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What is Psychological Assessment? Psychologists assess the behavior of a person through formal psychological tests under controlled conditions. This could include tests that are standard and interviews. Psychological assessments play a crucial part in a variety of medico-legal cases. They can help to create a clearer understanding of the individual and allow positive strategies for coping to be developed. Why should I get an evaluation for my psychological condition? A psychological assessment is performed by a licensed psychologist in order to understand the root cause of your mental health problems. Psychological assessments may include tests using standardized tests, clinical interviewing and review of relevant documents. The information gathered from psychological evaluations can be used to design a treatment program that addresses your particular requirements. Psychological evaluations are a potent tool that can provide insight into how a specific issue may be impacting your daily life, for example learning difficulties or attention deficits, or mood disorders like anxiety and depression. They can also identify an underlying neurological or psychiatric issue which may be contributing to symptoms, such as Alzheimer's disease or brain injury. In a lot of cases your doctor will recommend an extensive psychological evaluation when a simple diagnostic examination is not sufficient. The results of the psychological test will be documented in a report written by a psychologist that includes background information, test results, clinical impressions and likely diagnoses. This information is provided to you as well as your medical professionals who refer you to them. It is crucial to understand your strengths, even though the purpose of psychological testing and assessment is to determine what might be causing you to have problems or symptoms. This is especially beneficial for those who have had to deal with a variety of mental health issues in the past. Many people see their mental health issues disappear completely when they receive proper treatment. This includes therapy and medication. The results of a psychological evaluation can also tell you if have any co-occurring disorders that may be contributing to your symptoms. This is known as comorbidity or complexity and studies on national comorbidity show that a high percentage of patients suffering from one type of psychiatric disorder often have different forms of mental illness. Psychological assessment is a powerful instrument that is vital in the process of diagnosing. However, it is crucial to remember that the interpretation of any test or piece of data should always be considered in context with case history as well as other behavioral data and never in isolation. If they are not properly interpreted, psychological assessments can mislead or even mislead those seeking care. This is why experienced psychologists take great care when writing psychological assessments and communicating them to their clients using a careful and judicious language. What will happen during the test? Psychological assessments can be a bit complicated and their content is varied in accordance with the situation and needs of your child. These assessments may include an interview conducted by a psychologist, observation as well as questionnaires for parents and children, as well as various psychological tests. Psychologists will go over the process of assessment with you and answer any questions you might have. It is essential to know what the assessment will entail so that you feel confident about the process and you should never hesitate to ask questions. Psychometrics is the scientific study of psychological measures (including the design as well as the interpretation and evaluation of psychological tests). The main concerns in psychometrics are test reliability (consistency) as well as validity and fairness. A psychological assessment is a useful tool to diagnose mental disorders. It can be used to develop an individual treatment plan for the individual, in order to ensure that they get the right support and care. Assessments can provide valuable information to other healthcare professionals such as psychiatrists to help them better comprehend the symptoms of their patients and the impact they have on their daily lives. The results of a psychological evaluation can have a significant impact on the quality of life for your child. This Web-site can help identify any unidentified problems that may be causing negative effects on their relationships with family, friends and school performance. They can also help you gain an understanding of your child's strengths and weaknesses. This could positively impact the way you interact with your child which will allow you to build healthy and meaningful relationships with them. It can also improve their academic performance and behaviour. Psychological assessments are often required by a judge as part of a legal process. In these cases it is crucial that the professional who is assigned to conduct the test is a registered HCPC-registered Clinical or Counselling Psychologists. This will ensure that the report is accurate and impartial, avoiding any possible unfairness or bias. How will the test be conducted? There are a variety of psychological tests. The type of assessment you select will depend on the requirements of your client (usually dependent on a specific referral). A typical Psychological Assessment involves an array of planned interviews (usually semi-structured) followed by a variety of psychometric assessments (tests) designed to answer questions raised in the referral. This helps to determine the nature of the symptoms, the coping style/personality and help to narrow down complex diagnoses. It also specifies the kind of treatment that is most likely to benefit the patient. Many psychologists are also trained to administer questionnaires that can be used to assess a variety of different traits, including emotions, personality, and coping styles. They are usually useful during the initial stages of a clinical assessment. They are particularly beneficial when assessing adolescents and children. The questionnaires usually involve the patient answering various questions about themselves. It could also ask others who are familiar with them to complete questions about what they have observed (for instance, relationships or behavior). Neuropsychological assessments are more likely to be performed in medical settings and typically concentrate on the effects of medical conditions on cognitive functioning. For example the case of a patient who has suffered an injury to the brain or is suffering from a neurological disorder, such as epilepsy or dementia. These assessments are intended to establish the extent of any cognitive impairments and establish a baseline against which future progress can be measured. In addition to this there are also specific psychometric tests that are employed in specific cases to evaluate a range of different aspects like memory, intelligence and academic achievement. They can take longer but they are valuable and can aid a psychologist in making a diagnosis. Psychiatrists and Psychologists both may recommend that patients engage in psychotherapy (talking therapies) to help them overcome emotional/relationship difficulties or problems with stress or anxiety. They are typically available on the NHS but there is waiting lists for these services. Psychologists and psychiatrists can refer patients to other services, such as physiotherapy to treat injuries that are a result of physical or occupational conditions such as diabetes. What is the cost? When you have an illness, such as dizziness or feeling lightheaded, your doctor can conduct tests on you to identify the source of the problem. Psychological evaluations function in a similar way, they are designed to assist the mental health professional understand the root of your symptoms. A psychological assessment is a complicated process that involves standardized tests as well as observations. The test will concentrate on your current state of functioning and how it is affected by any problems you're facing. The results of the psychological assessment will then be used to formulate a treatment plan that is suitable for you. It is vital that a psychological examination is conducted by a trained and experienced psychologist. The best place to begin is with your GP and they will be able to refer you to a Psychologist. If you're being recommended by your solicitor or barrister, they will know which Psychologist to recommend based on the work they have accomplished and their standing in court (how their reports are viewed in cross-examination). The psychologist will then write an report that will be sent to the person who requested it and any other participants in the investigation. This could include your guardian, family member or solicitor. The report will present the key findings, and explain the factors that were taken into consideration and the reasons behind. The report will be discussed with you in depth with the opportunity to ask questions and provide comments on the findings. In certain situations, a psychologist may prescribe medication or recommend treatment. The Psychologist will follow up with you regularly to check your improvement and discuss any issues or concerns that may arise. If you're receiving therapy through the NHS you will be provided with an assessment of your psychological health for free. However, if your case is being evaluated for court proceedings, it could be quite expensive. If you are concerned about the cost of an assessment it is worth asking your mental health professional, your GP or a charity such as Mind or Rethink for advice.