What Should You Expect from a Pre-Adoption Psychological Evaluation?
A pre-adoption psychological evaluation is an important and imperative step for the healthy upbringing of the child. It also assists the potential adoptive parents to give their best in the future. It is therefore a required step in the international adoption process.
While every country may differ in their requirements for a pre-adoption psychological evaluation, the process of the testing remains the same. The approximate duration of time for the pre-adoption psychological evaluation is approximately three to four hours. The interview is divided into two parts. The first part is typically two hours and entails the administration of standardized psychological assessments. The second part is approximately an hour and is dedicated to the one-to-one interview between potential adoptive parents and the psychologist.
Interview
The key reason of carrying out an interview is to develop an accurate history of the each parent as well the couple. We also like to review the Home Study Report (HSR) if it has been completed.
Psychological Assessment
The psychological assessments are usually composed of composed of true or false questions. The couple planning to adopt child is requested to conduct the test in the psychologist’s office. It is not a general knowledge or education based quiz. For this, one does not have to study. It requires the respondent to select the best possible answer according to their preference. It is normal to feel anxious while attempting the assessment, particularly when one comes across the questions which do not seem to be related to the adoption procedure. The results are then discussed in the psychological report.
What happens after the interview and Psychological Assessment?
Following the detailed interview plus pre-adoption psychological assessment, the psychologist composes one letter according to the country’s requirements. It generally takes two to three weeks for the final report to be completed.
During the interview and the test, be yourself and know that it is normal to feel a little anxious. It is absolutely fine to open up in front of the psychologist regarding your previous psychological issues and personal history.
At PsychCare, we make the Pre-Adoption Evaluation as seamless as possible and are sensitive to the concerns and issues that a pre-adoptive couple or individual may have experienced in the past. Issues such as past psychological treatment for anxiety, loss of a pregnancy, and difficulty conceiving are frequently encountered and are treated with understanding and compassion. We know that the adoption process is stressful and will assist you in this step of the process in a thoughtful and timely manner. Our psychologists have completed countless Pre-Adoption Evaluations and are highly familiar with the requirements with numerous countries who participate in international adoptions.
Contact us today to start the Pre-Adoption Evaluation process. We start with a free 15 minute phone consultation to discuss the requirements for the country you plan to adopt from as well as details of the process and costs. Then we schedule approximately 3-4 hours of time (which can take place on the same day if needed, or spread out over several sessions depending upon your schedule). After the interview and testing, the report will be sent to the required parties within 2-3 weeks.
Please click here to complete our online inquire form or call our office at 410-343-9756 if you are interested in finding out more about our pre-adoption psychological evaluation services.