Psychological Testing

Psychological testing may be warranted for a number of reasons. Sometimes, it is more challenging to find the underlying cause of a problem. For instance, a child who has trouble in school may have a learning disorder, or he or she may have an attention problem such as ADHD. Perhaps the problem stems from lack of impulse control. Through psychological testing and assessment, the psychologist can gain a better understanding of the nature of a patient’s issues and design the most appropriate therapeutic treatment to achieve the desired outcome. Ultimately, the goal of the testing process is to uncover the possible reasons a person may be struggling with interpersonal relationships, professional or school life, family life, etc. Psychological testing can also help us discover why a client is experiencing persistent depression or anxiety.

Testing and assessments go hand in hand

Psychological testing and assessments are two common tools used in the therapeutic environment. Testing is formal, using measurements such as checklists or questionnaires. Tests tend to be standardized for consistent evaluation across a wide variety of patients. For instance, a standardized reading test will evaluate a child’s reading ability in relation to others of his or her grade level or age.

Psychological assessment may include both formal and informal processes such as interviewing, surveys, and psychological tests. Medical and / or school records might be reviewed, and behavior observed. The information evaluated by the psychologist will depend on the specific goal of the questions. Psychological assessments are used for a variety of goals such as to determine how well a person may work with a team or in a leadership role, or to determine if a person is competent to stand trial.

The licensed clinical psychologists at Counseling Associates are experts in the administration of psychological tests and assessments as well as the interpretation of the results. For more information on testing, call (248) 626-1500.

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