Although the flow of appointments varies slightly depending on the psychologist, testing generally proceeds in three steps:
- Clinical interview: When the psychologist (lovingly) peppers you with questions about your history and current concerns.
- 60 to 90 minutes.
- Can be via telehealth if needed.
- Includes the patient as well as caregivers (for minors and for adults with memory or capacity concerns).
- Testing: When the psychologist or testing technician administers tests, which can feel like checklists or puzzles / “brain games.”
- Can take several hours.
- Usually in-person. Patient only. Caregivers on stand-by.
- If only checklist-type tests are needed, those can be completed online. Usually completed by patients, caregivers, and teachers.
- Feedback: When the psychologist sits down with you to review all test findings (including IQ scores, diagnoses, etc.) and treatment recommendations.
- 30 to 60 minutes.
- Can be via telehealth if needed.
- Often ends with a referral to another provider or service (e.g., medications, a certain type of therapy, a state service or waiver).
Some psychologists complete steps (1) and (2) on the same day. Others spread them out.
Your psychologist will give you an idea of how long to expect from start-to-finish. Keep in mind that child assessments often take longer because of the time required to send and receive data from schools, teachers, and other care providers.
