5051 Canyon Crest Drive, Suite 204, Riverside, CA 92507
3880 Lemon Street, Suite 500, Riverside, CA 92501
41760 Ivy Street, Suite 204, Murrieta, CA 92562
Riverside: 951-682-1488
Murrieta: 951-698-3500
Psychological Testing
Our Department:
Dr. M. Natasha Kordus
Clinical Supervisor
PSY18501
Dr. Samantha Martinez
Clinical Psychologist
PSY33215
Carissa Torres
Licensed Educational Psychologist #336
Angelica Thomas
Psych Assistant
Dr. Alkenia Blackmon
Psych Assistant
What Are Psychological Assessments?
A psychological evaluation, or psychological testing, is a thorough process of assessment and screening administered by a psychologist. The methods used for the evaluation will depend on your or your loved one's needs.
The role of the psychologist doing the evaluation is similar to a detective looking for clues to solve a mystery. The more clues that can be identified, the more information you'll have to understand what's going on and decide what options are best suited to help them.
A psychological evaluation can be used to diagnose a variety of mental health conditions or illnesses that impact memory, thought processes, and behaviors, including:
-
Alzheimer’s disease
-
Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD)
-
Autism
-
Dementia
-
Head trauma
-
Intellectual disability
-
Stroke
-
Substance use disorder
You do not need to prepare for these tests. There is no way to practice, in fact, it is ill-advised to do so, as this may not arrive at a true evaluation. While the questionnaires, surveys, and checklists are standardized, the tests are chosen to fit an individual’s particular needs. An individual cannot pass or fail an evaluation.
This type of testing is not the same as a psychiatric assessment, which is more about mental disorders that can include psychosis, schizophrenia, suicidal ideation, among others.
Why Are There Costs For Testing?
We understand that the cost of psychological assessment can be very expensive. We also understand that it may not be clear to clients what they are actually paying for when they attend an assessment.
Our clients are paying for the time it takes to administer the tests which is usually 2 to 4 hours of a psychologist’s time depending on the type of assessment being conducted. The fee for an assessment does not just cover the time spent in the consultation room. There is a great deal that goes into an assessment behind the scenes that contributes to the cost. This includes:
-
Data entry and analysis (minimum of 1 hr)
-
Interpretation of test results (minimum of 1 hr)
-
Usually a minimum of 1 hour report writing per hour of face to face assessment (2 to 4 hours)
-
Consultation and liaison with other stake holders (e.g. teachers, pediatricians, school psychologists, psychiatrists)
This is in many instances up to 10 or more hours that the psychologist spends behind the scenes working on the assessment report and recommendations.
In addition to these costs, people may not realize that the tests themselves are actually very expensive to purchase and use.
Aside from these costs, the fee for an assessment must also contribute to the running costs of the psychology practice (e.g. professional registration, insurance, administration staff, rent etc).
And finally, the fee also contributes towards the Psychologists skill and expertise developed over our years of training to learn and administer these highly specialized tests. These tests cannot be administered by anyone. You must be trained to administer them. Furthermore, it takes great skill to interpret them and understand what they actually mean. Psychological assessments are very lengthy and in-depth processes that must be taken very seriously.
We hope this provides a more in-depth look into the true costs involved in completing an assessment. If you have any questions about the assessment process please do not hesitate to contact us at 951-682-1488.