Assessments in San Diego
Mental Health Assessments in San Diego
Assessments typically include standardized, norm-based tests that are administered in person and online. A behavioral assessment includes performance-based tests as well as measures completed by the client, parents, partner, and teachers. Assessments can be performed across the life span, from age 1 year to 90 years old. Assessments are usually performed by clinical psychologists, educational psychologists, and school psychologists. The goal of a mental health evaluation and the specific battery of tests administered depends on the specific needs of the client.
An accurate way to determine what type of assessment you need is to identify the primary domains of concern as listed below:
- Developmental
- Autism Spectrum
- Cognitive/Intellectual
- Academic and Learning
- Memory
- ADHD
- Mental Health (depression, anxiety, OCD, bipolar, personality, etc.)
- Behavioral (anger, opposition, avoidance, etc.).
A psychologist can perform a comprehensive assessment across these domains or can create a targeted battery of tests based on specific areas of concern. Often, if a child is young enough, we recommend a blind school or home observation as part of the behavioral assessment.
The mental health assessment should not be administered all in one day, in one sitting. It is highly recommended that the testing be conducted over the span of a week, with 2 hours of testing at a time. For younger kids, we may even do testing one hour at a time. Mornings are best, so that the client is not tired after a long day of school or work. Brief breaks should be allowed during the testing if necessary. This approach allows us to capture the client’s best abilities based on performance tests, and reduces the variables of fatigue, boredom, and attention impacting the scores. Hence, the testing results are more valid. In-person testing for the performance-based tests is also ideal.
The reports you receive should be detailed, with all the data (scores, percentile ranks, norm tables, and descriptions of each subtest) included in the report. Additionally, diagnoses and recommendations for 504s, IEPs, school interventions, college and work accommodations, and clinical treatment recommendations should be provided in the report. A feedback session is also important, so you understand the results, diagnoses, and recommendations.
Types of Mental Health Assessments
An ADHD assessment typically captures strengths and vulnerabilities of attention, focus, distractibility, impulsivity, hyperactivity, and executive functioning. It should include a cognitive test to assess for working memory and processing speed as well, as these cognitive functions are typically impaired in conjunction with attention challenges. A norm-based computer performance test is also included to see how the person does in real-time with focus and attention. Measures that evaluate executive function (planning, organization, multi-tasking, forgetfulness, completion of tasks, etc.) are also a part of the testing battery.
This is a more comprehensive behavioral assessment that identifies if you or your child is on the spectrum and if there are any accompanying developmental delays. The age range for assessing these domains ranges from 12 months – adulthood. There are several important components to this assessment, including the following:
- Observations
- In person assessment for spectrum using the gold standard test, ADOS-2. Many psychologists use only a parent or teacher measure to diagnose Autism, but it is strongly recommended that the ADOS-2 be used in the testing battery.
- In person assessment for intellectual delays and norms.
- Standardized, norm based developmental measures completed by parents, teachers, partners, or employees targeting a range of socio-emotional and developmental domains.
- The report should be comprehensive with details of a specific diagnosis of autism with levels of spectrum, with intellectual functioning, and with needs/recommendations for support.
This is a more targeted mental health assessment that typically includes a standardized, norm based cognitive/intellectual battery to assess for strengths and vulnerabilities in the domains of Verbal Reasoning, Visual Spatial, Processing Speed, and Working Memory. Additionally, a norm based, standardized academic test is administered to assess for the specific challenges in reading, writing, math, and overall learning. If there are concerns around phonetics or auditory processing, there are additional specific tests that target these areas. Some clients share concerns around memory, and the psychologist will include a test that assesses immediate, short term and long term memory in visual, spatial, auditory, verbal, and number domains. All these tests should be administered in person if possible for more valid results. Your report should include all the appropriate diagnoses, specific recommendations for clinical and academic interventions (504s/IEPs), and accommodations for college and work.
Psychological Assessments
Some clients present with complex mental health histories, unclear diagnoses, and mixed treatment recommendations. In these situations, it is best to participate in a psychological assessment that will more clearly identify the diagnoses and best next steps for treatment. The assessment will include a clinical interviews and several self-report and parent/partner/teacher report measures. These measures are standardized and norm based, so will provide us the thresholds for diagnostic considerations across depression, anxiety, OCD, bipolar, personality disorders, psychosis, etc. If there are behavioral, learning, spectrum, or ADHD concerns, those tests can also be included in the battery for a more comprehensive assessment and treatment recommendations. There are many individuals with dual diagnoses or multiple domains of challenges, and an assessment is a great way to discern priorities, areas of severity, and treatment planning.
Assessment Process
Step-by-step explanation (intake, testing, analysis, results).
If you or your child is struggling in any of the areas listed above, and you are unsure of the diagnoses or best next steps for support and treatment, participating in an assessment is the best guide to improve mental health and well-being. Assessments can be conducted accurately across the lifespan, so it is never too early nor too late to seek out testing.
Why Choose Aspiring Families:
Credentials, local expertise, compassionate care.
We are an interdisciplinary team of psychologists with extensive expertise in multiple forms of assessments across the lifespan. We always provide standardized, norm based state of the art testing, detailed and comprehensive reports, a feedback session, and continued support for interventions and accommodations.
If you reach out via the website or call 858-531-1122, you will be able to schedule a 15 minute intake call with Dr. Maker to share your needs and learn more about the process. Within a week, you will have a clinical interview for yourself and/or with your child. Once the testing battery has been determined, the testing sessions will be scheduled across the week. Typically, the report is completed within 3 weeks, and you will have a feedback session to go over the results, diagnoses, and recommendations.