PSYCHOLOGICAL SCREENING
What is Psychological Assessment?

Psychological assessment is a process that can be undertaken in order to:

  • Provide a more accurate diagnosis
  • Determine the level at which a patient is functioning
  • Determine the severity of symptoms that a patient is experiencing
  • Assist an individual in obtaining accommodations for work or school
  • Determine the patient’s clinical baseline (status at the beginning of their treatment) enabling their progress to be tracked throughout their treatment plan
  • Quantify a patient’s symptoms in comparison to other individuals within their demographic (age and gender)

Psychological assessment can be particularly imperative when a patient’s diagnosis remains unclear even after their self-reported symptoms and psychiatric history.  The assessment process is often used to look for/at:

  • Clinical diagnoses, such as depression, Bipolar Disorder or anxiety
  • ADHD
  • Career decisions
  • Cognitive functioning/memory
  • Intelligence
  • Learning Disabilities
  • Personality
  • Autism Spectrum Disorders

Psychological assessment is typically not covered by insurance and thereby an out-of-pocket cost.  It is the patient’s responsibility to call and verify coverage with their individual insurance company.  


Understanding Diagnostic Screening:
Psychological screening may take anywhere from 2 to 4 hours.  The screening battery may include computerized and/or paper/pencil assessments.  Clinicians may also ask the patient’s spouse, parent, or other individual to fill out one or more screening tools on behalf of the patient (with the patient’s permission).
  • Screening is typically recommended in the following situations:
  • Metric assessment is needed in order to quantify symptoms of mood, anxiety, sleep, substance use, and other related conditions
  • Previous treatment has been unsuccessful for a patient, indicating that there could be additional undiagnosed concerns
  • The clinician needs to verify consistency within the patient’s self-report