Neuropsychological & Psychological Testing
A neuropsychological evaluation assesses many facets of an individual’s overall functioning and capabilities including cognitive, developmental, behavioral, visual-spatial, language, sensory-motor, emotions and personality. The neuropsychological evaluation uses empirically-based, standardized assessments to understand your strengths and weaknesses. These evaluations help provide diagnostic clarification, treatment recommendations, and school accommodation recommendations.
Neuropsychological tests help to evaluate:
- General Intelligence
- Executive functioning skills
- Attention and Concentration
- Developmental skills
- Problem-solving ability
- Academic Skills
- Memory
- Language
- Visual and Spatial Perception
- Sensorimotor functions
- Sensory Processing
- Motivation
- Mood
- Personality style
Dr. Andrea Graves also conducts specialty evaluations including:
- Disability / Worker’s Compensation
- Pre-surgical evaluations
- Infertility evaluations, Surrogacy and Adoption evaluations
- Surgical Candidate Evaluations (Organ Transplant and Bariatric Surgery)
- Fitness for Duty Evaluations
- Aviation, Military and First Responder Clearances
- Security Clearances
- Capacity Assessments
- Forensic Assessments: Fitness to stand trial, sanity boards, expert witness testimony and evaluation
What is the process for a neuropsychological evaluation?
The first appointment for a neuropsychological evaluation is a structured, 50-minute clinical interview with Dr. Graves. During this time, we will discuss background history to include childhood and developmental history, medical and psychological history, academic and occupational history, and current symptoms or concerns. This clinical interview allows Dr. Graves to gather as much background information as possible to determine the unique set of tests that will be utilized.
The second part of the neuropsychological evaluation process is typically two days of 3-hour testing blocks with Dr. Graves or a trained psychometrist, who works under Dr. Graves’ supervision. During this time, the individual completes a wide range of empirically-based assessments. These appointments are typically scheduled in the morning and/or early afternoon to help gather the most accurate level of functioning.
What type of tests are used in an assessment?
There are a wide variety of empirically-based, standardized assessments to further understand your cognitive, emotional, behavioral, and social functioning. We use laptops, iPads and other test materials and stimulus items during the assessment. We also use self-report, teacher-report and parent-report measures to assist in our clinical decision-making process. The goal is also to be fun and engaging! We take snack/water, restroom, sensory or motor breaks whenever needed, with the goal to make this a positive experience for you and/or your child.
Will insurance cover the psychological or neuropsychological assessment?
Most insurance policies cover psychological and neuropsychological assessments. Prior to the testing sessions we will help determine your coverage. Some insurance companies require a pre-authorization to be completed. We will be happy to complete and submit the pre-authorization for the testing after the initial assessment intake. The complete cost of an assessment includes the initial intake appointment, testing administration appointments, scoring, interpreting, report writing, and a feedback session.
If you have any further questions regarding the psychological assessment process, please contact us. We are happy to help walk you through the process.
What should I bring to the neuropsychological evaluation?
Bringing in previous psychological or neuropsychological evaluations, a child’s Individualized Education Plan (IEP) or 504 Plan, and medical records can be extremely helpful in the assessment process. These documents help provide further information on every unique patient and help us determine the appropriate battery of assessments to be utilized. With your consent, we will review these documents to incorporate into the final evaluation report.
We also encourage all patients to bring water and a nutritious snack to each testing session. Also, we recommend you dress comfortably and in layers to maintain comfort throughout the evaluation.
What happens after the neuropsychological evaluation is complete?
After all testing sessions are completed, we will score, interpret, and write a neuropsychological report. This process typically takes 2-3 weeks. Once the report is completed, a feedback session is provided to discuss the assessment results, diagnosis, and further recommendations.
Call our office at 630-337-8006 for more information or to set up an appointment.