Psychological evaluations consist of a comprehensive interview, followed by paper-and-pencil or computer administrated tests that help to look at patterns of emotional and personality functioning. Sometimes, a psychological evaluation can include formal testing of intellectual abilities, though the cognitive testing is not as comprehensive as a full neuropsychological evaluation.

Psychological evaluations are typically given for the following reasons:

• To determine a psychiatric diagnosis
• To assist with treatment planning and recommendations
• To learn about an individual’s personality traits
• To determine a job candidate’s ability to perform a specific job (i.e. peace officers)
• To assess a person’s readiness for certain surgical procedures (i.e. bariatric, spinal cord stimulator (SCS) or pain pumps)
• To determine psychiatric disability
• To assess for Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) or specific learning disabilities (SLD)

Depending on the reason for psychological evaluation, the face-to-face time required can typically range from 2 hours up to 8 hours.

We offer a wide range of clinical and forensic psychological evaluations for adults at PNBC, with skilled clinicians who specialize in health psychology.