Psychological evaluation involves several tests that help assess your mental health. They are otherwise popularly known as 'psych evaluations' and are often handled by medical professionals like doctors, psychiatrists, or psychologists. These tests help your primary mental healthcare physician to learn more about you. The more information mental health professionals collect, the better equipped they'll be to help you. This article discusses the different types of psychological evaluation tests in use and explores why psychological evaluation is important.
1. Personality Assessment
Your personality, mood, opinions, and attitude, are directly influenced by the relationships you develop with other people. So, during a personality assessment test, your psychologist will try to learn how your social environment and personal connections have influenced your mood, behavior, and attitude. With this information, your psychologist will figure out the best treatment for you.
2. Clinical Interviews
During a clinical interview, your psychologists will ask you about your medical history, personal story, and background. Generally, your psychologist will engage you in two ways during clinical interviews. They'll either ask you several standardized questions or they'll engage in a conversation with you in a question and answer format. That assessment test helps your psychologist narrow down the mental health issue affecting you through the elimination process as you describe your symptoms, medical history, social background, etc.
3. Assessment Of Intellectual Functioning
The assessment of intellectual functioning is probably something you're already familiar with. It's more popularly known as an IQ test. An IQ test measures your intellectual abilities as well as your future potential. Psychologists use IQ tests to assess whether a patient's mental problems result from intellectual disability.
4. Behavioral Assessment
Behavioral assessment tests focus on studying your behavior through behavior analysis. If your psychologist recommends this test, they want to know why you behave the way you do. Your psychologist then uses this information to figure out the best way to help you change your behavior. This assessment is highly recommended for patients whose mental issues result in problematic behaviors. It helps patients learn new skills that help them curb these problematic behaviors.
Why Is Psychological Evaluation Important?
If you're suffering from an unknown mental issue, a psychological evaluation helps your psychologist identify the mental problem affecting you. The psychologist will identify your mental condition by determining the following: the symptoms you've developed, the causes of your aggressive behavior, the source of your emotional problems, the presence of a learning disability, etc.
Final Word
Undergoing a psychological evaluation is the first step of your recovery journey. Without psychological testing, your psychologist won't be able to offer you the right treatment for your condition. Remember, mental health conditions are treatable. Consult a mental health professional if you need help and start your journey towards healing.
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