According to the American Psychological Association, a psychological evaluation asks a series of questions in order to determine the mental and emotional state of the person being evaluated. Psychiatrists, medical doctors, and therapists provide psychological evaluations to diagnose emotional, behavioral, and developmental disorders. A mental health assessment and medical evaluation are often key components of psychological testing.

The time it takes to complete a psychological assessment can vary depending on the psychological tests involved. Most psychological evaluations take a few hours to complete. Psychological assessments often include written psychological testing, medical testing like bloodwork, and a psych evaluation by a licensed medical doctor or therapist. Visit the American Psychological Association website to learn more about psychological tests and evaluations.

The purpose of a psychological evaluation is to determine if there is a mental health-related condition present in the person being tested. A medical doctor may recommend that you undergo psychological testing if you’re showing signs of a potential mental health issue and there are no other underlying medical conditions.

When you take part in a psych evaluation, you can expect a psychologist or psychiatrist to ask you a series of questions about your life, early childhood, family, and employment situation. A psychological assessment can include written questionnaires, medical lab tests, verbal questions, and other assessment tools that help diagnose your condition.

Psychiatrists and psychologists use mental health assessment tools like questionnaires and medical lab tests, and other psychological testing tools to rule out mental health issues. The types of psychological testing and evaluations are given depend on the severity of your symptoms.

When a psych evaluation is ordered by the court, psychological testing is done to test the mental fitness of the person being evaluated. Court-ordered psychological testing includes a full psych evaluation and medical evaluation to rule out emotional issues and physical health issues that may have an impact on the outcome of a court case.

A psychological evaluation can also be referred to as a psychological assessment or testing. This evaluation is done by a licensed mental health professional called psychologists with doctoral degrees in psychology.  What makes psychological evaluation different from the psychiatric evaluation is that psychological evaluation makes use of standardized assessments or tests which may involve the use of electronic or paper and pencil. The results are worked on with respect to individual differences. This is done by contrasting the results against a specific group such as a peer group coming out with interpretations and recommendations that may help the ongoing care.

Psychiatric evaluation is handled by a psychiatrist (a physician) who is professionally trained in psychiatry. It involves questions relating to personal history, medical exams, mood evaluation, mental status, reality testing, etc. There may be a recommendation of medicines after the interview and psychiatric diagnosis to deal with mental disorders. There will also a follow-up to know when a change in medicines is required. A psychiatrist in charge of a psychiatric evaluation is better able to handle complex matters and engage in follow-up for you to have the appropriate dosage and compound.