Frequently Asked Questions

Psychological Evaluations

Psychological evaluation is the process of administering tests that measure mood, behavior, and personality and combining those results with your history to determine diagnosis and treatment planning, which may include if medication or therapy are appropriate. Someone may be referred for a psychological evaluation to determine if he/she has a learning disability, are depressed, anxious, or have another psychiatric disorder. Someone may also be referred for a psychological evaluation to assist in decreasing behavior problems by developing behavior plans and/or assisting and supporting parents.

Why might you be referred for a psychological evaluation?

To determine if:

•  you are depressed or anxious

•  experiencing significant psychological distress

•  you may benefit from therapy

•  you may benefit from medication

•  you may benefit from changing aspects of your lifestyle

 

What is involved in a psychological evaluation?

Talking with a psychologist about:

•  your current symptoms and stressors

•  your lifestyle

•  your background

•  medical, social, occupational, educational

You may also take some tests that may assess your mood, behavior and personality.

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Neuropsychological Evaluation

Neuropsychological evaluation is the assessment of thinking abilities to assist with treatment planning. Specifically, the following are evaluated, the ability to pay attention, concentrate, learn and remember, see things accurately and use visual information, use language, organize, plan, problem solve, and control impulses. During the evaluation mood (i.e., anxiety, depression, etc) will be evaluated as mood disturbance can affect thinking abilities. A neuropsychological evaluation involves answering questions and completing paper and pencil type of tasks and puzzles, etc that evaluate your thinking abilities. Your performance on these tests as well as your medical, psychiatric, educational, and social histories are taken into consideration when determining a diagnosis, devising a treatment plan, and/or assisting with educational, rehabilitative, and/or vocational planning. The following may be reasons why someone is referred for a neuropsychological evaluation: attention deficit disorder, learning disability, brain injury, stroke, memory disorders, dementia, seizure disorder, multiples sclerosis, cancer, HIV/AIDS, toxic exposure, or medical conditions (thyroid disease, diabetes, heart attack, bypass surgery) that may affect thinking.

Why might you be referred for a neuropsychological evaluation?

To determine if you have:

•  Attention deficit disorder

•  Learning disability

•  Memory disorder

•  Depression versus memory problems

•  Anxiety versus memory problems

•  Problems with learning, attention, memory

Or if you have had: A traumatic brain injury

•  Post-concussional syndrome

•  Stroke or aneurysm

•  Heart attack or stopped breathing

•  Significant anxiety or depression

•  Coronary Artery Bypass Surgery

Or if you have other medical conditions:

•  Cancer

•  Thyroid disease

•  Diabetes

•  Cerebrovascular disease

•  Seizure disorder Multiple Sclerosis

•  Other relevant medical conditions

What is a neuropsychological evaluation?

•  Assessment of thinking abilities

•  attention and concentration

•  language

•  ability to organize, plan, problem solving, control impulses

•  ability to see things accurately and problem solve

•  memory (i.e., learn and remember information)

•  mood (anxiety, depression, bipolar, etc)

•  it is not therapy

What is involved?

•  Answering general information questions

•  Doing paper and pencil type of tasks

•  Puzzles, mazes, questions that tap into learning, attention, memory

Why undergo neuropsychological evaluation?

•  To determine diagnosis

•  Assist with treatment and/or rehabilitative planning

•  Assist with educational planning

•  Assist with determining if medication may be helpful

•  Monitor and document change in functioning

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