What Are the Different Types of Psychological Test and Evaluations?
For some, the words “psychological testing” or “psychological evaluation” can seem overwhelming or even a little scary. Understanding the different types of psychological tests and evaluations can take away some of that uncertainty and empower you to go through assessments that could improve your overall well-being and provide you with answers to underlying personal psychological questions.
With that in mind, let’s cover some of the different types of psychological tests and evaluations. Getting this basic background might be exactly what’s needed to help you make an appointment or talk to a mental health professional about your next steps.
Personality Tests
Personality tests can help you better understand yourself or give a health professional greater insight into how you see yourself. A personality test measures everything from behaviors to emotions and attitudes. These tests often make it easier to diagnose certain conditions or to track treatment progress along the way.
Attitude and Aptitude
Your attitudes and beliefs have a powerful influence over how you live your life. Some of these beliefs and attitudes are unconscious, so attitude tests can help evaluate how your values impact your actions, behaviors, and emotional responses. It can offer a mental health professional a helpful baseline to inform the therapeutic process.
Aptitude tests, on the other hand, measure your capabilities and skills. We often think of aptitude tests regarding employment and growth, but they can also help you better understand yourself and what might be holding you back.
Emotional Intelligence Tests
Not everyone is born with high levels of emotional intelligence. However, it is something that can be cultivated with the right guidance. Emotional intelligence tests can help to determine where your strengths lie and what you can improve upon. These tests will measure different emotional responses, from anger and impulsiveness to happiness and sadness.
Intelligence Tests
Intelligence tests aren’t used to determine how much smarter you are than someone else. Rather, in a clinical setting, they help to measure your abilities and pinpoint the potential for learning disabilities. If you’ve struggled with things like staying focused and remembering information, or you’ve always found learning new things challenging, this kind of test can help.
Neuropsychological tests are different from intelligence tests. However, they also measure your cognitive abilities, including memory and language.
Evaluations and Observations
A test isn’t always something that requires a pencil and paper. Sometimes, you don’t even have to talk to someone directly. It’s not uncommon for professionals to ask for observational evaluations. These evaluations can be done in a clinical setting or in a more natural, neutral environment where you feel comfortable. The professional will observe your behaviors and immediate responses to stimuli to better understand any underlying issues you might be dealing with.
What Should You Do?
Understanding the different types of psychological tests and evaluations can give you a better idea of what might benefit you. These tests don’t have to be scary or overwhelming, and most of them are very simple and straightforward.
If you believe you would benefit from any of these tests, the best thing you can do is to talk to your primary care doctor or a mental health professional for more information. As you can see, not all evaluations are the same. So, working with someone who can guide you in the right direction is important not only for getting the proper diagnosis but also for getting the most effective treatment.
If you’re ready to take that step or you simply have more questions, feel free to reach out for more information. I’m happy to help in any way or set up an appointment so we can find the psychological test that best fits your needs.