Assessment (All Ages)

Comprehensive assessments for adults can be useful to understand academic difficulties in college, graduate school, or law school. An assessment could also help you better understand problems at work or home (e.g., trouble concentrating, trouble remembering).  At the PSC we evaluate for:

• Specific Learning Disorder (i.e., difficulties in reading, writing, math)
• Attention/Concentration Problems
• Difficulties with Memory
• Dementia or Cognitive Decline
• Emotional or Social Problems
• Neuropsychological Assessment

In addition to the assessment services for adults mentioned above, older adults sometimes have additional concerns.  At the PSC Older Adult Counseling Center we can evaluate:

• Cognitive disorders
• Dementia
• Age-related cognitive complaints
• Differential diagnosis between neurocognitive and psychiatric disorders
• Neuropsychological Assessment

An assessment for your child or teen can help provide a better picture of current difficulties in emotional and academic functioning.  At the PSC we evaluate for:

• Learning Disabilities (i.e., difficulties in reading,writing, math)
• Attention/Concentration Problems
• Giftedness
• Behavioral or School Problems

In order to provide the best assessment, it usually takes several hours, typically requiring multiple meetings.  Many of the tests we use have to be performed in a very specific way to be considered accurate.  As a result, we ask that you or your child come for the assessment well rested and not hungry.  You may bring snacks or drinks if you wish.  We do not normally complete entire assessments in one day because most people cannot maintain the concentration and energy required for us to be certain our tests are accurate.  You will work with your assessor to determine how long of an appointment will feel comfortable for you.  We ask that you complete the assessment in a relatively brief period of time, so this may mean rescheduling your work or school activities to come in for appointments.  It is important to keep in mind that it may take some time to receive the results of your assessment.  After we complete testing with you, we must score and interpret the tests, then write a lengthy report detailing the results.  Thus, you should plan to obtain testing well in advance of any deadlines you might have for academic institutions or testing companies.

• The answer to this question depends on the requirements of the testing company.  Typically, each testing company has a list of tests they want administered to evaluate particular problems.  You need to obtain this list for us so that we can make sure we have the testing materials you need.
• Another common issue concerns the fact we are a teaching clinic.  You need to verify with your testing company what their requirements are for the person who completes the assessment.  You can tell them the testing will be completed by a doctoral student in clinical psychology under the supervision of a psychologist.  It is helpful to verify this will be okay with them prior to beginning your assessment.
• Another important factor to consider is that our students (and some of our supervisors) are temporary.  Thus, if you need further documentation completed at a later date, your assessor and case supervisor may not be able to provide this service.  Common examples of this include a person who is tested for accommodations for school (e.g., high school, college, law school) who then wishes to use the report for a testing company at a later time point (e.g., SAT, LSAT, Bar exam).  If the people who worked with you during your assessment are no longer in the clinic, we usually can’t fill out the required paperwork as this needs to be signed by someone originally involved in the assessment.
• For those who are assessed for the first time as an adult, it is important to know that many testing companies require a documented history of a disability or diagnosis to give accommodations.  That is, they want to see evidence that you have had this problem your entire life, usually supported by other sources, such as prior reports or records from school.  It sometimes happens that even if you clearly have a diagnosis that would make you eligible for accommodations, that your request for these accommodations may be denied without a clear evidence you have had the disability for a long time.
• For those wishing to be evaluated for the bar exam, please understand their criteria are very stringent for accommodations. We have no control over their decision making process as we can only submit our report which attempts to document your difficulties as clearly as possible.

It is usually helpful for our clients to know in advance what type of informaiton will be requested during the assessment, so that you can locate this information and bring it with you.

• If you have been evaluated before, it is helpful for us to have copies of your prior reports.
• We will need school records.
• We will ask for permission to contact other providers who can comment on the concern, such as psychiatrists, physicians, or teachers.
• We will conduct a very detailed description of your concern (e.g., when it started, what makes it better or worse, exactly how the problem affects you) and your performance in school and at work (when relevant).  Bringing dates and records to your appointment will help us get this information more quickly.

It is also important to know that testing does not always result in accommodations.  As noted above, testing companies or other agencies may have more stringent requirements to provide accommodations.  Also, having problems in school does not necessarily mean that accommodations are needed or that a diagnosis is present.  However, we always provide recommendations that we feel will help with your success, regardless of whether you receive accommodations or are given a diagnosis.