Blog Post #4: How Does Psychological Testing Work?
How do I know if I can trust the results?
Parents and individuals often ask me how psychological testing captures their day-to-day experience. This is the moment where I enjoy detailing the statistics and psychometric properties of the tests that I use. My extensive training and experience gives me the foundation to clearly explain how tests are standardized, normed, reliable, and valid. As a clinical psychologist who specializes in assessment, my job is to use psychological and neuropsychological measures to answer specific questions such as: do I have ADHD, autism, anxiety, etc? It is important to use psychometrically sound instruments to provide reliable and confident diagnostic clarity to my clients.
How do these tests allow us to make comparisons? Psychological and neuropsychological testing has a standardized process, meaning the tests are calibrated using thousands of people designed to compare and rank different test takers. Your scores are compared to similar categories such as age, sex, education level and other relevant factors. These instruments are also validated through research to prove that each is capable of detecting a diagnosis, is statistically sound, and can be used in the general population. Decades of rigorous research demonstrate validity and consistency of test measures, and reliability, (ability to capture what they claim to measure). This allows me to draw accurate conclusions about how a person functions. Psychologists do not rely on one test or piece of data; instead, I use a battery of tests that assess multiple domains. Consistency across multiple tests increases the confidence of my clinical conclusions and diagnoses
As a testing psychologist, I love assessments in general, but what I most enjoy is seeing how in-the-moment performance testing compares to self-report questionnaires. Together, these testing data create a more complete understanding of daily struggles. My goal is to put the numbers (data) behind my patients’ concerns, especially those that can feel indescribable, abstract, or even invisible. The use of standardized psychological and neuropsychological measures allow me to properly collect data to see the impact on daily life.
Whether you are seeking answers for yourself, a family member, or your own client, understanding this process will build trust in the results. I am available to talk through the testing process and help you decide if an evaluation could be helpful. If an evaluation is not the appropriate next step, I will point you in the right direction!