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Psychological
Evaluations

Psychological Testing for Children and Teenagers

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A psychological evaluation, or psychological testing, is a thorough process of assessment and screening administered by a psychologist. The methods used for the evaluation will depend on you or your family member’s needs.

The role of the psychologist doing the evaluation is similar to a detective looking for clues to solve a mystery. The more clues that can be identified, the more information you'll have to understand what's going on and decide what options are best suited to help them.

A psychological evaluation should be considered in cases where there is uncertainty about the reasons you or a loved one is having problems with mood, social relationships, behavior, emotions, or learning. In clinically complex cases and/or cases in which it is difficult for someone to identify the problem or articulate one’s own experiences, a full psychological evaluation can be an invaluable resource for providing diagnostic clarification and treatment recommendations.

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A psychological evaluation can be used to diagnose a variety of mental health conditions or disorders that impact memory, thought processes, functioning, and behaviors, including:

  • Depression
  • Bipolar Disorder
  • Anxiety
  • OCD
  • Personality Disorders such as Borderline Personality Disorder
  • ADHD
  • Substance Abuse Disorders
  • Trauma
  • Other mood or cognitive disorders

Wynns Family Psychology also offers a number of evaluations helpful when there are court-ordered or court-involved cases.

What Can Be Expected During Psychological Evaluations?

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A psychological evaluation may consist of a series of formal or structured psychological or neuropsychological tests as well as clinical interviews designed to identify and describe emotional, behavioral, or learning problems.

Psychological assessments may be written, given orally, or administered via a computer. They may involve a series of questions to determine how often you or a loved one experience certain symptoms, or you may be prompted to choose statements that best describe how you think, feel, and behave.

Depending on the test, the process can take several hours to a full day, and may be completed during several different sessions.

We Can Help with Psychological Testing

Wynns Family Psychology has a menu of options for psychological evaluations. Scheduling the initial consultation (or parent consultation) is a helpful first step. The psychologist will provide recommendations about testing after hearing your concerns and goals. Trauma, substance abuse, autism, and others assessments are not included, but can be added on.

 

Psychological Evaluations Resources & Articles

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View all of the Wynns Family Psychology resource content in the main Resources section. Articles, webinars, videos and more!.
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Testing F.A.Q.

Call the office (919-467-7777) to schedule the parent consult. This is an in-depth parent-only interview to go over the history, the purpose for your testing, and to ensure the evaluation you choose is designed to answer those questions for you. This meeting provides you with more information about testing so you can make a decision about moving forward (whether you decide in the office or need to think about it/ discuss it first). Your evaluator can help you then with next steps (e.g., cost of testing package, whether parent or teacher surveys are needed) when you’re ready. The cost of this meeting is the provider’s hourly fee.

Because Wynns Family Psychology highly values assessments, we specifically block time on our schedules each week for testing cases. So, when you call to set up a testing appointment, we can typically see you within a week or two. After the evaluation, we generally schedule an in-person feedback session within 3 weeks to discuss the comprehensive report results. Please also note, for evaluations that require parent and teacher surveys, it is important to complete quickly (e.g., by the final day of face-to-face testing is ideal) and to check in with teachers to ensure they’ve completed their paperwork as well. This data is an important aspect of diagnostic decision making and reports can be very long and time consuming. Delays in paperwork can mean delays in results.

When it comes to Gifted Testing, many parents know their child is “bright” but don’t know specific strengths. The I.Q. and Achievement components that comprise our Gifted Testing provide a comprehensive assessment of your child’s cognitive and academic abilities. And once you have the report, you can use it to qualify your child for AIG services to make school more challenging and enriching!

It depends on your specific concerns. Experts recommend when dealing with disorders (like Autism, Asperger’s Syndrome, AD/HD, Learning Disabilities, etc.), the sooner the intervention — the better. With certain disorders such as these, waiting to test (and hoping things will improve on their own) can result in your child’s problems getting worse. If you feel unsure about how to proceed, an in-person consultation is the best and most thorough way to assess your child’s situation. After this meeting, we’ll make recommendations about which tests would be most helpful (or whether one of our other services such as individual or group therapy might be more appropriate). And the price of most consults can be applied toward the cost of our testing packages. Or if you prefer, we’re always happy to provide a free 10-15 minute phone consultation to discuss your concerns and help you determine which path to take.

Parents often have concerns about their child’s academic, social, developmental, or emotional functioning. They know that “something just isn’t right” but can’t put their finger on it. Undergoing a thorough psychological or psychoeducational assessment can provide specific answers about what is (and what isn’t) going on with your child. Many parents see their children flounder in school and their personal lives for years — spending money on tutors and therapists, without ever determining the root cause of the problem. Having a formal and professional assessment not only yields diagnoses and rules out other disorders, it ultimately saves valuable time and money. Additionally, parents often share our reports with their schools to setup an IEP, 504, or Gifted Plan (DEP) with pediatricians and other professionals such as speech therapists, occupational therapists, and tutors.

Our expert evaluation services are administered by experienced, doctoral-level psychologists that know how to connect with kids in a fun and relaxed environment. We help families by accurately diagnosing children with a wide variety of complex and overlapping concerns. And our comprehensive assessments not only uncover the presence of underlying learning, attention, and psychological issues, but also provide in-depth details about each child’s unique strengths, weaknesses, and needs. We take great pride in the quality, accuracy, and timeliness of our assessments. As a result, our solution-focused reports and custom recommendations piece together a child’s complex puzzle and teach families how to deal with ongoing problems. By the end of your feedback session, your family will be equipped with the answers needed to properly address your concerns and successfully move forward.

Resource Videos

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Get In Touch - Information & Scheduling

Call 919-467-7777 or email Info@WynnsFamilyPsychology.com to schedule an appointment or to learn more about our therapy services, testing services, social skills groups, custody services, and team of psychologists and therapists. You can also complete our new client inquiry form to get started.

Most new clients are scheduled for their first full appointment at the Cary, Raleigh, or Greensboro, NC office locations within one to two weeks of calling. We also offer telehealth for those who prefer to have virtual sessions from home, school, or the office.

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