Gifted Issues Discussion homepage Forums Identification, Testing & Assessment a tester in Pittsburgh PA?

My daughter is 9 years old and I would like to have her tested in Pittsburgh, PA. Does anyone have any recommendations? Although my daughter was born in America, she had lived in China from 7 months old to 5. So she only picked up English at 5 and a half. I would appreciate someone who can be sympathetic with the situation. However, if it is difficult to find a tester who has bilingual/cross-cultural background, I will be happy to take her to someone who is professional, responsible and capable. I appreciate your information.

This is the list from the Hoagies gifted page - I am not sure if any of the PA testers are near Pittsburgh though -

http://www.hoagiesgifted.org/psychologists.htm

There is a Chinese bilingual school psych in Meadville. From the name, looks like he/she might be from Taiwan. I can send you a name, if you're interested. I don't know this person; they're listed in the NASP directory.

Nothing's coming up in the APA practitioner search.

Yes, please send me his/her name and contact information. We live in Meadville. What are the differences between NASP and APA? Are they equally qualified to give tests?

I pm'd you.

NASP is the National Association of School Psychologists. APA is American Psychological Association. School psychs who are members of either association are equally qualified to conduct assessments. APA also includes all other kinds of psychologists, qualified at the doctoral level (with the exception of school psychologists, who may be doctoral or specialist (post-master's) level practitioners. APA members who are qualified to conduct assessments of this type will usually be clinical, counseling, neuro, or school psychologists. Occasionally educational psychologists, but they're more research-oriented.

NASP as a professional advocacy organization is more concerned with children's, educational, and school issues, and has a membership that tends to skew toward master's/specialist-level practitioners. And females. APA represents a much wider range of psych specializations, requires a doctorate (unless you are in Div 16, school psych, but even then the majority of members are doctoral-level), has a higher concentration of university/faculty interests, and skews male (among school psychs). Many school psychs are members of both, especially doctoral-level practitioners.