Psychological testing is a process of understanding how a person thinks, learns, and feels. It is also helpful in gaining a more complete understanding of how a person interacts with and interprets the world. Psychological testing begins with an initial clinical interview collecting information about the patient’s health, behavioral, social, academic, and occupational backgrounds. Following the interview the nature and scope of the testing will be determined. During the testing process, a series of tests are given which measure all types of psychological functioning. Psychological testing can identify the presence of many conditions; ADHD, learning disabilities, mood and anxiety disorders, degenerative cognitive problems, to name just a few. Ultimately, the importance of psychological testing lies in it’s ability to help healthcare providers to more clearly understand what is causing the patient problems, so that an individualized treatment plan can be developed. After testing is completed a feedback session will be scheduled to discuss the results, diagnoses, and recommendations. The entire testing process can take anywhere from 3 to 10 hours, depending on the particular problem being evaluated.
Read more about learning disabilities, IQ, and other Psychological tests.
