Psychological Assessments
Paragon Psychotherapy offers a battery of assessments capable of everything from comprehensive neuropsychological evaluation to focused appraisals of personality or psychoeducational development. Each of these batteries utilizes qualitative and quantitative measures and considers a client’s psychosocial history, medical history and status, psychiatric and treatment history, and any other relevant questions that might need answering. The results are more thorough than anything of a similar nature currently available and always include recommendations and treatment referrals.
For example, our most comprehensive neuropsychological evaluation can help parents determine their child’s academic functioning and potential achievement level. By looking at cognitive/intellectual functioning, executive functioning, attention/concentration, motor and perceptual functioning, language, learning, memory, and emotional/personality function, we at Paragon can even advise parents on the best education paths and careers for their children.
Consider undergoing neuropsychological evaluation if you suffer or have suffered from:
- Traumatic brain injury (TBI) or a concussion. Incidence often occurs after a blow or traumatic injury to the head while playing a sport, during a motor vehicle accident or assault, or due to a fall.
- Substance abuse. Everyone knows abusing substances impairs brain function, but it can also damage it. A neuropsychological test can specify what type of cognitive damage has occurred.
- ADD/ADHD
- Learning disabilities. Neuropsychological testing can ascertain which specific learning disability you have or that the issue is something else like, ADD/ADHD, emotional disturbances, or some combination of the three. Identifying a specific disability’s presence may also help you qualify for accommodations during school or when taking college entrance exams.
- You are a treatment-resistant client. Neuropsychological testing may be beneficial for individuals who have received treatment and have not seen improvement. Testing may reveal an underlying neurological issue that may be impeding the therapy process.
What is a psychological evaluation?
A battery of testing done to provide information about a person’s cognitive abilities, social/emotional traits, personality, and capacity to cope. It is necessary to diagnose many emotional and behavioral disorders.
What can your testing results tell you?
- Establish or clarify a diagnosis and assist in the process of differentiating between two or more conditions that share similar signs or symptoms
Identify strengths and weakness in specific areas
Establish a baseline for comparison to results of treatment plan
Testing can be used for treatment planning and assisting Paragon’s multidisciplinary team in managing care.
* As of July 1, 2014, all psychological assessments utilize computer-based programs to enhance accuracy and validity of results. The IQ, ADHD, Gifted, and Career Assessments use multiple tests for results validation.
Who should consider a psychological evaluation?
- Individuals with personality disorders. A personality disorder is a long-lasting, inflexible, and pervasive pattern of thought and behavior that makes navigating daily life difficult.
- Complicated treatment issues. Sometimes people have multiple factors (a dysfunctional family, difficult living situation, history of trauma and abuse, etcetera) in their past that, on the surface, appear as though they will complicate the therapy process. Psychological testing can help the client understand each issue’s effects and its impact on their life.
- Dual diagnosis. When an individual has both a mental disorder and a substance abuse problem.
- Medication issues. Testing can help psychiatrists find more effective combinations of medication for individuals who are not being helped by their current psychiatric medication.
- Evaluation of psychosis. A psychological evaluation can help diagnose any underlying psychosis.
What can your testing results tell you?
• Establish or clarify a diagnosis and assist in differential diagnosis
• Identify strengths and weakness in specific areas
• Establish a baseline and compare to changes as a result of therapeutic inter-ventions.
• Testing can be used for treatment planning and assist the multidisciplinary team in managing care.
Career Assessment
Identifying a student’s potential future careers or college majors early in their educational journey can impact their academic success in significant ways. First, they will see a goal and what is necessary to get to it, giving them the motivation required to achieve academically today. Second, the right career path can determine how successful and happy the student will be once they finish school and become an adult.
To accomplish these things, a student must know their strengths and how to develop them. Paragon Clinic does this by linking Dr. Choe’s Educational Coaching Model with Paragon’s unique career assessment process. This strategy helps students and their families improve communication around goal setting and find ways of maximizing a student’s potential in an academic environment.
Gifted Student Assessment
Does your child report being bored in class because lessons are too slow or easy? Do they get distracted often, lack motivation, or continuously search for additional stimulation, resulting in their teachers reporting them having behavioral issues? A combination of IQ tests, memory tests, and achievement tests could help determine whether your child is in the right educational setting or if a more challenging environment is necessary for them to continue learning effectively.
If your child learns quickly, and you feel they are ready for another level of academic challenge, don’t slow down their intellectual growth by keeping them in an “average” school setting. Let Paragon’s Gifted Student Assessment help you confirm how academically gifted your child is. Then allow us to assist your family in navigating your child’s bright academic future.
ADHD Assessment
Understanding the nature of your child’s difficulties can help improve their academic outcomes. To that end, Paragon employs a combination of IQ and memory tests and a neurological functioning assessment to identify whether a child’s challenges are due to Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD). This process will allow your family’s future efforts to support your child’s academic achievement to be better targeted.
Couple’s issues & Custody Assessment
Other Psychological Screenings and Assessments available:
Academic Difficulties, Anxiety, Depression, Behavioral Problems, Personality Problems, Addiction Issues, Trauma & PTSD, Eating Disorder, Relationship Issues, Suicidal Assessments, Bipolar Disorder, Panic & Anxiety Attack, Pain Disorder, and Schizophrenia