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Teachers and parents have long known that when students are diagnosed with dyslexia at a young age, tailored reading interventions and accommodations can help them achieve academic success. However, until a few years ago, there were few legal mandates that defined how (or if) schools should screen for dyslexia and implement interventions. Many students with dyslexia were not being identified, and many of those students who needed help still weren’t getting it.  

In 2013, only two states required universal screening for dyslexia in schools. Now, thanks in part to a push for mandatory early screening tests, teacher training, and remediation programs from the grassroots group Decoding Dyslexia, there are only five remaining states that don’t have dyslexia legislation that’s either been passed or is pending.  

One of the most common elements of these laws is the implementation of universal dyslexia screening and intervention. However, dyslexia is not a one-size-fits-all reading disorder–there are different subtypes with different symptoms that require different interventions. It is important to screen all students for dyslexia—but it’s just as important to screen accurately to ensure appropriate intervention.

The Feifer Assessment of Reading (FAR) Screening Form measures phonemic awareness, rapid automatic naming, and semantic concepts and indicates risk of dyslexia in just 15 minutes.

For students who need a more comprehensive evaluation, the FAR's 15 subtests evaluate four specific subtypes of reading disorders: dysphonetic dyslexia, surface dyslexia, mixed dyslexia, and reading comprehension deficits. Dyslexia is a brain-based disorder, and the FAR uses a brain-based approach to measure the underlying cognitive and linguistic processes that support proficient reading skills and inform diagnosis. The available FAR Interpretive Report scores all subtests and includes detailed interpretations and targeted reading interventions based on the student’s age and scores.

Learn more on our free training portal and help your struggling students go FAR.

 

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Trauma touches people at every level of our society: children who have witnessed violence; soldiers with posttraumatic stress disorder; adults who have experienced traumatic losses. PAR is proud to offer a number of assessment instruments that can assist in the evaluation and treatment of trauma across the age range.

Here are just some of the trauma-based instruments we have available:

Trauma Symptom Inventory-2 (TSI-2): The gold-standard measure to evaluate the effects of traumatic events in adults ages 18 years and older.

Trauma Symptom Checklist for Young Children (TSCYC): The first broadband trauma measure for children ages 3 to 12 years who have been exposed to traumatic events.

Trauma Symptom Checklist for Children (TSCC): Allows you to measure posttraumatic stress and related symptomatology in children ages 8 to 16 years.

Trauma Symptom Checklist for Children Screening Form (TSCC-SF) and
Trauma Symptom Checklist for Young Children Screening Form (TSCYC-SF): Allow you to quickly screen children from ages 3 to 17 years for symptoms of trauma and determine if follow-up evaluation and treatment is warranted.

Detailed Assessment of Posttraumatic Stress (DAPS): A self-report instrument for adults ages 18 and above that provides a detailed assessment of PTSD in a short amount of time.

The TSCYC, TSCC, TSCYC-SF, TSCC-SF, and TSI-2 are also available in Spanish.

Help those dealing with trauma, no matter the cause or their age. To learn more, click on any of the product name links above.
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Need help choosing the version of the Academic Achievement Battery (AAB) that best fits your needs? Here’s a little insight to help you choose which assessment product is right for you.

AAB

What it does: Delivers a quick measure of basic academic skills, including a reading comprehension subtest.

Administration and scoring time: 15-30 minutes to administer; 5-10 minutes to score.

When to use it: To obtain a quick and accurate measure of an individual’s performance that includes a reading comprehension subtest.

How it helps clinicians: Offers a quick, efficient measure of academic achievement that includes a Reading Composite score, which provides more data to understand an individual’s reading skills.

 

AAB Comprehensive

What it does: Provides a complete assessment of an individual’s overall performance on seven disparate aspects of achievement.

Administration and scoring time: 90 minutes to administer; 15 minutes to score.

When to use it: To conduct an in-depth and complete assessment of academic achievement.

How it helps clinicians: Provides a complete assessment of an individual’s academic skills that is suitable for use in eligibility decisions or intervention planning; IQ discrepancy data are available.

 

AAB Screening

What it does: Offers a snapshot of performance in four areas of achievement, including a measure of writing.

Administration and scoring time: 15-30 minutes to administer; 5-10 minutes to score.

When to use it: To perform a fast and reliable screening of academic achievement that offers an optional writing subtest.

How it helps clinicians: Delivers a fundamental evaluation of academic skills for those referred for learning or vocational concerns.

 

 

 

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A key part of meeting the needs of your clients is choosing the appropriate assessment instrument. Some clients may present with specific symptoms that clearly lead you to a full assessment vehicle. Other instances may not be so clear cut. In those situations, a screening test can be the best starting point.

One of the biggest advantages of screening tests is the ability to confirm or rule out specific issues. They can also save you time and money versus administering a full assessment product.

PAR offers a total of 37 screening, short, and abbreviated forms that cover a variety of constructs. The full list is as follows:

Please note that for some products, you may have to go to the parent product page, as not all screeners have their own web page. With so many to choose from, we’re confident that we have a screening instrument to meet your needs.


 

You may know the Personality Assessment Screener (PAS) can help you assess a broad range of clinical problems. Here are five things about the PAS that you may not know:

  1. The PAS screens for the major domains covered in the trusted Personality Assessment Inventory (PAI). Its 22 items are those from the PAI that are the most sensitive to a broad range of contemporary clinical problems.

  2. The PAS requires only a 4th-grade reading level. This enables individuals with poor reading skills to provide accurate self-descriptions.

  3. The PAS assesses the potential for emotional and behavioral problems. Items are organized into 10 different scores that represent 10 distinct clinical problem domains.

  4. The PAS is designed for use as a triage instrument. It’s suitable for use in health care and mental health settings, corporate employee assistance programs, and college health services.

  5. The PAS is quick and convenient. Administration takes just 10 minutes and is available in pencil and paper format or 24/7 via PARiConnect, our online assessment platform.


Learn more about the PAS today!

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