Preparing for a psychological assessment
Preparing for a psychological assessment
Preparing for a psychological assessment can feel overwhelming or intimidating and many clients ask what they can do to prepare. Here are some tips to help yourself or your child prepare for an upcoming assessment.
Keep a journal:
Write down any symptoms or behaviours that you or your child experiences, along with the approximate date of onset of these symptoms, and any possible triggers. This will help you provide a clear and detailed history during the assessment.
Gather relevant documents:
Bring any previous medical records, school reports, and other relevant documents that can help your psychologist assess symptoms. It may be helpful to ask other professionals, such as teachers, other psychologists, occupational therapists, or others who support the person being assessed to write down their observations for the assessor.
Be honest and open:
Some information that is relevant may feel uncomfortable or embarrassing to share, however it is important to be honest to ensure an accurate assessment.
Consider having eyesight and hearing assessed:
As part of the assessment your psychologist will explore other possible explanations of symptoms. For example, if your child is experiencing difficulties with reading, it is important to rule out problems with eyesight as a better explanation of their difficulty with reading. Likewise, if your child is presenting with behavioural challenges, it would be important to rule out hearing difficulties.
Get plenty of rest before the assessment:
A good night’s sleep can help you feel more alert and focussed during the assessment.
Progressive Psychology offer several cognitive, behavioural, and educational assessment options. If you would like to schedule an assessment or have any questions about what information is required prior to an assessment being scheduled, please contact the friendly team at Progressive Psychology on 0477 798 932.
Chelsie Priestley is a Provisional Psychologist at Progressive Psychology.