Psychological Testing

Psychological testing can help with a wide range of concerns, including learning disabilities, ADHD, emotional or behavioral challenges, autism spectrum disorders, anxiety, depression, and more. The results of testing can guide treatment recommendations, academic accommodations, medication, and other supportive interventions.

Our evaluations assess many different areas of functioning to provide a complete understanding of a child's needs. These areas include:

• Emotional Functioning: We evaluate for concerns such as anxiety, depression, or mood regulation difficulties, which can significantly impact daily functioning.

• Executive Functioning: This includes assessing skills like attention, organization, impulse control, and planning, which are critical for success in both school and home environments.

• Cognitive Abilities: This involves assessing general intelligence and problem-solving abilities, which help determine strengths and weaknesses in how your child processes information.

• Behavioral Concerns: We look at how a child behaves in various settings and assess for concerns like hyperactivity, impulsivity, or oppositional behaviors.

• Social and Adaptive Skills: These assessments explore how your child interacts with others and manages daily life tasks.

• Academic Skills: We assess reading, math, and writing abilities to identify any learning difficulties that may be affecting academic performance.

• Memory: Both short-term and long-term memory are evaluated to understand how well your child retains and recalls information, which is vital for learning and daily functioning.

The goal of the evaluation is not only to identify potential diagnoses that may be underlying your child's presenting concerns but also to highlight both strengths and weaknesses. This comprehensive understanding helps inform tailored interventions and support.

Each evaluation is personalized, and the specific tests are determined after an intake meeting, when the evaluator has a better understanding of the concerns that need to be addressed.

Choosing between a school evaluation and a clinic evaluation can be a big decision. Here’s what to consider:

1. Formal Diagnosis:

• School Evaluations: While schools can assess educational needs, they cannot provide formal diagnoses, such as ADHD. This is often why families turn to private clinics for a more complete understanding of their child’s condition.

• Clinic Evaluations: Our clinic evaluations offer formal diagnoses, which are critical not only for medication management but also for developing tailored intervention and treatment plans outside of just educational accommodations and supports.

2. Requesting a School Evaluation:

Even if you request an evaluation from the school, they may deny it if they feel there is not enough data to support the need or if there is no clear educational impact. In these cases, a private clinic evaluation can offer a more comprehensive approach to identifying underlying concerns, even if the school does not see an academic need.

3. Learning Disabilities:

• School Evaluations: If the main concern is a specific learning disability, a school evaluation may be suitable, as schools focus on determining educational eligibility and insurance may not cover assessments solely for learning concerns.

• Clinic Evaluations: If learning difficulties are one of several concerns, our clinic’s comprehensive evaluations are often a better fit. We assess not only learning challenges but also related concerns, like ADHD or anxiety, which could be impacting your child’s overall functioning and well-being.

4. Questions answered by evaluation:

• School Evaluations: Schools focus on determining eligibility for special education. The scope of the assessment is often focused on how the child is performing in school.

• Clinic Evaluations: Clinic assessments are more thorough and provide a deep dive into many areas of concern. This holistic approach offers a clearer picture of your child’s strengths and challenges, which can inform more effective interventions at home, in the classroom, and in other areas of life.

In general, school evaluations can be a good resource for specific concerns impacting your child in the school environment, whereas a clinic evaluation typically offers a broader, more thorough understanding of your child’s needs in and out of school.

No, the tests administered during psychological evaluations are individualized based on the specific referral questions, age of the child and the unique needs of the individual being assessed. There is no standard battery of tests that everyone completes. Instead, our psychologists select the most appropriate assessments to address the concerns and questions at hand, ensuring that the evaluation is tailored to provide the most accurate and relevant insights.

Our evaluations are conducted by licensed and limited licensed psychologists who are specially trained in administering and interpreting a wide range of psychological assessments. The same evaluator who conducts the initial parent interview will also complete face-to-face testing ensuring continuity and personalized care. Additionally, limited licensed psychologists may work closely with licensed psychologists to help interpret and report on the findings.

The length of psychological testing varies depending on the complexity of the evaluation. Testing can range from 3 to 10 hours, often spread across multiple sessions. After the testing is completed, we take additional time to interpret the results and prepare a comprehensive report with findings and recommendations.

A psychological evaluation typically begins with a parent-only clinical interview, followed by a series of standardized tests. These tests assess different aspects of cognitive, emotional, and behavioral functioning. After testing, the psychologist will review the results with parents and provide a detailed report with recommendations for treatment or interventions.

Most of our testing takes place in the morning when children are fresh and better able to focus. We avoid scheduling testing after school since children are often mentally fatigued by the end of the day. We do not offer regular weekend testing appointments.

Yes, after the testing and feedback are completed, you will receive a comprehensive report that outlines the testing results, interpretations, and recommendations. The report will include information about any diagnoses, as well as suggestions for treatment, if appropriate.

The cost of psychological testing varies based on the complexity and length of the evaluation. For example, testing for ADHD and learning disabilities typically ranges from $1,800 to $3,000, while testing for autism spectrum disorder (ASD) ranges from $2,800 to $4,000. The exact cost will depend on the specific tests required and the time involved in conducting the evaluation. For those with BCBS PPO or Traditional insurance plans, a significant portion of the cost may be covered by insurance. We recommend verifying your benefits with your provider before scheduling.

Coverage varies based on your specific insurance policy and the reason for the evaluation. We recommend contacting your insurance provider to confirm the details of your coverage. Our team can also assist in verifying your benefits prior to scheduling the testing. Thriving Minds is only in-network with BCBS PPO and Traditional plans.

We use a variety of CPT codes, which may include 90791, 96130, 96131, 96132, 96133, 96136, 96137, 96138, 96139, and others depending on the specific tests administered and the complexity of the evaluation. These codes represent the different aspects of the testing process, including clinical interview, test administration, and interpretation. When calling to ask about insurance coverage, please provide these codes to your insurance carrier.