Cedar Park, TX Psychological Assessments Information Sheet

What is a psychological assessment?

A psychological assessment uses interviews, observations, and tests to evaluate and provide detailed information about your personality, emotions, intelligence, learning, and behaviors. The tests used depend upon the types of diagnostic or referral questions or what you would like to learn more about yourself.

Why should I do a psychological assessment?

You should do a psychological assessment if you feel you need more information about yourself or your child. The assessment can offer a detailed picture about what is causing difficulties in life or how to you use your strengths to achieve your personal goals. A psychological assessment can also provide recommendations that you may use to improve school or work performance, the quality of your relationships, and the management of your emotions. You and your therapist may also use the information from the assessment to make therapy more productive.

What is involved in completing a psychological assessment?

The psychological assessment process involves four steps: intake session, testing session, scoring and interpretation of the results, and the feedback session. During the Intake session the psychologist will meet with you to determine your referral questions and gather background information. The testing day usually consist of two to eight hours for the you to complete the selected tests. The psychologist may also request measurements to be completed offsite by teachers, parents, or significant others.The psychologist will then score and interpret all the tests and create a thorough report of the results, which usually takes two to four weeks.The report will provide a description of the results, diagnostic impression, and treatment recommendations. In the feedback session the psychologist will will go over the report, make sure you understand the results, and answer any of your questions.

What are the fees?

The cost is determined on the number hours to complete the assessment process. The rate per hour is $165 and with an average of eight to ten hours ($1320 – $1650). A fee of $99 is required to schedule the intake session and a $250 deposit is required to schedule the testing day. Half of the balance is required at the start of the testing day and remainder of the balance is due at the feedback session. Insurance may cover some of the cost excluding copays, deductibles, and coinsurances. Please contact your insurance company to verify reimbursement for psychological assessment costs. It is your responsibility to pay for fees not covered by insurance.

What types of psychological assessments do you provide?

Academic Placement and 504 Planning – Seeks to identify any cognitive, behavioral, or emotional disabilities that may interfere with your ability to learn effectively. Provides academic accommodations and psychoeducational recommendations that will ensure your academic success and access to the learning environment.

ADHD – Determine if your symptoms fit the diagnostic criteria for the different types ADHD disorders and provides recommendations to help reduce problems related to attention, impulsivity, organization, and hyperactivity.

Behavioral Functioning – Helps determine the cause of behavior problems and provides recommends to help reduce unwanted behavior and increase compliance with children and adolescents.

Intellectual/ learning disabilities – Provides information about cognitive processes, such as memory, learning styles, and problem solving abilities. Helpful in determining how to overcome problems, but can also identify strengths, that may help you achieve success at school and work.

Neuropsychological – Assesses how your brain functions based on data about your intelligence, attention, executive functioning, memory, language, mood, and personality styles. Provides treatment recommendations to help improve your neurocognitive functioning.

Personality/ social-emotional – Used to determine how personality and emotions may influence your functioning, problem solving, and relationships.

TCOLE Psychological Evaluation for Texas Commission on Law Enforcement: Required psychological evaluation, including the MMPI, that results in L-3 determination for admission to the CAPCOG Regional Law Enforcement Academy and other law enforcement agencies.

What types of assessment Thriveworks does NOT do:

Assessments for court or legal proceedings (such as child custody or competency evaluation)

Provide medication assessments – Usually a psychiatrist or a medical doctor, such a primary care doctor, will conduct their own evaluation to prescribe medication.

Assessments for clients who learned English as a second language – test results may not be valid if there is a language barrier.