommend a tailored treatment plan. Suggested treatment options may include diet changes, medication, behavioral intervention and therapy, exercise recommendations and more.
HOW PSYCHOLOGICAL TESTING HELPS YOUR CHILD.
Posted on January 3, 2012
While many students are in their element at school, others may appear bored or disengaged. Psychological testing can help parents know more about their children's educational experience, including:
- How they learn and retain information
- Whether they are gifted and talented
- Why they may be under-performing
- If they are in the right grade
Many schools have a long waiting list for testing services, so consider MindWorks Testing to help get your student in the right class or on the right track. Our psychological testing results can also be used to demonstrate that your child qualifies for 504 accommodations at school. We offer testing for:
- Gifted & Talented
- Learning Disabilities
- ADD & ADHD
- IQ
- Developmental Delays
- Cognitive Delays
CHALLENGING AN EXCEPTIONALLY BRIGHT CHILD.
Posted on December 20, 2011
Have you noticed that your child is particularly idealistic or a perfectionist? Does he or she find certain subjects or concepts very simple while his or her peers seem to struggle? If the answer is "yes," your child may be eligible for Gifted and Talented (GT) classes. GT students are children or youth who perform at (or exhibit potential for performing at) an extraordinarily high level of achievement. They usually excel in one or more of the following areas:
- Intelligence
- Creative Thinking
- Visual/Performing Arts
- Leadership
- Specific Academic Ability
Because GT students usually become bored with their grade-level work, most schools place these bright youth in advanced programs so they can fulfill their academic potential. If your school district has a waiting list for advanced-placement testing, consider MindWorks Testing to get your children in the right class for their capabilities.