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What is Psychological Assessment? Psychologists often assess a person's behaviour by formal psychological testing in controlled conditions. This could include tests that are standard and interviews. Psychological assessments are a crucial component of a lot of medico-legal cases. They can help in creating a clearer understanding of the person and allow for positive coping strategies to be put in place. Why do I need to be assessed for a psychological test? A psychologist will conduct a psychological assessment to determine the causes of mental health issues. Psychological assessments may include testing with the use of standard tests, clinical interviewing and a review of relevant documents. The data gathered during psychological tests is used to create an accurate diagnosis and create an effective treatment plan that will address your specific needs. Psychological assessments can be a useful instrument to help you understand how a condition is affecting your life. For instance they can tell you whether you have learning issues or attention issues, or mood disorders, such as anxiety and depression. They can also help determine a psychiatric issue or neurological disorder that could be causing your symptoms, like Alzheimer's disease or brain injury. In many cases, a simple diagnostic interview is not enough. Your doctor may recommend an extensive evaluation. The results of a psychological assessment are included in an assessment report that contains background information such as results of the test clinical impressions, and probable diagnoses. The report is sent to you and your medical professionals who refer you to them. It is essential to recognize your strengths, even though the aim of psychological assessment and testing is to discover what could be causing symptoms or issues. This is particularly beneficial for those who previously struggled with mental health issues. Many people discover that their mental health issues cease impacting their lives completely once they receive the proper treatment which includes therapy and medication. A psychological examination can tell if there are any co-occurring disorders that could be contributing to symptoms. This is called comorbidity or complex and studies on national comorbidity show that a large percentage of those suffering from one form of psychiatric disorder usually have different forms of mental illness present. Psychological assessment is a powerful instrument that is vital to the process of diagnosing. However, it is crucial to keep in mind that the interpretation of any one test or data must always be viewed within context with the history of the patient and other information about behavior, and not in isolation. If they are not properly interpreted psychological tests can lead to confusion or even mislead people seeking care. That is why skilled psychologists take great care when writing psychological assessments and communicating them with their clients, using careful and shrewd language. What will happen at the test? Psychological assessments can be complex and their content can vary greatly in accordance with the situation and needs of your child. They can include an interview with a certified psychologist and observation, questionnaires for parents and children and various psychological tests. Psychologists will answer your questions and discuss the assessment process. It's important to understand what the assessment will entail so that you feel confident about the process. You should never be afraid to ask questions. Psychometrics is a study in science 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), validity, and fairness. A psychological assessment is a useful tool to diagnose mental disorders. It can also be used to design an individual treatment plan for the individual, ensuring that they get the right support and care. Assessments can also provide useful information to other healthcare professionals, such as psychiatrists, to allow them to better know their patients and the impact of their ailments on their daily lives. The results of a psychotherapy assessment can have a significant effect on the quality of life for your child. They can help to identify any problems that are not yet addressed and could negatively impact the relationship between them and their friends, family or school performance. They can also help you gain a better understanding of your child's strengths and weaknesses. This can positively impact how you interact with your child which will allow you to build positive and healthy relationships with them. It can also help improve their behavior and academic performance. Psychological assessments are often ordered by a judge part of a legal process. In these cases it is crucial that the person who is commissioned to carry out the assessment is an HCPC registered Clinical or Counselling Psychologists. This is to ensure that the report is accurate and impartial, avoiding any possible issues of unfairness or bias. How do you plan to carry the test out? There is a wide range of psychological tests available and the type of assessment used will depend on what needs to be determined (usually in response to a specific referral). A typical Psychological assessment is a planned series of interview (generally semi-structured) followed by a series of specific psychometric assessments (tests) designed to answer the questions mentioned in the referral. This aids in determining difficult diagnoses, aiding in define the symptoms, coping style/personality and the kind of therapy most likely to assist the patient. Psychologists are trained to administer questionnaires which help to measure a range of different characteristics including emotions, personality, and coping styles. These questionnaires are beneficial in the beginning stages of development and are particularly useful when assessing teenagers and children. These questionnaires usually involve the patient answering questions about themselves. They might also ask people who know them to answer questions about what they have observed (for example, behaviour or relationships). Neuropsychological assessments are more likely to be performed in medical settings and tend to focus on the impact of medical conditions on cognitive functioning. For example the case of a patient who has suffered an injury to the brain or suffers from a neurologic disorder such as epilepsy or dementia. These tests are intended to establish the extent of any cognitive impairments and establish a baseline against which the future progress of the patient can be assessed. In addition to this there are many specialist psychometric measures that are used in particular cases to determine different functions such as memory, intelligence and academic performance. They can be time-consuming but they are valuable and can aid a psychologist in making an assessment. 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. These services are usually offered by the NHS however there is a waiting list. Psychologists and psychiatrists can refer patients to other services, like physiotherapy, to treat injuries that are a result of physical or occupational injuries like diabetes. What is the price? A doctor may perform tests on you if you are suffering from an illness like dizziness, or feeling lightheaded. This is to determine the root cause of your problem. Psychological assessments work in a similar way, they are designed to assist the mental health professional understand what is causing your symptoms. A psychological test is a complicated process that will examine many different aspects, using both standard tests and observations. The assessment will focus on your current state of functioning and how it has been affected by any problems you're experiencing. The results of your psychological examination will be used to create an individual treatment plan that is tailored to your needs. It is vital that a psychological assessment is performed by an experienced and qualified psychologist. Your GP can refer you to a psychologist. If you're being referred by your barrister or solicitor, they will know who to recommend based on the work they've completed and their reputation in court (how their reports stand up under cross-examination). The psychologist will then write a report which will be sent to the person who made the request and any other parties involved in the case. This could include your guardian, family member or solicitor. The report will detail the main findings and explain the reasons behind the assessment and what was considered. The report will then be discussed with you in detail and allow you to ask questions and provide comments on the findings. In some cases, a Psychologist may prescribe medication or recommend treatment. The Psychologist will check in with your regularly to monitor and address any concerns that you might have. www.iampsychiatry.uk is important to keep in mind that if you are having therapy through the NHS that psychological assessments will typically be free of charge, however if you are undergoing an assessment for court proceedings, it can be very expensive. If you're worried about the cost, ask your GP, your mental health provider or a charity like Mind or Rethink.