Psychological testing and evaluations are structured, evidence-based methods used to understand how we think, learn, feel, and behave. These evaluations help diagnose mental health conditions, identify learning differences, and guide the most effective intervention or support plan.
Psychological testing is often essential for diagnosing complex symptoms, qualifying for school or exam accommodations, and making informed decisions about care.
At Excel Psychology, we provide comprehensive psychological testing for children, teens, and adults, with a special focus on complex or hard-to-diagnose cases. Our team uses a standardized evidence-based approach to deliver clear, accurate evaluations so you can understand your strengths and challenges, make informed decisions, and access the right support, treatment, or accommodations.
Purpose of Psychological Testing & Evaluations
Psychological testing and evaluation use standardized, research-based tools to accurately diagnose mental health conditions and better understand your symptoms. These assessments can reveal important insights about your emotional well-being, attention, memory, learning abilities, personality traits, and more.
These evaluations help create a detailed picture of your strengths, challenges, and unique needs, helping guide the most effective treatment, support, or resources for you.
Psychological testing serves many purposes, including:
- Diagnosing mental health conditions to guide care and connect you with the right support
- Planning treatment by identifying the most effective therapy or medication
- Determining the effectiveness of current support plans
- Qualifying for school or community resources, such as IEPs, 504 plans, or exam accommodations
At Excel Psychology, every psychological evaluation is tailored to your specific situation. You may be a parent seeking answers to help your child succeed in school, a college student preparing for a high-stakes exam, or an adult seeking clarity about your cognitive, emotional, and behavioral functioning. We focus on understanding the root of your symptoms, how they affect your daily life, and what targeted strategies or interventions will help you move forward.
Types of Psychological Testing We Offer
Our psychological testing and evaluation services are designed to address a wide range of concerns related to learning, attention, emotional well-being, or specific accommodations for school and professional exams.
ADHD & Autism Evaluations
ADHD and Autism Spectrum Disorder are neurodevelopmental conditions that can affect focus, learning, behavior, communication, and social interaction. Their symptoms typically overlap with other conditions, such as anxiety, depression, or learning disorders, making accurate evaluations essential for effective support and treatment.
Our providers offer standalone ADHD or Autism Spectrum Disorder testing to provide the clarity you need to understand your symptoms and get an accurate diagnosis.
We provide ADHD testing for children, teens, and adults, using evidence-based tools to help differentiate ADHD from other conditions with similar symptoms. For Autism Spectrum Disorder, our evaluations can be used to help guide treatment, qualify for school services, or better understand social, sensory, and communication needs.
Educational Testing & IEP Qualification
Educational challenges can affect a student’s confidence, academic progress, and well-being. When a child struggles academically, it’s not always clear why or what kind of support will make a difference. The proper evaluation can open doors to support services, accommodations, and strategies that help students reach their full potential.
Our educational testing helps diagnose learning disabilities, learning disorders, Autism Spectrum Disorder, and ADHD. We also specialize in borderline cases, where a student may be right on the edge of qualifying for support plans. In these situations, we offer a second opinion that is thorough, fair, and grounded in evidence.
Our evaluations can help with:
- Qualifying for Individualized Education Programs (IEPs)
- Securing 504 Plans
- Accessing special education services
- Connecting students with school resources
Our reports provide clear, practical, and school-friendly recommendations that parents, teachers, and administrators can implement, helping ensure that your child has access to the right support.
Testing for Exam Accommodations
Exam accommodations are changes to the standard testing environment or procedures that help people with special needs take assessments on equal footing with others. These adjustments don’t change the content or difficulty of the exam; they simply remove barriers so candidates can demonstrate their true abilities.
For people with learning disabilities, certain exam settings, such as strict time limits or lengthy sessions, can make it harder to perform at their best. Comprehensive accommodation testing helps identify the supports needed, helping people with learning disabilities take exams under conditions that accurately reflect their skills and knowledge.
At Excel Psychology, testing for exam accommodations is far more detailed than a simple doctor’s note. It involves 4–8 hours of an in-depth, standardized approach to meet the strict documentation requirements set by testing boards.
We provide comprehensive accommodations testing for major exams, including:
- MCAT
- LSAT
- GRE
- GMAT
- Praxis
- COMLEX
- Medical Board Exams
- Bar Exams
Exam accommodations can be offered for people with ADHD, learning disorders, and autism. Our detailed reports document the need for exam accommodations, giving you the strongest possible case to meet official guidelines and ensure equitable testing conditions.
For qualifying candidates, exam accommodations may allow for one or more of the following:
- Extra Time: Extending the amount of time you have to complete the exam helps ensure that processing speed, reading pace, or other challenges don’t interfere with your ability to demonstrate knowledge.
- Reduced-Distraction Testing Environments: Taking the exam in a quieter or less crowded space helps minimize sensory or environmental distractions, so you can focus fully on the test.
- Scheduled Breaks During Testing: Planned breaks allow you to rest, manage fatigue, or regulate emotions, which is especially helpful during long or mentally demanding exams.
- Assistive Technology or Alternative Test Formats: This can include text-to-speech software, screen readers, or alternative formats of the exam (like large print or digital versions) to accommodate specific learning or sensory needs.
Emotional & Behavioral Concerns
Emotional and behavioral concerns refer to challenges where people’s feelings or actions affect their social, academic, and personal functioning. They can affect children, teens, and adults experiencing mood, anxiety, or other mental health conditions. These concerns can show up in many ways, including difficulty regulating emotions, disruptive or impulsive behaviors, and struggles with social interactions.
Emotional symptoms may include persistent sadness, excessive anxiety, fear, anger, or emotional numbness. Behavioral symptoms can involve difficulty managing impulses, challenges in relationships, and, in some cases, self-harm or substance use.
