What are The Essential Components of a Psychological Assessment?

A comprehensive psychological evaluation involves a combination of assessment tools that are designed to understand the source of underlying concerns affecting behavior. Psychological assessments are conducted by knowledgeable and skilled clinicians who are trained to understand and interpret the results. Often the process takes several appointments and may involve several different kinds of tests designed to understand the underlying features of a condition.

Four essential components of psychological assessment:

Norm-referenced tests: The tests that psychologists use are norm-referenced which means that they were designed and calibrated based upon data collected from a wide variety of individuals and are therefore less likely to produced bias results. There are several different kinds of tests that all assess a different element of mental health and cognitive functioning. When the results are viewed collectively, holistic recommendations can be made to help the client improve overall functioning.

Interviews:Many assessment protocols first involve a comprehensive interview whereby the clinician asks the client questions about their history and current symptoms to better understand the goals and objectives of the assessment process. Also, in some cases parents, partners, and teachers may be asked questions (following the approval of the client) to further support the information collected in the interview process.

Observations: Often the assessment process involves direct observation of behavior in a particular setting to better understand the nature of the presenting concern. This is especially true when evaluating children who are often not able to describe their concerns effectively.

Informal testing: In some cases, in addition to norm-referenced tests, psychologists may also use questionnaires or other measures to add support to their findings. This data is useful to fill in the gaps that may exist in the testing process.

Things to know about Individual Therapy

Therapy (also known as psychotherapy and counseling) is a mutual process between a client and therapist that aims to help change and enhance quality of life. Therapy can help clients tackle obstacles that may hinder mental health and personal connection. It can also help improve emotions and self-esteem. Many people who participate in therapy find that they develop personal growth and self-actualization as well.

What does psychotherapy treat and when is it suggested?

Therapy treats mental health concerns such as depression, anxiety, and ADHD. It can also focus on relationship distress, stress management, and career problems. Typically, a person seeks out therapy when their mental health concerns begin affecting their day-to-day functioning. Therapy helps people improve their behaviors and emotions so that they can live their lives to the fullest.

Who can offer psychotherapy?

Therapist, counselors, and psychologists are all regulated by state licensing boards. Some therapists have a master’s degree (e.g. social workers and LMFTs), and some have doctoral degrees (psychologists). Additionally, psychiatrists are medical doctors with mental health specialties who can prescribe psychotropic medications.

How are therapy objectives, frequency, and length decided?

The goals and length of therapy are decided collaboratively by both the clinician and the client. The course of therapy also depends largely on the presenting concerns and their severity. Some types of therapy last longer than others (for example, traditional psychoanalysis can last for years) and some therapy is very brief (for example crisis management therapy is often only a few sessions). Most therapy is considered short term (fewer than 20 sessions) and sessions typically last between 45 and 60 minutes. More complicated concerns may necessitate more frequent and longer sessions.

Can psychotherapy cure me?

Therapy is meant to improve presenting concerns and is designed to give the client tools so that they can live more effectively once therapy is complete. Many mental health conditions that are the product of underlying biological concerns cannot be “cured” per se, but they can be treated so that the client no longer suffers because of them.