In its broadest sense, a psychological assessment is an objective way to assess or examine the psychological functioning of an individual. An objective way of testing is one where a comparative study is conducted of the responses of an individual, as per the standardized measures, to a particular normative group.
These measures are those wherein every respondent is provided with the exact same measure or is subjected to those tests that are administered in a similar way. This allows you to compare how they function with their peers. Such tests are comparable to the standardized tests that students take in school or when they are taking college preparatory exams such as the SAT and ACT. The term “Psychological function” is somewhat a broad term because there are many abilities that can be assumed to be under its umbrella.
What are the tests that are included in psychological tests?
One such test is psychoeducational evaluation. In this test, the patient is being tested for learning-based disorders. This testing focuses on academic achievement measures as well as intellectual testing. Such tests can include writing, reading, and mathematics. The results of these tests are used to compare the intellectual abilities of the individual with their academic abilities. If there is a significant discrepancy in the academic abilities and intellectual skills of the person in any given area, then that is used to formulate a basis for the diagnosis of a learning disorder.
When a school is concerned about a child's learning difficulties or cognitive disorder that is hindering his or her learning process, psychoeducational evaluations can be performed. These evaluations can also be done privately, meaning that the evaluations are conducted in a private setting with the help of a licensed psychologist. These types of evaluations may include other measures, for instance, classroom observations and parent questionnaires that collect observations about the emotional functioning or behaviours of the concerned individual. Although these tests are not always effective in diagnosing certain disorders such as ADHD or attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder, these significantly contribute to the creation of a guide that can influence the formulation of IEP or individualized education policy.
How are these evaluations helpful?
Evaluations help get a better understanding of the patient's personality and emotional functioning. This is because these evaluations allow for a quicker assessment of the individual, as compared to therapy sessions that consume a lot of time. The results obtained from these measures may help to make recommendations for the treatment of mental health, such as medication and/or therapy. These can also contribute to deciding what kind of strategies are most effective for the patient.
These findings can be used to guide referrals or other specialists, such as psychiatrists or neurologists. Depending upon the age of the individual, the evaluations, in the form of a questionnaire, are carried either by them or by their parents/ immediate caregivers. In the case of adults, these questionnaires may be completed by the patient itself. In other cases, it is usually the parents who often fill out questionnaires asking about their child's behaviour and emotional state when assessing them.
If the individual concerned is an adolescent, it is common to include a combination questionnaire that asks about personality and emotional issues. These questionnaires involve the child responding to self-report questions and the primary caregiver or parent responding to their observations of the person. As most children and adolescents are not capable of gaining enough insight and awareness of their own difficulties, the responses of the parents and caregivers are more helpful as they are the first to notice and address concerns or problems. The information gained from these assessments is needed to help a clinician make treatment recommendations and get diagnostic impressions.
A neuropsychological assessment is another form of psychological assessment. This helps to measure more specific aspects of cognitive functioning, which includes executive functioning, such as the ability to plan, inhibit and organize emotional, behavioural, and cognitive responses; attention; memory, and learning. Apart from that, it also measures motor coordination and strength.
Assessments of these types require a more advanced level of training. Referrals can often come from therapists or physicians who are concerned about a particular patient's ability to function in such areas. Such a concern may arise due to a neurological condition, for instance, seizure disorder or head injury or dementia, or a mental disorder wherein moods and anxiety can negatively impact the cognitive ability of a person. Most neuropsychological assessments are performed in a medical setting.
Lastly, it is important to remember that while testing can be used to diagnose a psychological condition or to identify potential difficulties in functioning in any particular area, it is equally helpful in discovering the strengths possessed by an individual. Every person has their own weaknesses and strengths. It is important to find out what your strengths are and how you can use them to overcome any weaknesses. People can learn and grow by having information. Results from psychological tests can provide valuable insight into how people can use their cognitive as well as emotional strengths to try and attempt to improve their mental health.
