Psychological Testing

Psychological testing is a way of understanding a variety of dimensions within the individual.  Most people are familiar with questionnaires in magazines and popular media that provide a score on some characteristic.  The difference between these types of questionnaires and a psychological assessment is based in the types of tests being used, and the breadth of secondary data collected.

Psychological testing is designed to answer specific questions someone has about an individual.  A client might want to find out why they continue to act in ways that are troublesome.  A therapist might want to know the severity of their client’s depression or help in clarifying a differential diagnosis.  A parent might want to know how best to help their teenager with school and peer difficulties.  A child advocate might want a second opinion on the presence or absence of a specific learning disability in a child.  The number of questions is endless, thus the number/type/length of testing required can range from a quick single test to multiple involved tests.

The end result of most psychological testing is a formal report that describes the questions being evaluated, the actual results of the tests, and recommendations based on the two.  In all cases, the results are reviewed with the client (or person making the referral, with the client’s consent) in clearly understandable language.  The goal is to provide feedback that will ultimately benefit the person being tested.

The following is a list of the types of psychological testing Ivyland Counseling Center offers:

• Developmental
• Educational/Achievement
• Intelligence/Aptitude
• Neuropsychological (basic screening for gross organic indicators)
• Personality (objective/projective)
• Psychodiagnostic