10/8/2019 Understanding psychological testing and assessment

Understanding psychological testing and

If you or a family member has been referred for psychological testing, you probably have
some questions about what to expect. Or you may have heard about psychological testing
and wonder if you or a family member should be tested. Psychological testing may sound
intimidating, but it's designed to help you.

In many ways, psychological testing and assessment are similar to medical tests. If a patient
has physical symptoms, a primary care provider may order X-rays or blood tests to understand
what's causing those symptoms. The results of the tests will help inform develop a treatment
plan.

Psychological evaluations serve the same purpose. Psychologists use tests and other
assessment tools to measure and observe a client's behavior to arrive at a diagnosis and
guide treatment.

Psychologists administer tests and assessments for a wide variety of reasons. Children who
are experiencing difficulty in school, for example, may undergo aptitude testing or tests for
learning disabilities. Tests for skills such as dexterity, reaction time and memory can help a
neuropsychologist diagnose conditions such as brain injuries or dementia.

If a person is having problems at work or school, or in personal relationships, tests can help a
psychologist understand whether he or she might have issues with anger management or
interpersonal skills, or certain personality traits that contribute to the problem. Other tests
evaluate whether clients are experiencing emotional disorders such as anxiety or depression.

The underlying cause of a person's problems isn't always clear. For example, if a child is
having trouble in school, does he or she have a reading problem such as dyslexia? An
attention problem such as attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD)? Difficulty with
impulse control? Psychological tests and assessments allow a psychologist to understand the
nature of the problem, and to figure out the best way to go about addressing it.

Tests and Assessments

Testing involves the use of formal tests such as questionnaires or checklists. These are often
described as “norm-referenced” tests. That simply means the tests have been standardized
so that test-takers are evaluated in a similar way, no matter where they live or who administers

https://www.apa.org/print-this 1/3
10/8/2019 Understanding psychological testing and assessment

the test. A norm-referenced test of a child's reading abilities, for example, may rank that child's
ability compared to other children of similar age or grade level. Norm-referenced tests have
been developed and evaluated by researchers and proven to be effective for measuring a
particular trait or disorder.
A psychological assessment can include numerous components such as norm-referenced
psychological tests, informal tests and surveys, interview information, school or medical
records, medical evaluation and observational data. A psychologist determines what
information to use based on the specific questions being asked. For example, assessments
can be used to determine if a person has a learning disorder, is competent to stand trial or has
a traumatic brain injury. They can also be used to determine if a person would be a good
manager or how well they may work with a team.
One common assessment technique, for instance, is a clinical interview. When a psychologist
speaks to a client about his or her concerns and history, they're able to observe how the client
thinks, reasons and interacts with others. Assessments may also include interviewing other
people who are close to the client, such as teachers, coworkers or family members. (Such
interviews, however, would only be performed with written consent from the client.)

Together, testing and assessment allows a psychologist to see the full picture of a person's
strengths and limitations.

Seeing a Psychologist
Psychological tests are not one-size-fits-all. Psychologists pick and choose a specific set of
assessments and tests for each individual client. And not just anyone can perform a
psychological evaluation. Licensed clinical psychologists are expertly trained to administer
assessments and tests and interpret the results.

In many cases, psychologists who administer tests will then treat patients with psychotherapy.
Some psychologists focus only on evaluating patients, and then refer them to other specialists
for treatment after they've made a diagnosis. In either case, the testing and assessment
process will help ensure that the client receives treatment that's tailored to his or her
individual needs.

What to Expect
Psychological testing isn't like taking a multiple-choice exam that you either pass or fail.
Rather, psychologists use information from the various tests and assessments to reach a
specific diagnosis and develop a treatment plan.

Some people are tempted to peek at the tests ahead of time. If they suspect they may have a
particular problem, they may look online for a practice test of that problem. That's a bad idea,
experts say. In fact, practicing ahead of time usually backfires — when you try to take the test
in a certain way, the answers may be inconsistent and make you appear to have more
problems than you actually do.

https://www.apa.org/print-this 2/3
10/8/2019 Understanding psychological testing and assessment

Remember, psychological testing and assessment is nothing to fear. It's not something you
need to study for. Rather, it's an opportunity for psychologists to determine the best way to
help you.

Thanks to Michelle F. Eabon, PhD, and Dan Abrahamson, PhD, for contributing to this article.

The full text of articles from APA Help Center may be reproduced and distributed for noncommercial
purposes with credit given to the American Psychological Association. Any electronic reproductions
must link to the original article on the APA Help Center. Any exceptions to this, including excerpting,
paraphrasing or reproduction in a commercial work, must be presented in writing to the APA.
(mailto:[email protected]) Images from the APA Help Center may not be reproduced.

 DATED CONTENT

APA maintains an archive of our published material throughout our websites. From
time to time, you may come across a page that includes outdated science or
missing details that could be improved. If you believe that this is one of those pages,
please let us know.

The content I just read:  IS RELEVANT  MAY NEED AN UPDATE

Find this article at:

https://www.apa.org/print-this 3/3