Psychological Assessments

Psychological Assessments for Adults
Psychological Assessments for Children

What is a Psychological Assessment?

A Psychological Assessment is a careful process that uses psychological tests and interviews to produce a comprehensive and current picture of a person’s functioning. The final outcome of a Psychological Assessment is a written report. Depending on the referral question(s), the assessment may focus on intellectual, academic, social and/or emotional functions.

What kind of questions does a Psychological Assessment answer?

For children, some common referral questions for Psychological Assessment are:

•  Is this child meeting her or his academic potential?
• Should this child be receiving more academic help? If so, what kind?
• This child seems to have difficulty focusing on schoolwork; is this an attentional difficulty or is something else interfering?
• What can be done to help this child develop better relationships with peers?
• Does this child have the maturity and understanding to make important   life-shaping choices (such as which parent to live with)?
• Is this child at risk for a mental disorder? What services would be helpful?
• What strengths does this child have? What resources are in their family, school or community to help?

For adults, common referral questions include:

•  Does this person have a mental illness or disorder? What is the likely prognosis?
• What is the nature of this person’s emotional or psychological difficulties?
• What services would be helpful in facilitating this person’s return to paid employment?
• What services would be helpful in improving this person’s quality of life?
• What factors in this person’s environment may help, or hinder, their progress? What strengths and resources do they have to call upon?

Who refers for Psychological Assessments?

Psychological Assessment services are usually contracted for privately, sometimes at the recommendation or request of a third party (such as an insurance company) or professional (such as a lawyer, physician, social worker or teacher). Occasionally, the court will request or order a psychological assessment as input into a civil or criminal court case.

What is the cost?

The cost of an assessment depends upon how much time it takes to complete, including: gathering information through testing, interviewing, observations; reviewing background materials, scoring tests and writing the report. Reports range from 5 to 15 pages or more, depending on the amount of information and the complexity of the referral questions.

We do everything that we can to keep an assessment affordable, including helping beforehand to clarify the referral question, gathering information from clients through questionnaires before the first meeting, and carefully matching methods and tests to the particular client and concerns. Many assessments can be completed for around $1500 to $1700.

Who pays?

Most assessments are paid for by the client and/or by an insurer. Many employees have financial help available through Extended Health Plans that may pay for all or part of the cost of a Psychological Assessment.

Where a lawyer or insurer requests an Assessment, you or your client should clarify with the other parties involved who will be responsible for costs.

Who owns the assessment?

Where third parties such as insurance companies or employers have requested a Psychological Assessment, it is very important beforehand to determine the purpose of the assessment, who will pay, and who will have access or rights to the results. These issues are dealt with formally through clear, signed consent forms and contracts. Where families or individuals privately order and pay for assessments, they own and have control over the results.

How can I be confident that the report will meet my (or my patient’s) needs?

Dr. Serena Patterson is licensed for practice by the B.C. College of Psychologists. She has extensive training in Psychotherapy, and Psychological Assessment, and has been delivering services in the Comox Valley since 1992.  She is also well known for her college teaching of Psychology and Human Development.

Dr. Patterson’s approach to Psychological Assessment is a collaborative one of working together to define and solve a puzzle. You will help by starting with a clear referral question, helping to gather information that you think will be useful, answering questions thoughtfully and thoroughly, asking questions and expressing any concerns that you have along the way. Dr. Patterson creates reports that are respectful, useful and clear enough to be understood by adult clients and/or parents, as well as by other professionals.

 

Grünberg Patterson provides Counselling & Psychological Services for: abuse and trauma, adoption, anxiety and phobias, child and adolescent therapy, couple and relationship counselling, depression, elder care, family of origin, grief and bereavement, health and medical concerns, life, family and career transitions, parenting, separation and divorce, stress and pain management. These services are available to those residing in the Comox Valley and North Island: Comox, Courtenay, Cumberland, Campbell River.

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