Various tests are used in psychological testing and assessment to assist in identifying the underlying causes of mental health symptoms and disorders, determining the proper diagnosis, and choosing the most appropriate course of therapy. When a kid has academic and social difficulties in school or when an adult struggles to maintain personal and professional connections, the symptoms of a problem are often obvious. Still, the root cause is not always apparent. Psychological assessment may be necessary for certain circumstances. Typical examination forms include cognitive impairment screenings, personality testing, and aptitude tests.
When to Use It
It’s possible that learning disabilities, attention deficit disorders, mood disorders like anxiety or depression, or even aggression are to account for a child’s behavioral, social, or academic issues. A mental health expert may use specific psychological testing to rule out certain disorders while honing in on an exact diagnosis.
Numerous situations call for psychological testing and assessment, and the range of tests utilized reflects this. They are often given to kids with suspected or verified learning impairments and are used, for example, to assess the severity of a brain injury or a mental illness like Alzheimer’s or dementia in adults.
A person’s mental competency to stand trial is also determined via tests. Other conditions include intellectual disability, personality disorders, and even stroke. In educational settings, aptitude tests are administered alongside other assessments of accomplishment.
What to Expect
A medical professional, social worker, or government worker typically refers a patient for psychological testing and assessment, which may be conducted at a mental health institution, hospital, university medical center, school, or private office. In-depth psychological examination and evaluation could take many hours and more than one appointment with a clinician. The client completes a series of standardized written exams during this period in the form of surveys, checklists, questionnaires, or lists of abilities. These are called norm-referenced tests, which denote that they are typically uniform; this is helpful, for instance, to ascertain a child’s ability within a specific age range.
Even though the tests may be taken independently by the clients, there are often follow-up conversations with the tester. There will be breaks throughout extended testing sessions. The psychologist compiles an overall assessment, makes a diagnosis, develops a treatment plan, and, if required, provides referrals using data from the tests and clinical interviews. A complete history and medical documents may also be required.
There is no use in preparing for these tests. There is no way to practice; doing so would be ill-advised since a genuine appraisal may not be obtained. The assessments are selected to suit a person’s unique requirements, while the questionnaires, surveys, and checklists are standardized. A person cannot succeed or fail on an assessment. Also, there is no right or incorrect response on these assessments. Being truthful and careful while doing these assessments is the best strategy.
A psychiatric evaluation, which focuses more on mental problems including psychosis, schizophrenia, and suicidal thoughts, is not the same as this kind of examination.
A physical examination helps exclude any medical conditions that seem to have a psychological basis. For instance, a thyroid disorder or neurologic issue might hide underneath a mental health issue. Tell your doctor about any conditions you’ve had, prescription meds you’ve used, and any over-the-counter medications and dietary supplements.
Psychological testing is intended to help a mental health practitioner better comprehend a patient’s thought and perception processes. The expert will get all the information they need more effectively.
What to Consider When Getting Psychological Testing and Assessment
A mental health practitioner who has received training is competent to administer psychological tests and evaluate patients. Training and certification programs in assessment, test administration, and interpretation are available. The testing and interview are done by a healthcare professional, often a psychologist, who may or may not be the treating therapist. Once a diagnosis has been determined, the testing clinician may suggest the client seek therapy from a different expert. Find a mental health expert that you and your kid, if applicable, feel comfortable working with, in addition to verifying qualifications. Following assessment, therapy programs should be explicitly created for each patient.
