Psychological assessments
What happens during a psychological assessment?
Every assessment is individualized — but most follow these steps, paced to fit you.
1. Intake meeting
The psychologist talks with the parents/caregivers (if the assessment is for a child) or with the adult themselves, to learn about strengths, challenges, history, concerns, and goals for the assessment.
If an autism assessment is part of the psychological assessment for a child, the parents/caregivers participate in the Autism Diagnostic Interview–Revised (ADI-R) — a structured, in-depth caregiver interview used by clinicians as part of the diagnostic process for autism, as required in British Columbia for diagnosis of individuals under the age of 19.
2. More information is gathered
For children: parents, teachers, or school staff may be asked to fill out forms or provide observations about how the child is doing.
For adults: the person being assessed — and an observer such as a parent, spouse/partner, sibling, friend, or counsellor — may be asked to fill out forms or provide observations.
Information may also be requested from doctors, counsellors, or other helping professionals involved with the person being assessed.
3. Testing is completed
Testing is completed in the office across one to three sessions, depending on the type of assessment and the age of the person being tested. The person being assessed works one-on-one with the psychologist to find out how their brain works and how they think and learn.
The process is paced to fit the person's needs and includes breaks, snacks, and encouragement to keep things positive — breaks are encouraged. Sensory tools, including fidgets, are provided — and you are welcome to bring your own comfort items. Please let your psychologist know if you or your child require any accommodations, or have specific sensory needs that should be considered.
Depending on the type of assessment, testing may include:
- An IQ/intelligence test looking at different thinking and learning tasks (like puzzles, memory games, problem-solving, and language tasks)
- Academic tasks (reading, writing, math, and spelling) to see how they compare with others the same age
- Visual-motor integration tasks, for a sense of visual and fine-motor skills
- Interviewing, to understand the person's lived experiences
- For autism assessments: the ADOS-2 (Autism Diagnostic Observation Schedule, Second Edition) — a semi-structured assessment of behaviours, social interaction, and communication in individuals suspected of being autistic, as required in British Columbia for diagnosis of individuals under the age of 19
4. Social, emotional, and behavioural check-in
Questionnaires or interviews may be used to better understand things like attention, mood, anxiety, or behaviour. For children these are usually completed by parents, teachers, and the child/youth themselves; for adults, by the individual and sometimes a close family member.
5. All the information is put together
The psychologist looks at patterns across learning, behaviour, and development to understand how the person's brain works, and considers the criteria for different possible diagnoses that could explain why their brain works the way it does.
6. A report is written
The report explains the person's strengths and needs, any diagnoses (if relevant), and clear recommendations.
7. Post-diagnosis care
The psychologist can complete forms that may be needed to access disability-related supports in the community, such as the Disability Tax Credit (DTC) or Persons with Disabilities (PWD; adults only). For post-secondary students, the psychologist can complete the Appendix 8 form, which supports access to government grants for students with disabilities.
The psychologist can also work with the client after diagnosis — helping them understand their brain better and establishing supports and accommodations.