Psychological Evaluations
Psychological Assessment or Psychoeducational Testing
Psychological and psychoeducational assessments currently
have a waiting list. Please call (214-256-9273 x 0) if
you would like to inquire about the waiting list. (Updated
March, 2024)
Dr.
Ware and
Dr. Liss-Clarke are trained and qualified
to conduct psychological evaluations and comprehensive psychoeducational testing.
They are experienced in providing
the documentation required for academic
accommodations and meet the
stringent qualification requirements of testing boards such as SAT, GRE, LSAT, and MCAT.
A psychological evaluation can be helpful in diagnosing and treating ADD/ADHD, learning disabilities (LD), anxiety, obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD), depression, and other emotional, intellectual, or academic challenges. A formal psychological evaluation is necessary in obtaining academic accommodations (click here for more information concerning academic accommodations).
What is a Psychological Evaluation?
A psychological evaluation involves
gathering information via validated psychological tests,
clinical interviews, review of records, consultation with
other professionals (e.g., psychologists, psychiatrists,
teachers), and direct observations (for example, a child may
be observed in a classroom setting).
All this information is then integrated by
the psychologist to answer questions about the individual’s
emotional, intellectual, behavioral, and academic/occupational
strengths and challenges. Using this information, the
psychologist can provide an overview of the individual's
functioning and generate recommendations for optimizing
strengths and compensating for weaknesses.
Many psychological tests require one-on-one
administration--in other words, the psychologist is
interacting directly with the client for the majority of the
evaluation.
At Ware Wellness Group, the
psychologists administer the tests themselves--this allows
us more time to get to know the client and provides subtle
clues about psychological and cognitive
functioning--information that might be missed if the testing
were conducted by a technician.
These observations are particularly useful
for translating testing results to recommendations for "real
life."
In addition to providing information about identified areas of concern, psychological testing can also clarify treatment strategies when complaints are less specific, but lead to difficulties in functioning at full potential at work, school, or in social and relationship settings.
What questions can a Psychological Evaluation answer?
Does this person have a Learning Disability (LD)?
Does this person have Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD)?
Is this person experiencing depression or anxiety?
What are this person’s cognitive strengths and weaknesses?
What are this person’s academic strengths and weaknesses?
What are this person’s interpersonal strengths and weaknesses?
How does this person process and best learn new information?
Is this person experiencing emotional symptoms that are negatively impacting his/her performance at school, at work, or in social settings?
How can a complicated picture that may include cognitive inefficiencies, academic problems, emotional symptoms, and/or medical issues be clarified such that appropriate recommendations can be made and prioritized?
Psychological assessment
can be helpful in many ways, although it is not necessary
to undergo formal psychological assessment before
beginning therapy. Likewise, some individuals request a
psychological evaluation but do not participate in ongoing
therapy.
For
example, a student may participate in a psychological
evaluation to diagnose a learning disability or to
determine eligibility for academic accommodations (more information concerning academic
accommodations). Or, parents
may request a psychological evaluation to identify their
child's learning style.
Psychologists
use psychological testing to clarify diagnostic
questions related to emotional health issues and this
information helps guide the treatment. For example,
a psychologist may use testing if it is unclear whether an
individual is struggling primarily with depression or
anxiety, is experiencing generalized anxiety as opposed to
OCD, etc. Testing also assists the psychologist in
understanding the severity of the symptoms the client is
experiencing.
Personality testing
is a type of psychological testing that is particularly
helpful when an individual is having difficulty
understanding and/or verbalizing what his or her
particular difficulties are. When complaints are
vague and rather long term, personality testing can help
the psychologist identify personality traits that can
serve you well in addition to uncovering maladaptive
patterns or traits that are causing difficulties.
Cognitive assessment
(which includes intelligence/IQ testing) is helpful for
individuals who want to better understand their
intellectual strengths and weaknesses. This
information can be helpful to the client for educational
and career planning. In addition, a psychologist can
use cognitive assessment to better understand any
potential neuropsychological (brain) differences, which
may present as attention/concentration problems, memory
problems, learning problems, anger control problems,
impulse control problems, etc. Cognitive testing
helps the psychologist and client identifying particular
strengths and challenges, and develop a plan for utilizing
strengths to compensate for weaknesses.
Dr. Liss-Clarke is experienced in conducting comprehensive psychoeducational batteries, including ADD/ADHD testing and testing for learning disabilities (LD), with children and adults. Dr. Liss-Clarke is the course instructor for the doctoral level Child Assessment course at UTSW Medical Center.
Testing for learning disabilities and ADD/ADHD allows the psychologist to clarify diagnostic issues, establish a treatment plan, and facilitate referrals for medication management if indicated (for example, with ADHD). Testing for learning disabilities also documents the need for academic accommodations. The psychologists at Ware Wellness Group are experienced in providing documentation that meets the stringent requirements for academic accommodations for standardized testing (such as SAT, LSAT, or GRE exams), private and public school settings, universities, and professional schools. Dr. Ware and Dr. Liss-Clarke, and meet the very specific professional qualifications these institutions require, as they graduated from accredited psychology doctoral programs and are licensed psychologists in Texas.
Deann Ware, Ph.D., and Deanna S. Liss-Clarke, Ph.D. are licensed by the Texas State Board of Examiners of Psychologists. They currently practice in Dallas, Texas.