What are the different specialties?
- Clinical psychologists assess and treat people with psychological problems. They may act as therapists for people experiencing normal psychological crises or for individuals suffering from chronic psychiatric disorders.
- Counseling psychologists do many of the same things that clinical psychologists do. However, they tend to focus more on persons with adjustment problems rather than on persons suffering from severe psychological disorders.
- Developmental psychologists study how we develop intellectually, socially, and emotionally over the lifespan. Many do research and teach in academic settings, but many act as consultants to schools or social service agencies.
- Educational psychologists are concerned with the study of human learning. They attempt to understand the basic aspects of learning and then develop materials and strategies for enhancing the learning process.
- Forensic psychologists are involved in analyzing crime evidence and aiding law enforcement agencies in criminal investigations.
- Health psychologists are concerned with psychology’s contributions to the promotion and maintenance of good health and the prevention and treatment of illness. They may design and conduct programs to help individuals stop smoking, lose weight, manage stress, and stay physically fit.
- Industrial/organizational psychologists are primarily concerned with the relationships between people and their work environments.
- Physiological psychologists study the physiological correlates of behavior.
- School psychologists are involved in enhancing the development of children in educational settings. They assess children’s psychoeducational abilities and recommend actions to facilitate student learning.
- Social psychologists study how our beliefs, feelings, and behaviors are affected by other persons. Most work in academic settings.
Psychological Evaluation Process
Psychological testing is nearly always performed by a licensed psychologist since they are the only profession that is expertly trained to perform and interpret psychological tests.
Psychological assessment is a process of testing that uses a combination of techniques including interviews and observations to help arrive at some hypotheses about an individual and their behavior, personality and capabilities.
It is recommended as part of a full assessment that the individual also have a full medical examination, to rule out the possibilities of a medical, disease or organic cause for the individual’s symptoms.
Interviews
- Interviews with the child/teen, parents, teachers, academic counselors and therapists allow the psychologist to gather valuable information. This is usually done prior to any formal testing and there can also be follow up.
Testing
- Assessment of Intellectual Functioning (IQ)
- Intelligence Tests: Stanford-Binet and the Wechsler scales
- IQ Test: WAIS-IV – Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale , WISC-IV – Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children
- Halstead Reitan Battery neuropsychological tests
- Personality Assessment
- Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory (MMPI)
- Millon Clinical Multiaxial Inventory, 3rd edition (MCMI-III)
- Rorschach Inkblot Test
- Myers-Briggs
- Behavioral Assessment
- Observing the child/teen in their natural environment can also be helpful in having a better understanding of the individual. Often, behavior observations is some of the most important information.
- How does the person act? Nervous, calm, smug? What they do and do not do? Do they make and maintain eye contact? How close to you do they sit?
Assessment &B recommendations
- Psychologists take all of the information they have gathered to create an assessment and then make recommendations based on the results.