Psychological Evaluation & Testing Services

Psychological assessment is an information-based process that is focused on understanding and helping people effectively cope with problems and make decisions. Part one of the process involves defining the problem or asking the question(s). Part two involves gathering meaningful information. In this process, client interviews, observations, reports of others, and collateral interviews are frequently used as well as psychological tests and inventories to collect relevant information about the person and her or his environment. Part three involves the process of organizing, interpreting and understanding the information. The final step in the assessment process is a written report detailing the findings and recommendations to cope with the problem and answer the question(s).

One of the benefits of a thorough assessment is to help individuals pinpoint the basis for their life difficulties and distressing emotions and therefore help the psychologist and other health care providers in formulating a proper diagnosis and treatment plan. Psychological testing can be a lengthy process, but it does provide you with a comprehensive picture of functioning that can help you with many decisions about self-care, home life, schooling, and treatment needs.

The psychologists of LCS are committed to providing quality evaluation services for children, adolescents, and adults; in a respectful, sensitive and compassionate manner. We offer the following types of evaluations.

Full Psychological Evaluation – provides in-depth information on an individual’s emotional, cognitive and personality functioning. Several tests (IQ, personality, etc.) are administered along with a clinical and historical interview, review of records, and possible interviews of other contacts (healthcare professionals, teachers, family members). This evaluation includes a feedback session to review the results and recommendations.  

Partial Psychological Evaluation – provides in-depth information on an individual's emotional and personality functioning. Same as above but without IQ testing.

ADHD Evaluation – assesses for the presence of Attention Deficit/ Hyperactivity Disorder through the use of clinical and historical interviewing, cognitive testing, and interviews. This evaluation includes a feedback session to review the results and recommendations.

Full Psychological with ADHD Evaluation – provides in-depth information on an individual’s cognitive, emotional, and personality functioning along with ADHD assessment. This is a comprehensive assessment of cognitive strengths and weaknesses, possible learning disabilities, and any contributing psychological or emotional disorders. This evaluation is useful in complex cases where issues of anxiety and/or depression and other disorders may also be present. This evaluation includes a feedback session to review the results and recommendations.

IQ & Learning Disability / Gifted Screening - identifies areas of cognitive strength and weaknesses. These areas may include verbal and language functioning, visual-spatial functioning, numerical reasoning, and short-term memory. Achievement assessment evaluates academic strengths and weaknesses, mastery of specific subjects, and the possible presence of a learning disability. Evaluation of the child will be done in one or two sessions.

Substance Abuse Evaluation - this process helps diagnose and describe abusive use of drugs or alcohol, and suggest an appropriate treatment plan.  The evaluation usually takes place in one 2 - 2.5 hour session and involves a clinical interview, testing, and collateral interviews. Usually, substance abuse evaluations result in a treatment recommendation available locally within the Raleigh and surrounding community, including: Substance abuse education classes, Outpatient treatment, Intensive outpatient treatment, Residential treatment, or Inpatient treatment. Lewis Consulting Services offers outpatient treatment services; if that is the ultimate recommendation. For other levels of treatment, we will provide referrals.

Bariatric Psychological Evaluation – helps identify the risk factors that may become barriers to successful weight loss post surgery, and to assess psychological readiness for surgery. The evaluation usually takes place in one visit and involves a clinical and historical interview, testing, and possibly collateral interviews. This evaluation includes a feedback session to review the results and recommendations.

Psychological Evaluations in Legal Cases – psychological evaluations are often requested by attorneys or judges in divorce and other legal proceedings. Evaluations for these purposes require reports that are remarkably comprehensive and detailed. The evaluations typically include clinical interviewing, review of records, observations, collateral interviews, testing, and interpretation and report preparation. 

Child Custody Evaluations -  The primary consideration in a child custody evaluation is to assess the individual and family factors that affect the best psychological interests of the child. This involves an assessment of the adults' capacities for parenting, of the psychological functioning and developmental needs of each child, and of the ability of each parent to meet these needs. LCS provides court-ordered custody evaluations as well as parenting time consultation to families trying to avoid court.