PSYCHODIAGNOSTIC ASSESSMENT
Psychodiagnostic assessments help clarify concerns about a person’s behavior, personality traits, mood, emotions, and thinking processes. We consider your cultural and social economic background and the impact it had on your development. Sometimes a person, a family member or a treatment provider may be wondering if a person’s behavior meets a psychological diagnosis. A comprehensive examination of the person’s psychological functioning can help provide answers and to guide treatment.
RESULTS OF A PSYCHODIAGNOSTIC ASSESSMENT ARE USED TO PROVIDE:
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symptom etiology (e.g., possible reasons for behavior),
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relevant diagnoses (e.g., does a person’s symptoms meet a diagnosis such as anxiety, a developmental disorder, or neurological disorder), and
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guidance for treatment (e.g., need for psychotherapy, speech language pathology, psychiatry etc.) if necessary.
NEUROPSYCHOLOGICAL ASSESSMENTS
Neuropsychological assessments are generally conducted when there is a brain-based impairment such as traumatic brain injury, stroke or seizure that may be affecting cognitive processing, emotional functioning or behaviour. Standardized testing is used to see how well the person’s brain is working when it is performing different cognitive functions like paying attention and remembering.
SOME AREAS THAT ARE TYPICALLY ASSESSED INCLUDE:
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Various forms of intelligence (e.g., verbal and nonverbal abilities)
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Perceptual skills
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Motor abilities
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Learning and memory
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Attention/concentration
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Expressive and receptive language
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Information processing speed
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Visual-spatial and visual-motor skills
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Executive functions (e.g., problem-solving, inhibition, planning, etc.)
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Emotional/behavioral functioning
Results of a Neuropsychological assessment can be used to confirm/clarify a diagnosis; document changes in functioning over time; provide a profile of strengths and weaknesses to guide rehabilitation, educational, vocational, or other services and provide tailored recommendations to assist with weaknesses.