Psychological assessments at California Christian Counseling include four phases: Interview, Testing, Analysis, and Feedback.
The thought of undergoing psychological testing may sound intimidating. If you’re feeling apprehensive, you’re not alone. In general, psychological testing and assessments are pretty straightforward and easy. These tests are nothing to fear and definitely not something for which you have to study or prepare. In fact, you might be tempted to take tests online. That’s usually not a good idea and can impede your actual test results, especially if you are taking a specific psychological disorder test.
Some tests are completed in a Q and A style between you and your care provider. At other times, testing is done electronically using computerized forms. In either case, these questions are usually very simple to answer and you will be given clear instructions on how to take the tests for best results.
Be assured that the testing process is designed to serve you in the long run. It’s simply a resource through which your provider can gather information to get you the care you need.
Psychological Testing and Assessments at California Christian Counseling May Include:
- Clinical Interview – This helps us gather important background information about your life, personal history, professional background, and family history including questions about different stages in your life and mental health issues that run in your family.
- Lifestyle Assessment – This involves the collection and analysis of health-related information that is used to support healthy behaviors and change unhelpful behaviors. This assessment provides an overview of nutrition, exercise, drinking/smoking/drug use, sleep patterns, stress levels, and overall health status. The lifestyle assessment gives your care team the opportunity to examine health status for health risks and prevent, reverse, or eradicate chronic diseases.
- Personality Assessment – Personality tests are used to help you and your care provider better understand who you are. These tests also help determine personality dysfunctions and disorders.
- Behavioral Assessment – This is done to paint a picture of your thoughts, behaviors, and triggers. This is accomplished through natural observation. You might be asked to keep a journal for recording things like your moods and how you react to them.
- Neuropsychological Assessments – Neuropsychological testing is a specialized psychological evaluation that helps your provider understand your symptoms and how they relate to your brain’s current functionality. The testing serves a number of purposes, including to gain a diagnosis regarding specific conditions, to identify your strengths and weaknesses, and to determine the best treatment plan moving forward in order to maximize your opportunity for success.
Often, the testing session will take place on another day and will include written tests, problem solving, puzzles and answering questions. Some portions of the test will be more challenging than others and normally the assessment takes between one to seven hours depending on the series of evaluations.
Once the testing session is done, the provider will record the data, evaluate and interpret the results, and write a full report with findings and recommendations. This usually takes a few weeks to complete, after which time you will meet for an additional appointment to discuss the results and consider the next steps in treatment.
Some of the Types of Psychological Tests
There are many different types of psychological tests that can be done, such as:
- Achievement and aptitude tests
- Intelligence tests
- Neuropsychological tests
- Occupational tests
- Personality tests
- Specific clinical or diagnostic impressions
Based on your presenting symptoms and needs, your therapist will likely evaluate areas including:
- Cognitive functioning
- Intellectual processing
- Reasoning and problem-solving
- Concentration levels and attention span
- Language skills
- Mood
- Personality
At California Christian Counseling, we cater the testing to fit your individual situation. The degree to which each area is examined will vary from person to person.
Discussing Your Results
Once the evaluation is complete, we will go over the results with you so that you understand what they mean. From there we will talk about treatment options. Either way, we will uphold your faith and values to reach a treatment plan with which you feel comfortable.
At California Christian Counselling, our hope is to provide a safe and compassionate place for people to get help. You may have mixed emotions when it comes to psychological testing and treatment. Maybe you are fed up with living a life that is hindered or maybe you are on the fence about whether or not psychiatric treatment is for you – wherever you are, we are here to give you support while keeping you informed each step of the way.
