• Background
• Purpose
• Test Administered
• Result – KHT drawing
• Result – CSTM
• Result – CPM
• Conclusion
• Recommendation

Background

This was my first test and at the age of 5 years old, I was extremely clingy and anxious in new places. My mother was allowed to sit beside me during the test which was conducted by a private psychologist.

Purpose

The purpose of this assessment is to find out the reason for not being able to read, write and count despite a year of schooling and the difficult behavior at home. Initially, my mother thought that I was pretending and often punished me for my “attention seeking” gimmick.

Some causes for concern given to the psychologist for assessment were:

- dreamy, tired and dependent on others/teachers

- reserved and extremely clingy

Tests administered

1. Kinetic-house-tree person drawing (KHT drawing)
2. The Children’s Seriational Thinking modifiability test (CSTM)
3. Coloured progressive matrices (CPM)

Result- KHT drawing

Based on my child-like drawing, the psychologist could derived an understanding of my emotions, feelings about myself, concept of my role in life and in relation to other person’s life which are expressed through the styles, symbols and actions depicted in the drawings.

My drawing indicated:

• feelings of inferiority, inadequacy or insecurity.
• withdrawal tendencies, as well as a tendency to avoid new experiences or to remain absorbed in fantasy.
• hints of dependency tendencies and a fear of independent action.

Overall my drawing indicated the need for support associated with feelings of insecurity and low self-assurance.

A drawing of my “ONE Friend”

Result – CSTM

This test is taken to assess my ability to:

• Search for relevant dimensions needed for the seriational solutions
• Understand strategies of creating the required seriation
• Work more systematically to construct the correct order
• Control irrelevant dimensions when working on a relevant one

Improve efficiency of performance

Test results indicated that I was modifiable and able to understand strategies, work systematically and improve efficiency of performance when required to do so.

Result – CPM

Measures the ability to perceive and think clearly.

I was found to be capable of forming comparisons and reasoning by analogy, as well as, organizing spatial perceptions into systematically related wholes.

Conclusion:

Overall, the three tests showed that the inability to concentrate, as well as any learning difficulties that I may have, is not a result of a general slow learning potential, nor a lack of understanding of verbal concepts. It then imply that any reading, writing or spelling difficulties might be the result of other factors, such as ‘emotional blocks’, or perceptual difficulties, which may be further investigated.

Recommendations:

• Extra support from teachers and parents – give encouragement and understanding, rather than to be pressured/threatened to complete work
• Extra support in improving self-esteem and participate in activities where she can be proud of herself and her achievements
• Find ways to improve attention and focus towards structured learning
• At home – need to develop a range of independent skills, academic or otherwise in order to help her to cope.

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