Psychological tests : uncover hidden talents.

Psychological tests offer a better understanding of the affective and intellectual functioning. They are recommended when certain questions arise that require a quick and precise analysis of difficulties.

For children and teenagers, a low level of attention, certain difficulties in socializing with peers, and ultimately a degree of suffering, can lead to unsatisfactory results at school. Whether those difficulties are linked to a precocity or any other situation, it is important to have a quick understanding of what the problem is in order to tackle it ASAP. Psychological testing is therefore a good indication.

For adults, years of therapy with little results can lead to a need to have a clearer and more precise understanding of one’s functioning.

Psychological testing should always be considered as a picture of an individual’s functioning at any given point in time. There are two parts to it :

• Cognitive with the WAIS-IV for adults, WISC-V and WPPSI-IV for children and adolescents
• Affective with projective tests among which the Rorschach, and the TAT (or CAT for children).

What I offer :

I recommend to associate both kinds of tests as one’s intellect is always correlated to one’s affective functioning. The interaction of the two is essential in understanding the general functioning and identify the sufferings and the available resources.

There are 4 steps to psychological testing :

• A first consultation with the patient (and his/her parents with children and teenagers) pertains to understanding what triggered the demand for the test
• Two or three appointments, for the actual testing.
• A third consultation takes place to discuss the results and help the patient understand what the tests did say abouthis/her, her strengths and his/her difficulties. The idea is really to focus on the positive aspects that the patient can rely on and should develop.  
• Finally, a written report is sent to the patient or his/her family.

What are the benefits :

Psychological testing can provide a better overview of :

• One’s difficulties
• One’s resources
• Areas that need to be focused on
• Therapies that are particularly recommended to alleviate the difficulties.

Sometimes also, psychological testing can lead to a diagnosis, such as precocity for example.