What to Expect from Psychological Testing
by: Julie Sams, MA, LPC
You keep getting notes home from school; your child is consistently struggling with grades and peer relationships; you or your child just can’t concentrate or get anything done, and you just want to know why?! Navigating your way through the world of psychological testing can be tricky since you have likely never been through it before. Hopefully I can answer some of your questions here, since I know it can be challenging to even know where to begin.
What are the reasons for psychological testing?
Testing can be critical in determining what the cause or root of a problem is and aide in developing a plan for treatment. If you or your child are experiencing poor academic and/or work performance, inability to concentrate, poor reading and writing skills, becoming frustrated easily, and just can not seem to perform at the level you would expect, testing may help to identify why.
What does psychological testing actually test for?
Psychological testing is often required by school systems to identify specific learning disabilities, such as Auditory Processing Disorder (APD), Dyscalculia, Dysgraphia, Dyslexia, Language Processing Disorder, NonVerbal Learning Disabilities, Visual Perceptual/Visual Motor Deficit, and other related disorders such as ADHD, Dyspraxia, Memory, and Executive Functioning.
There are also scales to measure Depression, Anxiety, and other behavioral disorders since it is not uncommon for symptoms of mental health difficulties to have similar symptoms to other disorders.
Psychological Testing typically includes a full scale IQ test to determine how IQ plays a part in you or your child’s learning difficulties or current problems. IQ testing can be used for determining placement for early Kindergarten entry, academic gifted programs, or additional learning programs.
What types of tests will a psychologist use?
The most commonly administered IQ test is called the Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale-Fourth Edition (WAIS-IV), and is appropriate for any individual aged 16 or older. The Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children – Fourth Edition, or the WISC-IV., is typically the test used for IQ testing for children.
A Parent/Teacher Behavior Checklist, such as the Conners Rating Scale is often used to assess ADHD in children. Typically there is a checklist sent online to at least one teacher, a parent, and the child is give a self-report .
How long does testing take?
For children, parents are scheduled for an initial intake visit that last between 45-60 minutes. The children are scheduled for 2 additional testing sessions that generally last between one and a half to two hours each session. Then, parents are typically scheduled for a follow-up session to discuss the results of the tests.
For adult seeking testing for Learning Disabilities, ADHD, or IQ testing, they are scheduled for an initial intake appointment that lasts between 45-60 minutes. They have 2 testing sessions that generally last between one and a half to two hours each session. Then, they are typically scheduled for a follow up session to discuss the results of the test.
Some mental health screenings can be done in one visit, but typically testing happens over the course of 4 visits with our psychologist.
Do you provide testing for Autism?
We do not provide testing for autism at Bowman Family Services. We suggest that if you suspect your child may have a diagnosis of autism that they work with a psychologist who provides developmental testing and specializes in testing for autism.
What about medication?
The therapists at Bowman Family Services believe that every effort should be made to make life changes though behavioral and cognitive-behavioral strategies before considering medication. Medication may be warranted after much effort, but little progress is made. We do not have a psychiatrist on staff and do not have anyone who can prescribe medication, however we regularly work in collaboration with family physicians and pediatricians so they can prescribe appropriate medication. Testing can provide evidence to support a diagnosis, and treatment of medication.
While testing can be helpful information to be able to identify strategies, if you suspect that you or your child’s difficulty is related to emotion struggles or adjustment issue, you may want to start with individual counseling first. Your therapist can inform you if they think testing is necessary. If you or your child’s school suspects a learning disability, ADHD, or another learning difficultly, setting up an appointment for testing is likely the best way to go.
If you determine that psychological testing may be right for you and would like to schedule an appointment, please schedule a standard intake appointment via our online scheduling system.