Psychological ASSESSMENTS:
one of mental health's best kept secrets
When most people think of testing, they think of medical testing such as blood work or neurological imaging. But clinical psychologists often utilize psychological testing in order to gain comprehensive and valuable information about clients within a very short period of time. The benefit of psychological testing is that the information is gained over the course of a few sessions, rather than several months or even longer.
KINDS OF TESTING:
Depending on a client's presenting problems, a variety of evaluations can reveal information to help therapists and clinicians better understand clients and develop an effective treatment plan.
PSYCHOEDUCATIONAL TESTING
Who is it for?
This type of evaluation is most commonly recommended to diagnose ADHD or specific learning disabilities due to ongoing academic problems that are intruding on a student's educational development. The referral for this type of testing often comes first from the school, but can also come from a pediatrician or from a parent who has noticed their child's poor academic performance or decline. College students are often referred for this type of testing by their academic advisor, because they are struggling in school for the first time and there are no known reasons for the challenges.
What does it test?
Psychoeducational testing assesses cognitive functioning, academic achievement, and social and emotional factors that could be affecting learning. Cognitive processes are examined, including verbal comprehension, non-verbal/visual spatial skills, working memory, processing speed, and fluid reasoning. Sometimes, if individuals report memory problems, memory is also thoroughly examined, including verbal memory, visual memory, delayed recall, and recognition.
Do social and emotional factors affect learning and academic achievement? Absolutely! Difficulty learning and achieving is not always associated with a specific learning disability. For this reason, it is important to assess these variables as part of a comprehensive psychoeducational evaluation. Many children, teens, and young adults struggle in school due to friendship problems, family problems, anxiety and depression, experimenting with drugs and alcohol, trauma, or other personal reasons.
What is the process?
When conducting this type of evaluation, I administer age-appropriate psychological tests to clients to assess their emotional, social, and behavioral functioning and rule out all possible factors linked to the challenges a client is having. I also distribute questionnaires to parents, teachers, and other individuals when appropriate. Knowing how other people observe the client and their views of the clients problems is useful.
Once all of this information is collected, analyze the data and produce an interpretive report that explains how all of these pieces are interconnected. I then provide recommendations that best address the nature and extent of the problems identified by the evaluation.
How is it used?
If the individual is in school, whether it be elementary school, secondary school, or college, it is important to compare cognitive functioning with academic achievement, i.e. compare the brain's potential to learn with what has actually been learned in school. Comparing achievement and potential is quite important to assessing overall cognitive functioning. Sometimes individuals are very bright, but due to specific learning challenges, they are unable to keep up with school work or pay attention, and their performance falls behind due to their specific challenges.
This can be very stressful, and can profoundly affect self-confidence.
SCHOOL ADMISSIONS TESTING
Who is it for?
School admissions testing is for students seeking acceptance into Virginia private schools (K-12).
What does it test?
This type of testing assesses cognitive functioning through intelligence testing and any other tests required by the school.
What is the process?
Each private school likely has its own requirements. We will conduct appropriate tests depending on information that is provided to us by the school.
How is it used?
Testing is used to ensure that the school is a good fit for the student and that the student meets school admission requirements.
Psychological/CLINICAL TESTING
Who is it for?
Often an individual has struggled emotionally for some time without relief of the symptoms. They may have experienced severe anxiety or depression, suffered from relationship difficulties, or struggled to manage every day life activities, such as job, household, or financial responsibilities. Some individuals have tried counseling many times and it has not been successful. Some individuals reach a point where their emotional and psychological struggles are so great that they have trouble doing even the smallest tasks. For these reasons, individuals may seek a psychological evaluation, or they may be referred by their psychiatrist or primary care doctor.
What does it test?
A psychological evaluation focuses on the social and emotional factors that intrude on one's ability to live a productive and healthy life. Sometimes, psychological evaluations include cognitive measures to assess how thought processes contribute to their challenges. Sometimes, psychological evaluations focus on the psychological, behavioral, and personality factors associated with the person's struggles.
What is the process?
Psychological evaluations include self-report questionnaires, a clinical interview, and other tests that assess social and emotional processing. For instance, it may asses how a person views certain situations. Perception can be a critical factor in determining how someone handles their relationships, decisions, and the underlying source of their motivations. It also can affect how a person makes choices, navigates relationships, and views the world.
How is it used?
Psychological evaluations can be a critical tool in clarifying someone's diagnosis, assisting psychiatrists in making decisions about medication, increasing the client's insight and self-awareness, and providing the client with recommendations and resources that will support their decision-making about treatment. In addition, psychological testing can inform the client's therapist about particular strategies that will or will not work, based on the client's thought processes, personality, and interpersonal style.