Parent Feedback About Psychologists' Reports

What is it about?

When a psychologist evaluates a child, they write a report explaining results and what to do next. Thirty-eight parents reviewed two versions of a report typical of what many receive from psychologists about their children. One was written the traditional way, full of jargon and organized around test scores. The other was written in plain language and organized by real-life concerns. Parents were clear. The traditional reports were hard to understand and made them feel shut out. Even parents with advanced degrees said the reports were nearly impossible to read. One parent said the report felt like it was about the tests, not their child. Another said it was "just more of taking away my voice." The plain language version got the opposite reaction. Parents called it a relief. They said it put the child back into the report and helped them understand what was going on and what to do about it.

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Photo by AbsolutVision on Unsplash

Photo by AbsolutVision on Unsplash

Why is it important?

Most parents in this study had college degrees and experience navigating the special education system. If they struggled, families with fewer resources face even greater barriers. When parents can't understand a psychologists' report, they can't get their children the help they need.