To whom should you communicate the results of a psychological examination of minors?

Answer

Dear Shana,

In principle, you should communicate the results to both: both the parents and the child. The parents because they are still legally responsible. The child because it is the person in question that matters. Of course, it can be discussed with the parents whether it is useful to tell children who cannot yet grasp the message, because they may still be too small or if their problems do not allow this or are difficult to do so. And with the child it can be seen what he wants to keep secret and what can be passed on to the parents. But then you have to be sure that this child can properly assess what a secret means, and what it means to tell the researcher these things anyway, but not share them with the parents. Because he may not want to share some things (suppose, for example, that he talks about suicidal thoughts), but as a researcher it is also difficult to conceal from the parents.

It therefore depends somewhat on the situation and the subject, but in principle you communicate everything to everyone involved, in a language that he understands with sufficient explanation and framing. And in doing so, as a researcher, you estimate how best to communicate what to whom, especially considering the right to information to which the child and parents are entitled, but also the effects of your communication, and whether it is or not. cannot be productive. Sometimes, for example, the name of a diagnosis should not be given, if you know that this will only make the family or the child more despondent. Then sometimes a description of the problem, without giving it a name, is better.

Sincerely,

Piet Vandebriel
Limburg Provincial University