Telehealth Dyslexia Assessment: Evidence, Process and Outcomes

When considering the process of having a dyslexia assessment, many people wonder whether telehealth evaluations can be as effective as an in-person appointment. This article outlines what the research says about telehealth assessment, how the process works and addresses common concerns about delivering specialist evaluation online.

Is Telehealth a valid and reliable modality for dyslexia assessments, particularly in children?
The evidence base for remote psychological assessment has expanded significantly. A systematic review and meta-analysis published in the Journal of Pediatric Neuropsychology, examining 21 studies of teleneuropsychology in children and young people, found that remote assessment is feasible and produces reliable results (Walker et al., 2023). Research specifically comparing remote and in-person assessment of specific learning difficulties (Lampis et al., 2024) further demonstrated that remote administration yields comparable outcomes to face-to-face evaluation. A recent pilot study published in Scientific Reports (Ece et al, 2025) compared cognitive assessment via videoconference against in-person testing for children aged 7–17. Correlation coefficients between remote and in-person scores ranged from 0.981 to 0.997 across all cognitive domains assessed — indicating substantial equivalence between the two formats.

How does telehealth assessment work?
The Psychologists Board of New Zealand has a couple of best practice guidelines for teleheath and psychometric assessment. Internationally, there are also a variety of key documents that guide the ethical and pragmatic nature of telehealth assessment.

Assessment processes, whether face-to-face or telehealth, remains standardized and controlled. The examiner administers measures according to established protocols, observes performance directly via video and then combines this information with other sources to determine the formulation, whether diagnostic criteria have been met and relative interventions.

From a parent's perspective, telehealth assessment begins with an initial online consultation session (during which any children are not present). Following this the telehealth assessment session is booked in. This begins with the adults setting up the technology and further relationship building. Once the technology is set up, the psychologist will be guide the individual being assessed through various tasks — some verbal, some involving reading or writing. They will stop for planned breaks. At the end the adults will reconnect, confirm next steps and say goodbyes.

Considerations for Younger Children
Research published in the Italian Journal of Pediatrics (Fortolan et al., 2025) indicated that teleassessment can result in overestimation of risk in children up to 8 years. For this reason, remote assessment is only appropriate for children older than this.

Why Choose Telehealth Assessment?
Remote assessment is time-efficient, removes the need for parents to take the day off work, reduces travel costs and, assessment from the comfort of home has been reported (by the New Zealand Psychologist Board) to be particularly comfortable for older children and teens. There are also ethical and practical considerations to work through, and within the Dyslexia Assessment NZ service approach, they are discussed within the initial consultation.

Next Steps
If you're considering dyslexia assessment for yourself, or your child aged 10 years and above, telehealth can provide a comprehensive, evidence-based evaluation. Please use the contact box on the Dyslexia Assessment website to reach out if you want to discuss this more.