Can a psychologist write a report? What they can issue, how it differs from a medical report, its role in school and court cases, and the ethical limits.
The voice on the phone sounds a little hurried: "The school wants a report. Can you write one?" Someone else is in the middle of divorce proceedings and their lawyer has said, "It would be good to have a psychologist's report showing how the child is doing." Another is looking for a document covering the days they could not go to work. Because the question "can a psychologist write a report?" arises from such different needs, it cannot be answered in a single sentence. Some documents are prepared by psychologists, while some reports can only be issued by doctors and hospital medical boards. In this article I explain which documents a psychologist can write and which they cannot, the place of psychological assessment in school and court processes, and the ethical limits you should know about when asking for a report.
Can a Psychologist Write a Report? The Short Answer
Yes, but not every kind of report. Based on the interviews they conduct and the tests they administer, psychologists can prepare a psychological assessment report or similar written documents. These documents describe a person's cognitive, emotional, behavioural or developmental state as of the date of the assessment.
By contrast, official medical documents such as a medical report, a sick-leave report or special needs and disability reports are issued by doctors and hospital medical boards. A psychologist cannot write a report that substitutes for these documents.
Knowing this distinction prevents both lost time and disappointment. Clarifying what an institution is asking of you is the first step towards going to the right practitioner: is the institution asking for "a medical diagnosis and an official medical report", or for "the results of a psychological assessment"?
In practice, the most common situation is this: the institution's letter simply says "specialist report" and no one is quite sure what that means. When things are unclear like this, calling the institution to ask which regulation the request is based on, and from which institution and under which professional title the report should be obtained, takes only a few minutes. Before you start wondering whether a psychologist can write a report, that single phone call may save you weeks spent in the wrong place.
Documents a Psychologist Can Prepare
The main types of document psychologists can issue are:
- Psychological assessment report: a comprehensive document summarising a person's situation on the basis of interviews, observations and, where needed, standardised tests. It sets out the purpose of the assessment, the methods used, the findings and recommendations.
- Test results report: a document explaining the results of a specific test. Intelligence or developmental tests used with children, and attention assessments, fall into this category, for example. If you are curious about what these tests measure, you can read the articles on psychological tests and the WISC intelligence test.
- Letter confirming attendance at therapy: a short letter showing that the person has been attending sessions regularly since a particular date. It usually contains no diagnosis or detail.
- Information note or referral letter: letters sent, with the client's consent, to a doctor, a school or another practitioner, containing the information needed for the process to continue.
Beyond these, the psychotechnical assessment carried out by psychologists in centres authorised by the Ministry of Health, and required of certain groups such as professional drivers, is also an official type of assessment conducted by psychologists. However, this is a separate practice with a specific scope, carried out in designated centres.
Reports a Psychologist Cannot Issue
The following documents fall within the authority of doctors or hospital medical boards:
- Sick-leave report: the report obtained for days when you cannot go to work or school is issued by a doctor. A psychologist cannot issue a sick-leave document on the grounds that "this person had a very hard week".
- Special Needs Report for Children (ÇÖZGER): this report, which determines the level of a child's special needs, is issued by the medical boards of authorised hospitals.
- Disability report for adults: this too is issued by hospital medical boards.
- Medical reports required for procedures such as starting a job, military service, a driving licence or a firearms licence: these reports are issued by doctors or hospitals in accordance with the relevant regulations; some procedures may also require a psychiatric examination.
- Official documents containing a psychiatric diagnosis: making a medical diagnosis is the doctor's responsibility.
In these processes, the tests and assessments carried out by a psychologist can be supporting information that the doctor or board may draw on when making a decision. Psychologists working in hospitals, for example, administer tests at a doctor's request and pass the results to the doctor for the reporting process. But the final decision and signature belong to the doctor.
From time to time, psychologists also receive well-meant requests that cannot be met: "Just write a few lines so they'll be understanding at work", or "Make the report look a bit more serious so the school takes it seriously". Every document a psychologist writes must be based on an assessment that was genuinely carried out and must reflect what they observed as it is. A document that makes a situation look milder or more serious than it is, is ethically unacceptable and may work against you in the long run; institutions may later use that document for other purposes too.
Reports for School: RAM, the Guidance Service and Psychological Assessment
Requests for reports that come from school often arise from questions such as: does the child have a learning difficulty? Do attention problems require adjustments in the classroom? Is there a need for inclusive education or support teaching?
The official answers to these questions usually come through two channels. Medical diagnosis and special needs reports come from hospitals, while educational assessment and placement decisions come from the Guidance and Research Centres (RAM) attached to the Ministry of National Education. An assessment by a psychologist in private practice can provide supporting information for these processes and offers the family and school a road map for understanding the child. However, it does not replace the decision of RAM or the hospital.
Say your daughter, in Year 3, skips lines when reading, mixes up letters, and homework time ends in tears. A psychological assessment can give important clues as to whether the problem is linked to attention, perception, learning or anxiety. At the end of the assessment, the family is told which institutions they can apply to and what can be done at home and at school. If necessary, a child psychiatry assessment is recommended.
One of the things families worry about most in this process is the child being "labelled". "If there's a report, will the teacher treat them differently, will their friends find out?" is a very understandable question. What matters here is that the assessment is not a stigma but a means of finding the right support for the child. Deciding together with the family how much information will be shared with the school, and giving the child an age-appropriate explanation such as "We're going to play a few games to find ways that make learning easier for you", makes the process gentler for everyone.
