Psychological Testing
and Evaluation
in Portland, Oregon
Are you or your child experiencing difficulty learning or focusing in an academic setting?
Is it difficult for you or your child to connect on a personal level with their peers?
Have you experienced changes in your mood that feel out of your control or unusual?
Do you or your child struggle to focus on more than one thing at once or become overwhelmed by tasks easily?
If you answered yes to any of those questions, it may be time for you to seek psychological testing and evaluation.
We are now offering Psychological Testing and Evaluation at our Portland, Oregon location.
We are so excited to be able to provide our clients with a full-spectrum approach to mental healthcare, with the addition of psychological testing and evaluation services. In addition to our already amazing team of mental healthcare providers, we have added to our team the knowledge and expertise of licensed psychologist, Laura O’Connor, who is expertly trained in performing psychological assessments.
Often the symptoms of psychological conditions are easy to recognize, because they are inhibiting the individual from functioning properly in life. What isn’t as clear, however, is what condition is causing those symptoms. This is the purpose behind psychological testing.
The purpose of psychological testing and evaluation is to:
Get a better understanding of a person’s strengths and weaknesses
Truly evaluate how they are functioning in their life
Pin-point what is inhibiting their ability to perform
Discover if there is a deeper existing diagnosis to be given
Determine how best to treat the diagnosis
Begin treatment
Not having a clear understanding of why you are struggling can feel defeating, frustrating and extremely confusing. Receiving the support of psychological assessments can offer you the comfort and relief of a diagnosis and answers to the question of why you are experiencing the symptoms you are.
There are many reasons that someone might seek a psychological assessment. Whether they are facing challenges with learning or comprehension, struggling to maintain personal relationships or displaying behavior and mood issues, there could be a deeper reason left undiscovered. When a child or adult is able to uncover a psychological challenge that they have been facing, it gives them the opportunity to receive the proper care and support to truly thrive in their life.
If you are interested in seeking psychological testing and evaluation for you or a loved one, keep reading to learn more about the services or click the button below to schedule an appointment.
What is Psychological Testing?
Psychological testing is a process in which a psychologist performs a detailed and extensive series of assessments and screenings, in order to determine any mental health or psychological conditions that the individual is experiencing. A psychological evaluation is always conducted by a licensed psychologist and is used to diagnose a vast variety of mental health conditions, as well as behavioral, emotional or learning disabilities. They are extensively educated and expertly trained in the administering of these specific evaluations.
Psychological testing is used to diagnose a wide array of conditions including mental health conditions, social and behavioral disorders and learning disabilities. It is typically used mostly for children and adolescents but is also a useful way to reach a diagnosis in adulthood. The methods used in each evaluation are not the same for each individual, and it is the job of the licensed psychologist to conduct the proper evaluations given the individual’s symptoms and condition. These tests will provide the psychologist with information to rule out certain conditions and disorders, and also to narrow their focus onto the proper and most-accurate diagnosis.
Through psychological testing and evaluation, you may be able to receive a diagnosis for:
Autism Spectrum Disorder
ADHD
Bipolar Disorder
Brain injury
Memory disorders (Alzheimer’s)
Anxiety and depression
Intellectual disabilities
Schizophrenia
Addiction or substance abuse issues
Personality Disorders
Neurocognitive Disorders
The goal of psychological evaluations is to give the psychologist as much detailed information about the client’s behaviors and symptoms, to allow them to give an accurate diagnosis that will then allow for the proper course of treatment.
Who Is It For?
Psychological testing and evaluation serves many purposes and becomes necessary for varying reasons. Typically, someone seeks out psychological evaluation if they are experiencing abnormal mental, emotional or cognitive symptoms or are struggling to function in their lives. While adults do commonly receive psychological testing, it is most common for children or adolescents to be evaluated when their parent or another caretaker observes symptoms that show cause for concern.
Parents and caretakers often elect to bring their child or teen in for testing after observing their behavior and symptoms. But there are also several other reasons that individuals, children to adults, seek psychological testing and evaluation. There are many instances in which a therapist, doctor or other medical healthcare provider would refer their patient to receive psychological testing. In addition, there are also circumstances where these evaluations would be suggested or even required by people like a teacher, administrator, coach/mentor and even employer.
