If you’ve ever wondered how psychological testing can help improve your well-being and your life, I am a psychologist with answers that can help!

In general, psychological testing helps by giving your psychologist and you more information about you. It can help us understand your emotions, difficulties at work or in relationships, cognitive strengths and challenges, whether you meet the criteria for a certain diagnosis, and in many other ways.

Why are people referred for psychological testing?

Pre-surgical Evaluations

There are a variety of reasons that people are referred for psychological testing. Some are referred for a pre-surgical evaluation for bariatric surgery or back surgery. Research and experience have shown that if someone is dealing with a significant level of stress, depression, anxiety, or other mental health issues, that can get in the way of following the post-surgical requirements. It can affect the way they heal, too.

We want to identify people who may have those difficulties, so that we can get them the help and support that they need before going into the surgery. That will help ensure that they have the best chance of a good outcome.

Mental Health Diagnosis

Others are referred by their psychiatrist or primary care physician who wonder if they have ADHD (Attention Deficit Disorder with Hyperactivity) or another diagnosis. Sometimes it can be hard to distinguish between mental health conditions, and testing can help to do that.

ADHD shares some characteristics with anxiety, and bipolar disorder can be confused with depression, for example. All of these conditions can affect your attention and focus. ADHD also can involve irritability, impulsivity, and mood swings that are seen in bipolar disorder as well.

Anxiety and depression often occur together. Because things that stress someone out can make them feel depressed or can make them feel anxious, you can see how it can be hard to figure out if someone has multiple conditions or just the symptoms are similar. Testing can help sort things out.

Accommodations at work or school

When people are experiencing problems with attention or focus (or many other mental health challenges), and it is affecting them at work or school, a diagnosis can help them secure accommodations and support.

It can also give them a measure of understanding about what has been going on and how they can receive help.

New directions for treatment

Counselors and therapists of all kinds can refer a client for testing if they have come to a crossroads in their treatment and progress is stalled. Testing can offer an objective and collaborative way to explore some of these questions so that a therapist and client have what they need to continue their work.

Second opinion

Determining a mental health diagnosis can be a subjective endeavor, even with testing. I can review prior test results and possibly repeat or complete new tests. A second opinion can help clarify a grey area or a diagnosis that doesn’t seem to fit. This can happen because many conditions share symptoms.

A collaborative assessment process

Most people may not be used to a “testing process” that is holistic and collaborative. The testing starts with a clinical interview and that can give direction about what tests might be given based on your questions, history, symptoms, and goals.

Psychological testing can help people learn so many things. It can give a person:

  • Perspective on their experiences.
  • More information about how they experience the world and how they are unique.
  • How they learn and process information.
  • Confirmation about whether a mental health diagnosis exists.
  • Explanation about symptoms they may be feeling.
  • Support and recommendations that can help them.
  • Treatment plan if needed.

Psychological testing can help you learn more about yourself and give you a roadmap for moving forward.

What is a clinical interview?

A clinical interview will explore more about the questions you have and any symptoms you may be feeling. These symptoms can be a variety of things (i.e., I feel anxious, I feel depressed, or I am having trouble paying attention).

We also talk about physical symptoms as well. Are you having headaches, insomnia or have other medical diagnoses you’re dealing with?

And, we take some more general history including your family history, growing up years, your family, education, medical history, relationships and work history. This is a very comprehensive interview that is tremendously helpful when looking for answers. It helps determine what tests will be needed and we can talk about questions you have, too.

Will psychological tests give me a diagnosis?

The tests you’ll be asked to complete depend on the questions you have and symptoms you’re experiencing. In general, test results give us additional information because it compares your results to other people your age, so we can get a somewhat objective view of things you’re experiencing.

Sometimes the results are straightforward when your history suggests a diagnosis and the testing confirms it. Sometimes it requires a bit more nuanced exploration. We may use multiple tests, the clinical interview and your input to land on the right diagnosis.

In the case of a pre-surgical evaluation, we  may rule out any difficulties, so there may not be a diagnosis at all.

Feedback session to go over results

After the testing is done, we schedule a feedback/discussion session to discuss the findings – which means presenting the results and then discussing them with you to get your viewpoint on them, how they fit with your experience, and steps for dealing with whatever challenges there are.

This can be a very helpful process because what you learn can provide some confirmation for what you’re feeling and some explanation and details of why you feel that way.

One client I had wondered about ADHD, and there was some evidence in the testing that this person had experienced some significant trauma. This person hadn’t thought of those experiences in that way, and didn’t realize it could be affecting their concentration. As we discussed these experiences and different ways they had affected this person, they felt a huge amount of relief and realized that there was a path forward to get help and find solutions.

Concerns about test results

I think that the issue people often have about their test results is who can see the results and what is done with them (how they are interpreted, how they are used, and the effect that they may have on your life). In terms of who can see the results, except in cases where the testing or evaluation was requested by someone else (such as for a civil service appeal), you can control with whom a psychologist may share the results. A psychologist may not share them with anyone else without your permission. Also, if you change your mind about who you want to share the results with ahead of that happening, you simply get in touch and they won’t share the results. The bottomline is that you are in the driver’s seat when it comes to how the results are used with few exceptions.

Next, it’s very understandable that people have concerns about how their test results are used. If you have concerns about that, please let me or your treating psychologist know so that we can discuss it thoroughly. The testing process should be helpful and a positive process for you, which is why the psychologist should do whatever they can throughout the process to make that possible.

A way forward after testing is complete

Testing is a starting point. Once we have more data and a roadmap, we can discuss treatment, recommendations, and accommodations.

For a college student who is dealing with ADHD, we may recommend accommodations. If they have more difficulty with distractions, some schools can allow more time to complete a test, will allow them to complete the test in a location without distractions, and may be able to get help with note-taking in class.

We may discuss more about what your diagnosis is, so it’s easier for you to understand what is going on and how the symptoms can be dealt with. We may talk about different coping strategies to use. Medication may help, which can be discussed with your psychiatrist or primary care physician.

Psychotherapy is also a good way to deal with symptoms and get to the root of what is bothering you. You can gain new skills, perspective and support. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy can be very useful to resolve troubling symptoms so you can get some relief. Often just having a plan and some understanding takes a weight off your shoulders.

Ready to get started?

If psychological testing is in your future, contact me and set up an appointment to get started. Depending on the tests, it may take a few different meetings to complete them. Many tests are given in person, but virtual options are also available. Learn more about me and the psychological testing services I provide to help my clients move forward.