What is psychological testing?

Psychological testing is a clinical procedure to identify certain elements of an individual that are important for successful life functioning. Testing includes a clinical interview, an extensive social history, and a number of psychological tests designed to identify how the individual functions. Testing can be used to focus psychological treatment and shorten treatment.

What are the areas that psychological testing examines?

Personality type, temperament, and traits
Personality limitations and problems
Intellectual abilities and limitations
Psychoneurological abilities and limitations
Interpersonal and social functioning
Academic interests, abilities, and limitations
Vocational interests, abilities, and limitations
Fitness for duty or work
Marital/partner adjustment and satisfaction
Existence of specific emotional or behavioral disorders
Custody, placement, and adoption of children

What is the procedure of psychological testing?

An initial interview, clinical interview and social history
This takes approximatley an hour and a half
This is a time where the psychologist and the client determine what kind of psychological testing might be valuable to the client
“Take-home” battery of psychological tests. The client is asked to take a number of tests and inventories home, complete, and return to the office. This often takes 4-6 hours of time.
Face-to-face testing. This can take 2-4 hours
A final interview during which the psychologist reports the findings of the evaluation, discusses these findings with the client, and together they determine any course of action that may need to be taken.
A written report
Is the testing procedure different for a child?
Individuals are considered children if they are 12 or younger
Under most circumstances, the psychologist meets with the parent, or more preferably, all parental figures to hear concerns about the child. A social and developmental history is gathered from the parents
Parents are usually asked to complete psychological inventories about their children that examine the child’s emotional and social development and the child’s behavior.
A report is given to the parents, and if requested, to other sources

What is the referral source for psychological testing?

Any individual may request psychological testing
Another medical or other helping professional
Attorneys and other forensic agents
Employers and prospective employers for employees
Marital partners for the relationship
Parents, for their child or children

What are the fees for a psychological evaluation?

Fees are $400 - $2000. Fees vary according to the extent of the evaluation.
Personality assessment: $600-$800. Factors include personality structure (type, temperament, traits) and disorders of emotion or personality.
Intellectual assessment: $600-$800. Factors include significant assessment of linguistic and visual-spatial intelligences and moderate assessment of other factors of intelligence such as art, music, kinesthetics, and nature
Psychoneurological assessment: $600-$1500. Factors include hemispheric (right or left brain) preference, and other strengths of brain functioning; dementias such as Alzheimer’s Disease, closed head injuries and birth traumas, existence of deteriorating diseases such as ALS, MS, and others.
Personality, intellectual, and neurological assessment: $1200-$2000
Vocational and other specific evaluations: $600-$1200
Health insurance often covers a portion of testing. EAP’s do not.
Fees and co-pays are due at the time of service.