Psychological Assessment
Psychological assessment is an evidence-based approach used to arrive at a more comprehensive understanding of how a person’s mind functions and the ways in which they experience the world. Using a multimethod approach of clinical interviews, behavioral observations as well as standardized psychological tests, a thorough psychological assessment can help you better understand the steps you need to take in your mental health journey.
Psychological Assessment at SAS
Psychological assessments usually have varied goals, depending on the symptoms someone is presenting with or the current challenges of their circumstances. The process of assessment occurs over several meetings. At SAS, we tailor each assessment to the specific needs of the client and use empirically validated measures to arrive at a comprehensive picture of an individual’s strengths and difficulties. Each of our assessment report also provides actionable, clinical recommendations from psychologists that may help you feel more empowered to act upon the information uncovered from the assessment.
Currently we provide assessments to explore the following conditions:
ADHD
Executive functioning difficulties
Neuropsychological Screening
Mood and Anxiety Disorders
Thought Disorders
Trauma
Personality Disorders and Relational Functioning
Cognitive Decline and Memory Problems
Things to Remember
Psychological Assessment and the information it reveals is often the guiding step in determining what goals for therapy can look like or what medication might be needed to address your particular diagnosis. There is no pass or fail in psychological testing. The aim is to arrive at a unique profile of your functioning opportunities and obstacles.
TO SIGN UP
Click the button below to go to our sign up page, and from there, select the “Psychological Assessments” option.
FAQ
What does an assessment involve?
The process of assessment usually begins with a clinical interview. The purpose of such an interview is to gather detailed information about your current and past functioning. After the clinical interview, comes the process of assessment where you will complete different standardized tests as part of a whole battery, designed to measure different aspects of your functioning. Once the testing is complete, we will score the tests, explain the results, and compile everything into a detailed report. The final part of the assessment is known as the debriefing session, where you and the psychologist meet to go over the findings and recommendations of the report.
How long does assessment take?
You should budget anywhere between 5 to 10 hours for the entire assessment process, which may be spread out over the course of more than one day. The hours taken for assessment largely depend on the breadth of the evaluation. It can take anywhere between 2 to 4 weeks to prepare the final report after testing is completed.
How do I know I need psychological assessment?
Often, a person’s psychiatrist or therapist will refer them for psychological assessment. In these cases, an individual is already in some form of treatment, and the goal of psychological assessment is to provide diagnostic clarification and treatment recommendations. In other cases, someone’s school or place of work may require formal assessment in order to provide them with accommodations. However, these are not necessary conditions to seek psychological testing. You can simply start from a place of curiosity about yourself. Assessment can help provide you an answer to the question – “There is something going on with me, but I’m not sure what. How do I find out?”
What tests will be used in my assessment?
While we use standardized, empirically validated tests in all our assessments, there is no standard template of tests that we use for all our clients. This means that each of the test that you will be given will be geared towards answering your particular referral question. It is not possible to predict what tests will be used before understanding the nature of your query.
How much does psychological assessment cost?
The overall cost of a detailed, personalized assessment usually runs between $2500 and $5000, depending on the extent of the evaluation. While we do not accept insurance for our services, we do provide billing services that you can submit to your insurance for reimbursement.
*Please note: The total cost of each testing service includes the following services with one of our Clinical Psychologists:
personalized diagnostic interview
administration and scoring of each instrument used
cost of testing material
detailed report with test results
and feedback session to discuss results and recommendations.
The length and duration of the testing service is determined by the objective of the testing. Testing often involves the use of additional instruments to answer the referring question. Therefore, it is impossible for your psychologist to provide you with an exact estimate for the cost of services. However, your psychologist can provide a range that encompasses most scenarios for psychological testing. At the low end of the range are patients seeking psychological testing for ADHD-related concerns. For those patients, their total cost would be $2500. At the high end of the range are patients undergoing a full cognitive, personality and neuropsychological battery. For those patients, their total cost can be up to $8000. There will be no “surprise” testing sessions. We will always communicate clearly about it with you in person, via phone, via email, or some other means before scheduling a single or multiple psychological testing session for you.
DO YOU DO COURT ORDERED EVALUATIONS?
No, we currently do not do court ordered evaluations or assessments.
DO YOU TEST FOR AUTISM?
No, we currently do not, but the University of Washington’s UW Autism Center offers many resources and provider options.