Sometimes the symptoms are clear and easy to recognize. Other times, they may be complex or overlap with other conditions, making it hard to understand what’s going on. A thorough evaluation can uncover the root causes of symptoms and guide the right treatment and support.
We assess a full spectrum of concerns, including:
- Mood Disorders (Depressive Disorders, Bipolar Disorders)
- Anxiety Disorders
- Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD)
- Trauma-Related Disorders (Including PTSD)
- Eating Disorders
- Schizophrenia Spectrum Disorders
- Personality Disorders
Our evaluations look beyond the surface symptoms to understand the root causes and contributing factors. We combine standardized testing, clinical interviews, and history-taking to create a clear picture of your emotional and behavioral health. This helps guide targeted treatment recommendations and connect you with the right support.
We also offer follow-up evaluations to measure progress, ensuring your care plan stays aligned with your needs as they evolve.
Testing Methods We Use
Psychological testing is much more than simply administering psychological tests. We use a comprehensive approach to ensure our findings are accurate, reliable, and helpful in guiding the next steps for treatment, support, or accommodations.
Our evaluations may include:
- Clinical Interviews: These are guided conversations where we learn about your history, current concerns, and daily experiences. For children, this often includes an interview with parents, teachers, or other adults who know the child well, to better understand behavior and learning in different settings.
- Performance-Based Testing: These tasks measure abilities like attention span, memory, problem-solving skills, and other cognitive functions. They can be one-on-one with the examiner or completed using structured activities.
- Computerized Assessments: Some evaluations benefit from computer-based tests, which provide objective, standardized measures of performance.
- Questionnaires & Test Inventories: Self-reporting forms, in which you fill out a questionnaire about yourself, allow you to describe your symptoms and experiences. We may also request input from teachers, parents, or others who know you well to provide additional perspectives.
- Behavioral Observations: During testing, we may also make note of behaviors, responses, and patterns that tests alone might not capture. These observations help bring depth and context to the findings.
We select the best testing method for you based on your symptoms, age, and goals, whether that’s diagnosing a condition, qualifying for accommodations, or planning treatment.
Once testing is complete, your examiner scores the responses and compares your results to a sample population. This helps clarify the significance of your symptoms and how they fit within your overall mental health profile.
Your results are always interpreted in the context of your history, interview findings, and observed behaviors. This approach creates a clear, evidence-based picture of your strengths, challenges, and needs, leading to practical, targeted interventions.
What to Expect During Psychological Testing
At Excel Psychology, we make the testing process clear, comfortable, and as stress-free as possible from start to finish. We also refer you to specialists if additional evaluation, treatment, or support is needed beyond what we provide, ensuring you have access to continued care.
Initial Phone Consultation
Once you contact us, we set up a brief phone call to learn about your needs and explain how we can help. During this conversation, we will:
- Discuss your concerns and goals
- Explain the purpose and scope of the evaluation
- Review the timeline, scheduling options, and pricing
- Answer any questions you may have
If testing is the right next step, we’ll book your first appointment and send you clear instructions on what to bring and how to prepare, so you can feel ready and confident on the day.
During the Testing Session
Psychological testing usually takes between three and six hours, but testing sessions are customized to you and designed to assess your specific needs. Some evaluations may require multiple sessions, and we work with your schedule to make them as manageable as possible.
During testing, we use a variety of methods, including interviews, computer-based tasks, and questionnaires. If you have any discomfort with a testing method, or if a functional limitation (e.g., a physical disability or medical condition) might affect your performance, let us know so we can make adjustments for it.
We provide a supportive environment with snacks, cold drinks, and regular breaks during testing sessions. We make sure that for every testing session, you feel ready to perform your best and can answer questions openly.
Scoring & Report Preparation
Once your testing session is complete, we score your results, compare them to standardized norms, and integrate them with your history, interviews, and observations. This careful analysis allows us to provide an accurate diagnosis and meaningful recommendations for the right treatment and support.
Feedback Session
Once your written report is complete, we schedule a 40–60 minute feedback meeting. During this session, we will:
- Review your results in clear, everyday language
- Explain what the findings mean for your life, learning, or treatment
- Answer your questions and address any concerns
- Provide actionable recommendations you can share with your doctor, therapist, school, or employer
We’re also available after your feedback session for clarification or additional resources.
What Sets Our Psychological Testing Apart
At Excel Psychology, we combine clinical expertise with compassion to make the psychological testing process seamless, thorough, and supportive.
- Specialization in Complex Cases: We excel at diagnosing complex or hard-to-identify conditions, providing clarity when other evaluations may be inconclusive.
- Shorter Wait Times: We know that long waits can delay essential care, academic support, or much-needed exam accommodations. Our streamlined process allows you to schedule and complete your evaluation sooner than most clinics, allowing you to move forward without unnecessary delays.
- Comprehensive Integrative Process: We never rely on just one test or one perspective. Our evaluations combine interviews, personal history, behavioral observations, performance-based tasks, and questionnaires. We also include input from parents, teachers, or other professionals when relevant. This well-rounded approach gives a more accurate, nuanced understanding of your needs.
- Thorough, Personalized Reporting: Our reports aren’t just checklists of test scores. They provide clear explanations of your results, diagnostic impressions, and actionable, step-by-step recommendations that can be applied in school, work, or therapy.
Schedule Psychological Testing & Evaluations in Utah
At Excel Psychology, we know that getting a diagnosis quickly and accurately can make a real difference. A timely, precise evaluation means you can begin the right interventions sooner, whether that’s starting therapy, securing exam accommodations, or accessing school and community support.
With convenient locations in Provo, Salt Lake City, and Ogden, we make specialized mental health care accessible throughout Utah. To schedule an appointment for psychological testing and evaluations, please call our office or complete our online form.
