Therapeutic Assessment with Children

Therapeutic Assessment with Children presents a ground-breaking paradigm of psychological assessment in which children and families collaborate with the psychologist assessor to understand persistent problems and find new ways of repairing their relationships and moving forward with their lives. This paradigm is systemic, client-centered, and culturally sensitive and is applicable to families from many different backgrounds who often feel misunderstood and disempowered by traditional assessment methods. In this book, the reader will find a step-by-step description of Therapeutic Assessment with Children (TA-C), with ample teaching examples to make each step come alive. Each chapter includes detailed transcripts of assessment sessions with Henry, a ten-year-old boy, and his parents as they progress through a Therapeutic Assessment and find new ways of appreciating each other and being together. The combination of didactic and clinical material will give even new clinicians a groundwork from which to begin to practice TA-C. The volume demonstrates how the core values of TA-C-collaboration, respect, humility, compassion, openness, and curiosity-can be embedded in psychological assessment with children and families. Therapeutic Assessment with Children will be invaluable for graduate assessment courses in clinical, counseling, and school psychology and for seasoned professionals wanting to learn the TA-C model.

Deborah J. Tharinger is Professor Emeritus at the University of Texas, a Licensed Psychologist in Austin, TX, and a Founding Member of the Therapeutic Assessment Institute (TAI). Dale I. Rudin is a Licensed Psychologist in Austin, Texas, and a Founding Member of the TAI. She currently serves on the Board of Directors of TAI. Marita Frackowiak is a Licensed Psychologist in Austin, Texas, and a Founding Member of the TAI. She currently serves on the Board of Directors of TAI. Stephen E. Finn is a Licensed Psychologist in Austin, Texas, and Founder and President of the TAI. He is also Clinical Associate Professor at the University of Texas.

1. Introduction to Therapeutic Assessment With Children 2. Basic Steps, Development, Theory, and Research 3. Phase I - Initial Sessions: Phone Contact, Parent Session, and Parent-Child Session 4. Phase II: Data Gathering/Testing 5. Phase III: Case Conceptualization 6. Phase III: Family Intervention Session 7. Phase IV: Summary/Discussion Session With Parents 8. Phase IV: Summary/Discussion Session With Child 9. Phase IV: Written Communications: Reports and Parent Letters 10. Phase V: Follow-up Session 11. Adapting the TA-C Model to Various Settings 12. Learning and Practicing Therapeutic Assessment With Children 13. Closing Thoughts