14-year-old honor student Justin was referred for a psychological assessment after being caught smoking marijuana on the school premises. His parents, who are not poor, but not extremely wealthy either, were given a choice between having the evaluation done by the school psychologist or by a private psychologist of their choosing. Since the school psychologist's examination would be free and would not involve extra travel time, one would think Justin's parents would have chosen that route. But they chose a private clinical psychologist instead. What do you think would have been a valid reason?

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The key factor in Justin's parents deciding to have their son examined by a private psychologist instead of the school psychologist was probably their expectation that the assessment would be more thorough. Both psychologists would have a professional responsibility not to let the parents' wishes cloud their judgment. School psychologists also have to undergo rigorous training to be licensed, so it is not how qualified they are that is the issue, but limitations on what they can do budget-wise and time-wise. School psychologists might have a very limited choice of tests available to them as well as many children on their caseload. With their child's future at stake, many parents feel that the extra money it costs for a privately-conducted evaluation is money well spent.

14-Year-Old Honor Student Justin Was Referred for a Psychological Assessment