Psychological Assessment

A psychological assessment sounds daunting, but modern approaches ensure the experience is far more comfortable than you might imagine. The team at KAVN Health in Columbia, Maryland, performs psychological assessments to obtain an accurate diagnosis. They also assess patients during and after treatment to optimize their results. To learn more about psychological assessments, call KAVN Health or request an appointment online today. Telemedicine appointments are available for patients living in Maryland, Delaware, Virginia, and Washington, DC. 

What is a psychological assessment?

A psychological assessment involves measuring and observing your thoughts, behavior, and emotions to assess your mental health.

KAVN Health’s experienced team understands that the first step to managing brain health is measuring it. They use psychological assessments as part of a comprehensive evaluation of your mental health before prescribing treatment.

Why is a psychological assessment important?

Mood disorders and other mental health conditions have fundamental links to core aspects of cognitive function. These links are critical to your quality of life, so understanding how mental health disorders affect your cognition with a psychological assessment is essential for an accurate diagnosis.

Psychological assessments objectively measure your cognitive function — how well your brain processes work — to help your provider evaluate the core aspects of your brain health. They may also analyze your results to see how you compare to others with similar problems.

This procedure enables your provider to gain a comprehensive understanding of your mental health that they use to individualize your treatment plan.

What should I expect from a psychological assessment?

The exact format your psychological assessment takes varies depending on your symptoms. For example, you might complete a questionnaire that evaluates your depression score or engage in gamified tests to assess attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) or autism spectrum disorder (ASD) symptoms.  

Tests and tasks you perform during a psychological assessment have undergone scientific validation to ensure they accurately measure your:

• Memory
• Concentration
• Reasoning
• Verbal abilities

These are all core areas of your cognition that mental health conditions may adversely affect.

Do I need to undergo psychological assessments during treatment?

As you progress through mental health treatment, your KAVN Health provider might reassess your condition and objectively measure the improvements.

Your provider explains the assessment to you so you can use it to evaluate how well the treatment is working. Your provider uses this information to target the right areas and use the most effective interventions during your treatment.

The KAVN Health team might also continue monitoring you with occasional psychological assessments post-treatment. This approach helps to ensure you live your best life and identifies signs of a relapse.

To learn more about psychological assessments and their many benefits for your mental health, call KAVN Health or request an appointment online today.