The Benefits of Seeking Psychological Testing and Evaluation
Getting tested psychologically may feel intimidating, overwhelming, embarrassing or generally negative. And while those feelings and associations are real, valid and common – it is important to note that the benefits of psychological evaluation far outweigh the negatives.
Receiving a diagnosis
Being diagnosed with a mental health condition, learning disability or an emotional disorder can be shocking and devastating; especially if it is a reality you weren’t expecting to face. It’s important to process your diagnosis properly and hold space for your response, but it’s also equally important to recognize that a diagnosis is not the end of the journey, it is the beginning. Receiving a diagnosis and getting the answer to so many internal questions brings a lot of relief, as well as hope for the future. When you receive a real, accurate diagnosis, you are then able to begin the best form of treatment and be on your way to living a happier, healthier and more functional life.
Getting the proper care and intervention
When you participate in these evaluations and receive an accurate diagnosis, the doors truly open for what happens next. There are many cases in which the test results will show something like a learning disability or Autism Spectrum Disorder, for example. If the individual being tested is unaware of those diagnoses, there’s a likely chance that they are in the wrong learning environment, trying to thrive at a deficit. Participating in psychological testing and receiving a proper diagnosis, though difficult and heavy, will result in the individual receiving the proper accommodations and specialized care that they need.
How It Works
Psychological testing and evaluation is not a single test. It’s typically a series of tests, assessments and procedures that happen over the duration of several hours or over the course of a few days. They are each scientifically developed to observe important factors of an individual’s psychological condition.
The most common methods used to perform a psychological evaluation are:
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The psychologist will conduct a clinical interview with the client that will help to make an accurate assessment and diagnosis of the client’s condition. There are two common types of interviews used in psychological testing.
Structured Clinical Interviews (SCID)
Structured clinical interviews are given by a psychologist in order to make a diagnosis based on the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Health Disorders, 5th Edition (DSM-5). They entail standardized, predetermined questions to ensure consistency with each patient being interviewed. Since diagnostics can often be exceedingly subjective, using a standardized interview template can help to make the process objective. As with any portion of the psychological assessment process, this process can take anywhere from 30 minutes to several hours and is not determined before-hand. Each step of the process is different for everyone, as each person is facing different circumstances and severity of symptoms.
Clinical Diagnostic Interviews
The second form of clinical interview is the clinical diagnostic interview (CDI). Rather than a predetermined set of interview questions, they involve a conversation between the psychologist and the tested individual. Being that the interview is less formal or structured, there is more room for detail and a deeper understanding from the dialogue and answers given by the client.
Both of these types of clinical interview are commonly used, successful and valid amongst psychologists today. It has been proven that neither of these types of test seems to be superior to the other, and both are equally used. The method that the clinician uses is dependent on their personal preference and what they feel is the best course of action for the client.
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Norm-referenced tests are those that are standardized in reference to clearly defined groups of people based on general demographic and other quality characteristics. When performing these types of measures, the psychologist is referring and comparing the client’s results to that of the “normal” that the client fits into specifically, to say where they fall on the scale.
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In this portion of the evaluation, the psychologist observes the client’s behavior, demeanor, language, etc. both inside of the interviewing space, as well as in their normal life outside of the assessment. The psychologist aims to observe their client’s behavior in their natural environment; at home, school, playing with peers, recreational activities, etc. The psychologist will observe the individual’s behavior and will record the way they interact with their environment.
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Informal testing procedures offer additional information to support formal test procedures and can include things such as school records, standardized test scores (SAT/ACT), medical records, informal background questionnaires, and personal documents. These supplemental things can offer context information that can be incredibly useful in the process of diagnostics.
Book Your Testing
At Insight Northwest Counseling we understand that psychological testing and evaluation is a sensitive and often overwhelming process. We want to make it as easy, comfortable, and positive for each individual as possible. Our goal is to support each person on their journey, meeting them where they are and forming the best treatment plan for them. Mental healthcare and therapy services are not the same for everyone. We feel confident with our team of providers and extensive services that we will be able to support and encourage you from evaluation to the end of your treatment and every step along the way.
If you are interested in seeking psychological testing and evaluation for you or your child, come visit us at our Portland, Oregon location.
You can book with us online today.