Psychological Assessment Services
Psychological assessments are conducted for a wide variety of purposes and our psychologists are qualified and experienced in conducting a vast range of assessments.
What is Psychological Assessment?
A psychological assessment is used to gather information to answer a particular question about an individual, couple, or group's psychological functioning. The nature of the question will determine the type of assessment undertaken. For example, when a school wants to know a child's intellectual ability to determine how to support that child's learning, a cognitive assessment may be administered to provide this information and to make recommendations to the school. Psychological assessments may gather information about how a person thinks, feels, and behaves. These assessments may include an interview of the individual being assessed, observations, collateral information from others, and formal psychometric measures that are administered, scored, and interpreted by appropriately trained psychologists.
Once the psychologist has obtained the relevant information, the psychologist does a comprehensive evaluation of the information to answer the questions being asked and to make recommendations. The psychologist's interpretations, conclusions, and recommendations are provided in a comprehensive report. We are currently able to offer assessment of ADHD, dyslexia, and learning difficulties to children.
Areas Generally Covered
Attention/ADHD Assessment
Children and adults alike may benefit from an ADHD assessment. ADHD can present with or without hyperactivity or behavioural difficulties. Some individuals can be inattentive and easily distracted, fidgety, or impulsive. This can impact organisational skills, completing tasks, and learning. Assessments can involve testing, observations, and collecting information from family or friends. The increased understanding of how your brain functions makes planning and organisation easier and more successful.
Autism Assessment- CHild & adult
Sunshine Coast Psychology Clinic psychologists have extensive experience in the assessment of autism and other developmental difficulties.
Where there are queries about the presence of autism, our psychologists can undertake an assessment and make recommendations as to whether it is likely that an individual meets the criteria for diagnosis.
SCPC psychologists have experience in the use of gold-standard assessment tools, including the Autism Diagnostic Observation Schedule (ADOS), MIGDAS, SRS-2 and the Childhood Autism Rating Scale, Second Edition (CARS-2).
Behavioural Testing
This type of assessment is undertaken when an individual is behaving in unhelpful or dangerous ways and recommendations for changing those behaviours are required.
Behavioural assessments are often undertaken with children, people with disabilities, or geriatric patients, but may be undertaken with anyone.
A behavioural assessment would typically include an interview with the individual, interviews with those with whom the individual has regular contact, and observations from the psychologist. The aim is to make practical recommendations for behaviour change.
Cognitive Assessment
Cognitive assessments are used to determine an individual's intellectual ability and/or achievement. These assessments are often used to determine whether a person needs additional educational support and/or whether a learning disorder is present. Sometimes, these tests are used to determine whether a child is academically gifted. Testing typically involves an interview with the individual and important others and psychometric testing in the form of a series of tasks. We offer assessment using gold standard measures, including the Wechsler Intelligence Scales for Children, 5th Edition (WISC-V), Weschler Individual Achievement Test (WIAT -III), and the Weschler Adult Intelligence Scales (WAIS).
Dyselixia, learning difficulties, and psychoeducational assessment
Some children can find significant benefits from undergoing assessments for dyslexia, learning difficulties, or other psychoeducational concerns. If your child faces challenges with reading, writing, comprehension, or overall academic performance in their current learning environment, these assessments can offer early identification and intervention, leading to targeted support and specialised learning strategies. By addressing their unique needs, these interventions empower the child to overcome obstacles and pave the way for academic success!
Comprehensive Psychological Assessment
A comprehensive psychological assessment may be undertaken for a wide range of purposes and may include interviews and a variety of psychological tests. The psychologist can determine whether a person is experiencing a mental health disorder and make recommendations for a treatment plan.
Vocational Assessment
Individuals may be interested in vocational testing to determine their suitability for several potential career paths. This type of assessment combines personality and aptitude tests to determine an individual's learning ability, skills, personal attributes, and how these fit with several different careers.
