Assessments
Psychological Assessments are standardised measures of psychological functioning, often used for making diagnoses.
The Assessment Process
Assessments usually consist of up to 4 sessions with a psychologist and the preparation of a comprehensive report with recommendations.
Initially, the psychologist will spend time understanding the background to the person seeking an assessment, including symptoms, relevant life experience and why an assessment is required.
Following this initial session, the psychologist will select the appropriate psychological measures and tests to help understand and provide useful feedback. The assessments are usually completed over 2 sessions of 1-2 hours each, and may consist of hands-on activities, answering questions or interacting with assessments in other ways.
Following the completion of the assessment sessions, the psychologist may collect more information from other sources (with permission) such as teachers or family members to further inform the overall conclusions.
A feedback session is then held which will include an explanation of the findings, discussion of any relevant diagnoses and feedback about ways in which the information can be helpful, including further steps that may be useful.
Types of Assessments
ADHD assessments include an assessment of the ways that someone understands and processes information, attention, and emotional wellbeing.
ADHD assessments are most common for school-aged children but can be done for all ages, including adults.
For children, and ADHD assessment may be combined with an assessment of intellectual ability.
IQ Assessments are dependent upon the purpose of the assessment.
Learning -related assessments are usually referred for late primary/early high school aged students, but can be done from Year 1 onwards.
Assessments for specific learning disorders can help to better understand the nature of someone’s difficulties with learning.
Cognitive assessments include assessment of logic, reasoning, understanding and processing, together with an academic assessment covering relevant learning skills.
Feedback from learning-related assessments can help with modifications that might be useful for the learner, and strategies that can help the person to support their learning in other ways.
A cognitive assessment, together with assessment of behavioural systems and capacity for interacting with the world.
Central Coast Psychological Assessments Team
To make your first appointment, please call us on 4363 6600.
