Our Psychological Assessment Services
Assessment services are an essential first step for many individuals seeking treatment at Crossroads Institute, as well as those who are seeking accommodations in an educational setting. By conducting a psychological assessment, your mental health professional can get a clearer picture of your overall health and symptoms to develop an ongoing plan for care.
What are Psychological Assessments?
A psychological assessment serves as a key, initial step in an individual’s therapeutic journey, or an important part of understanding one’s educational needs. It is also the most comprehensive way of diagnosing neuropsychological disorders, such as ADHD. The process involves gathering information from a patient about thoughts, feelings, behaviors and more. An assessment can include a series of tests, scales and evaluations that provide you and the mental health professional with important insights into how to guide your course of interventions moving forward.
What are Psychological Assessments Used For?
Psychological assessments can assess one’s neuropsychological, educational, and psychological functioning. Comprehensive testing can differentiate among many possible causes for attention problems, learning difficulties, behavioral problems, and emotional challenges. Educational testing can be used to diagnose learning differences and determine what types of accommodation can ensure that you or your child learns to the full potential. Neuropsychological testing can be used to correctly diagnose such commonly misdiagnosed conditions as ADHD or Autism Spectrum Disorder, and psychological testing can be used to develop a treatment plan that is most detailed and accurate.
Types of Psychological Assessments and Tests
There are several different types of psychological assessments and tests used at Crossroads Institute. These various tests can accommodate a range of needs and conditions.
ADHD Testing
At Crossroads, we use an individually tailored, comprehensive battery of tools to accurately diagnose ADHD since many conditions can lead to attentional difficulties. Using only observations and rating forms can sometimes lead to misdiagnosis and inaccurate and ineffective treatment. In some scenarios, a patient may also undergo cognitive ability and academic achievement testing to rule out possible learning disabilities or neuropsychological testing to assess for processing differences.
Neuropsychological Testing
Neuropsychological testing involves an in-depth assessment of a patient’s skills and abilities related to brain function. This form of testing seeks to assess a wide range of areas related to brain function, including memory, attention, problem solving, I.Q., language and visual-spatial skills. A neuropsychological assessment may also assess academic skills as well as a patient’s social-emotional functioning.
Psychological Evaluations
At Crossroads Institute, our mental health professionals use psychological evaluations to clarify a patient’s diagnosis and help develop the most appropriate treatment plan. These evaluations most often begin with an in-depth clinical interview with the patient, as well as interviews with individuals close to the patient, in some cases. Psychological evaluations also involve formal tests, such as standardized test measures and questionnaires.
Our Comprehensive Psychological Assessment Process
Crossroads Institute’s mental health professionals conduct comprehensive psychological assessments that can provide patients with clear and actionable insights into their overall health and well-being. In most cases, the psychological assessment process involves the following steps:
Interviews
The mental health professional conducts interviews with the patient and, in some cases, individuals close to them in order to gather as much information as possible on a patient’s condition.
Testing
Depending on the patient’s concerns and symptoms, a psychological assessment may also involve the administration of standardized psychological tests and assessments.
Analysis
During this part of the process, the mental health professional assesses and analyzes data from the initial interview and/or testing stages to begin developing a treatment plan.
Feedback
In this stage of the process, the patient and mental health professional take part in a feedback session with the goal of providing the patient with an accurate understanding of the insights gained during the assessment process. The patient is then provided with a comprehensive written report, that details the findings, interpretations, and recommendations. The patient and mental health professional can then work in partnership to develop a treatment plan based on these results and discussions.
Who Can Benefit from Psychological Assessments and Testing?
A wide range of patients can benefit from psychological assessment and testing. At Crossroads Institute, we offer assessment and testing for a variety of conditions, including but not limited to:
- Giftedness
- Learning and processing differences
- Autism spectrum disorder (ASD)
- Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD)
- Neuropsychological impairments due to injuries or other conditions
We also can conduct assessments and testing to establish differential diagnoses for clinical conditions.
Assessment FAQ
The length of time a psychological assessment takes will vary from one assessment to the next. Some may take 2 to 3 hours, while others can take multiple sessions over the course of several days.
Psychological testing and psychological assessments are two distinct processes, but they are related. The psychologists at Crossroads Institute use both types of tools in evaluating patients and determining the right treatment plans.
Psychological testing involves the use of formal testing formats, such as checklists or questionnaires. These testing formats are typically standardized or “norm-referenced” so that patients receive the same type of evaluation no matter where they are undergoing testing.
A psychological assessment can include psychological testing in addition to other types of assessments, including conducting interviews and compiling observational data, assessing school or medical records and even conducting medical evaluations.
Psychological Assessments Near Los Angeles, California
Crossroads Institute offers comprehensive psychological assessments in the Greater Los Angeles area and beyond. To get started, contact the Crossroads team at a location near you today, please click on the link below to get started.