ABSTRACT

It is seen that there may be differences between the diagnoses of the children with special needs stated in medical board reports and the educational evaluations and diagnoses made by the special education evaluation board from time to time in our country. In this study, it was aimed to evaluate the cases referred with a preliminary report stating the suspected psychiatric diagnosis after being evaluated by the guidance and research centers (GRC).

The study data were obtained by retrospectively scanning the files of the cases referred to child psychiatry for applying a medical evaluation and to issue a medical board report, if it is necessary, after being evaluated by GRC with a preliminary report stating the suspected psychiatric diagnosis between October, 2019 and February, 2021. The data of 113 cases were reached in total.

Fourty-four (38.9%) of the cases were females and 69 (61.1%) were males. The average age was 9.0±2.22 years. 11.5% (n=13) of the cases referred by GRC received a diagnosis different from the diagnosis suspected by GRC. This difference was found to be statistically significant in our study (p<0.05). However, after the evaluation by child psychiatry, no statistical significance was found in the comparison of different diagnoses between the genders and the average age (p>0.05). Moreover, it was determined that Wechsler intelligence scale for children test, which is comprehensive and long to apply, was significantly more preferred in child psychiatry evaluations (p<0.05).

Our findings show that there are significant differences in child psychiatry and GRC evaluations. This situation may cause delays for some cases in their utilization of special education rights. Our study indicates the need for cooperation and planning between institutions to prevent delays that may emerge.