Psychological Testing and Assessment

Actually, testing and assessment are two separate elements of a psychological evaluation.

Psychological testing refers to standardized methods of measure. They can take the form of surveys, multiple choice questions, questionnaires, checklists or other modes of the psychometric testing.

Psychological assessment is more inclusive and covers standardized testing as well as interviews, informal tests, observational data, medical school records, and more.

The direction of the evaluation depends on your referral question(s), financial ability, and time availability. Some of the areas that testing measures:

• Intellectual and emotional abilities
• Learning and reasoning capacity
• Attention and memory
• Dexterity and reaction time
• Strengths and aptitudes
• Personality

There is no minimum age per se, but your age could dictate the type of test that’s administered.

You should undergo a psychological assessment when you experience any of the following:

• Difficulty in school, work, relationships, or everyday life routines
• Compulsive thoughts or behaviors revolving around sex, crime, money, or your physical appearance
• Thoughts of suicide or self-harm coupled with a specific plan of how you’re going to do it
• Chronic fatigue, depression or anxiety
• Frequently losing your temper; aggressive acting out
• Disproportionate emotional responses to environmental triggers
• Reliving traumatic events through flashbacks or nightmares

The thought of undergoing a psychological evaluation may be nerve racking, but testing and assessment are meant to help you, not hurt you.

Although it may be difficult, try to:

• Get a good night’s sleep the evening before the evaluation.
• Eat breakfast the morning of your testing.
• Be comfortable with answering all questions truthfully. It’s the only way to get closer to a solution that has a real, positive impact on your life.