In assessments with children, play observation, parent interviews and information from the teacher are as decisive as test results. You can read how work with children is planned on the child and play therapy page.
Psychologist Reports in Court and Divorce Proceedings
In processes such as divorce, custody or arrangements for contact, the "psychologist's report" is a frequently discussed topic. Here it is necessary to distinguish between several different roles.
Experts appointed by the court: psychologists, educational specialists and social workers working in family courts can, at the court's request, meet the child and parents and prepare a report. The court may also appoint a court expert. These specialists are impartial, and their task is to provide information to the court. With children, one point that requires care is the same child being assessed again and again by different specialists at short intervals. A child who has to recount the conflict in their family at every meeting may feel as though they are being forced to choose between two parents. So parents need to think carefully before taking a child from one specialist to another "to get a report", outside the court's own process.
Specialists consulted by the parties: one of the parties may wish to obtain an opinion from a specialist they have consulted themselves and submit it to the case file. The court evaluates this opinion together with the other evidence; on its own, the opinion is not binding.
The therapist's role: the most sensitive point here is this: it is ethically problematic for the practitioner conducting a child's or an adult's therapy to write an assessment that takes sides for the court about that same person. The relationship of trust built in therapy and the duty to make an impartial assessment can conflict with each other. It is also inappropriate for a therapist to express an opinion about a parent they have never met. That is why many therapists refer requests for assessments for court to another practitioner and, if necessary, issue only a limited document showing that therapy is ongoing.
A therapy room is not a courtroom; a therapist's job is not to prove who is right but to accompany their client's recovery.
For children going through a divorce, what is really needed is often not a report but a calm explanation that helps them understand the change. The article on how to tell a child about divorce can guide you on this.
What Does a Good Psychological Assessment Report Include?
When you receive a report, you can check whether its content is clear and carefully prepared under the following headings:
- Identification and date details: the person assessed, the dates of the assessment, and the name, title and signature of the practitioner who prepared the report.
- Reason for referral and purpose: the question the report seeks to answer should be stated clearly.
- Methods used: how many sessions were held, which tests were administered and from whom information was obtained.
- Findings: test results and observations, in language that is as clear as possible.
- Limitations: what the assessment can and cannot say. For example, the limits of an assessment based on a single session should be stated.
- Recommendations: concrete recommendations for the family, the school or the person and, if necessary, referral to other practitioners.
A good report does not contain unnecessary private information. In a report going to a school, there is usually no need for detailed mention of the family's financial difficulties or the parents' marital problems. A report should be limited to the information that serves its purpose. The language of the report also matters. A text full of terms only specialists can understand is of little use to the teacher or parent who will read it. A good report gives the necessary technical information while also explaining in plain language what it means in everyday life, bringing the reader together around concrete recommendations.
What to Consider Before Asking Whether a Psychologist Can Write a Report
Asking yourself a few questions before requesting a report makes things easier:
- Who is asking for the report, and what exactly do they want? Getting a written explanation from the institution saves you from dealing with the wrong document.
- Who will read the report? It may be the school administration, a teacher, a court, an employer or a doctor. What each of them needs to know is different.
- Which information do you want to be shared? A psychologist does not prepare a report and give it to third parties without your written consent. For children, this consent is given by parents or legal guardians.
- How will the report affect your therapy? Asking your therapist for a report can change their role in therapy. It is sensible to discuss this openly with your therapist.
Confidentiality is one of the most fundamental principles of psychological support. A report is not a transcript of everything discussed in therapy; it is a limited document prepared for a specific purpose, with your consent.
How Does the Assessment Process Work?
A psychological assessment is usually completed in a few steps. In the first session, the reason for referral and the purpose of the report are clarified. Tests are then administered if needed; with children, these tests may be split into several sittings so that the child does not get tired. Information may be gathered, with consent, from parents, teachers or practitioners the person has seen before. When taking your child to an assessment, telling them it is not an exam and that there are no right or wrong answers, and making sure they have slept well and had breakfast that morning, helps the results reflect the child's real abilities more accurately. Bringing previous reports, school reports and teachers' notes with you also enriches the assessment. Finally, the findings are interpreted and shared with the family or the person in a feedback session.
This feedback session is at least as important as the report itself. Scores on paper do not say much on their own; talking about what they mean in daily life and what could change at home and at school turns the assessment into a useful road map.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I get a copy of the report?
Yes. You have the right to obtain a copy of a report prepared about you or about a child for whom you are the parent or guardian. By passing the report to institutions yourself, you can also keep control over what reaches whom.
How long does it take to prepare a report?
This depends on the scope of the assessment. A short document showing only that therapy is ongoing can be prepared within a few days. A comprehensive assessment requiring several tests and sessions, however, may extend over a few weeks.
Can an assessment report be prepared through online sessions?
Some interview-based assessments can be carried out online. However, many standardised tests, especially the intelligence and developmental tests given to children, require face-to-face administration. You need to discuss with your practitioner which assessments can be done online.
What happens if the assessment does not turn out as I expected?
An assessment is carried out not to confirm your expectations but to understand the situation as it is. If you disagree with the results, you can discuss them in detail with the practitioner and, if necessary, get a second opinion from another practitioner.
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Eda Erkan Alapala
Klinik Psikolog. İstanbul Kent Üniversitesi Klinik Psikoloji Tezli Yüksek Lisans mezunu; bilişsel davranışçı terapi, çocuk merkezli oyun terapisi ve çocuk-ergen psikoterapisi alanlarında eğitimlerini tamamlamıştır.
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