Psychological evaluation services are helpful in understanding—in a systematic way—a person’s intellectual, educational, and emotional functioning. Psychological assessments are a valuable tool at LightHeart Associates to create personalized treatment plans for every client.
Learn more about our mental health treatment and psychological assessments in Seattle today.
How Psychological Assessments Support Growth
Especially for children and adolescents, psychological assessments can be an invaluable tool. Although young people are often able to communicate that they feel pain, it may be difficult for them to pinpoint the source of their suffering.
Even for adults, psychological assessments can help clarify the root of their mental health issues. Adults in crisis also may struggle to understand the factors leading up to and contributing to the situation. Through psychological testing, we can better understand the presenting issues to set specific objectives for treatment.
What Are the Benefits of Psychological Assessments?
In complex situations, assessments can provide clarity. They can:
- Help identify reasons why intellectual potential may not have been realized and demonstrated in the educational setting
- Determine progress and chart additional areas that need to be addressed to attain treatment goals
- Offer valuable information to treating physicians about mental health and medication management
- Help treatment providers understand the functions involved in intellectual thought, intellect management, educational achievement, emotional problem-solving, and regulation of feelings
- Identify subtle differences in the diagnostic presentation to initiate the proper treatment
Our psychological evaluations are conducted in person, and we also provide safe telehealth services.
When to Consider Mental Health Assessments
You might consider psychological testing if you or your child are experiencing any of the following:
- Complex diagnostic questions
- An unclear diagnosis or concerns about a possibly developing diagnosis
- Difficulties that present in the school situation
- Suspicion of a learning disability
- Challenging emotional behaviors that are hard to manage
- Problems with emotional regulation
- Problems with impulsivity, aggression, and behavioral dyscontrol
- Problems getting along with others
- When clarification of treatment goals is needed
- When problems persist even with treatment
If psychological testing suits you or your family, our psychological assessment services can provide the answers and help chart a course forward.
Types of Psychological Assessments
Intellectual assessments, educational assessments, executive functioning skills assessments, and emotional and personality assessments can all be beneficial. A mental health professional determines the type of assessment that is most suitable for any particular situation based on information from the psychological history, interviews with the client, parents, or teachers, and other relevant factors.
Intellectual Assessments
These psychological assessments look at the following:
- Determination of the overall level of cognitive functioning and potential
- Delineation of cognitive strengths and weaknesses
- Analysis of intellectual problem-solving
- Role of attention in demonstrations of intellectual potential
Intelligence and cognitive abilities, such as abstract thinking, language proficiency, and problem-solving capabilities, can all be examined using psychological tests.
Educational Assessments
These psychological assessments also take into account the following:
- Reading
- Mathematics
- Academic fluency
- Written language
Through our psychological evaluation services, we can not only measure a student’s academic capabilities, including reading comprehension, math problem-solving, and spelling accuracy but also help equip them with the skills they need to succeed in their studies.
Executive Functioning Skills
These psychological assessments also involve evaluating:
- Organization
- Attention
- Behavioral and emotional control
- Initiation
- Time management
- Task completion
- Having complete and consistent access to true intellectual abilities
Aptitude assessments evaluate specific skills such as conceptualizing, organizing, resolving conflicts and issues, and setting objectives.
Emotional and Personality Assessments
They also involve looking at the following:
- Analysis of the inner emotional world
- Emotional problem-solving and decision-making
- Quality of thinking/reality testing and accuracy of judgment
- Current stress levels and whether issues reflect more ongoing or situational-based concerns
- Evaluation of stress management skills and coping strategies
- Underpinnings of internal emotional states (e.g., depression, anger, anxiety)
- Evaluation of emotional regulation and behavioral dyscontrol
- Self-esteem
- Identity issues
- Quality of interpersonal interactions
- Level of social skills
Our psychological evaluations in Seattle gauge emotions, conduct, and character traits with remarkable accuracy.
Contact LightHeart Associates to Learn More
Ready to learn more about psychological assessments and how we can help? Contact LightHeart Associates today at 425.800.5688 to get started.