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What is Psychological Testing?

Psychologists use standardized psychological instruments that can be used to measure a variety of clinical concerns. Testing can be useful for purposes of diagnosis, treatment, and placement.

Tests used to determine whether learning disabilities are present involve administration of an I.Q. test, an achievement measure, and behavior rating scales across settings. I.Q. tests can be brief or more comprehensive and are sensitive to language and culture, age, and previous learning opportunities. Achievement testing can be screeners or comprehensive instruments and various instruments are oftentimes preferred by various educational institutions and may in fact be recommended for acceptance by psychologists in the community. Learning disability assessments can be used to determine strengths and weaknesses, and whether the presence of functional limitations may be present, which can qualify children or adults for consideration of receipt of special accommodations by the Committee of Special Education in your local school district or post secondary institutions such as colleges. Decisions about whether a child will qualify and or receive special services is not determined by independent psychologists but rather determined by your C.S.E. of your child's school system. Testing for Dyslexia, which is the presence of a reading disability, involves tests that look at processing and the mechanics that contribute to word decoding, letter word recognition, sound blending, and reading comprehension. Assessment for Disorders of Written Expression involve comparable tests which also explore one's ability to express oneself on paper. Mathematics Disorders can be explored by looking at processing abilities associated with calculations, mathematical reasoning, and problem solving.

Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder is a neuro behavioral disorder that affects a child's and or adult's ability to muster and sustain attention, initiate and complete activities, remember and complete sequences of activities, hold and manipulate data in one's head without paper and pencil, lead to emotional lability, and or have difficulty reading and remembering what was read. Psychological testing involves a battery of tests including I.Q. testing, Continuous Performance Testing, use of Behavior Rating Scales across settings by parents and teachers, and requires a thorough psychosocial developmental interview and family history.

Personality Testing can include Objective Personality Instruments as well as Projective Instruments.

Testing oftentimes requires pre authorization from insurance carriers and may not always be a covered benefit.
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