Assessment

During a psychological assessment, a trained clinician administers tests, surveys, and/or clinical interviews with the goal of gaining a comprehensive understanding of an individual's primary concerns. Results from assessments are often used to establish psychological diagnoses (learning disabilities, ADHD, mood/anxiety disorders, etc.) and generate tailored recommendations for parenting and self help strategies, instructional practices, and psychological therapies that will be most effective.

Assessments are often most helpful for a) identifying learning difficulties that may require a higher level of educational support, and b) assessing psychological symptoms and generating diagnoses that can be used to seek out appropriate therapeutic support. An assessment could be helpful for individuals who:

• Find certain school subjects particularly difficult or have more general learning difficulties
• Struggle to remain focused when completing schoolwork
• Feel they are less mature compared to others their age and/or frequently require assistance with daily tasks
• Have difficulty following directions or listening
• Have difficulty getting along with others or forming meaningful relationships
• Often seem irritable and have outbursts when things don’t do their way?
• Often seem sad or down
• Often seem anxious or worried
• Have experienced major life stressors or trauma that could be affecting their mood, motivation, or daily stress levels?

If you’re still not sure that an assessment is needed, you can always complete an initial intake to discuss any concerns you have and learn more about how a psychological assessment may or may not be the best next step.

In most cases, yes! Typically schools will use results from a psychological assessment to make decisions about school-based accommodations, such as IEP/504 plans for K-12 students and special accommodations for college students. These services help ensure that individuals perform at their full potential and that learning doesn’t cause undue distress. It is important to check with your district’s school board or college/university to ensure that the assessment services offered by our clinic will fulfill specific testing requirements for the organization.

Given their comprehensiveness, psychological assessments provide increased assurance that any psychological diagnoses assigned have been well-vetted and carefully considered. Obtaining an accurate diagnosis can save you time, money, and a great deal of frustration in the long run as this  ensures you connect with the proper care and treatment as soon as possible.

In addition to sharing diagnostic information and intervention/support recommendations, assessment reports summarize a wealth of information that can be easily shared with other providers. With a detailed assessment report in hand, providers can more quickly learn about a person’s history and symptoms, while collecting any additional information needed to perform their services.