What to Expect During a Psychological Evaluation
At Ellison Psychological Services, we offer comprehensive psychological evaluations for ADHD, Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), and mental health diagnostic clarification for adults, teens, and children. Whether you are seeking an evaluation for yourself or your child, we are here to guide you through each step of the process with clarity and support.
We offer both in-person and virtual psychological testing options for clients in Charlotte, Lake Wylie, Gastonia, Rock Hill, and surrounding areas. Through PsyPact telehealth, we can also serve clients across most of the United States.
If you’re unsure whether an evaluation is right for you, we offer a free 10-minute video consultation to answer your questions and help you get started.
Step 1: Clinical Interview
Your psychological evaluation begins with a clinical interview, typically lasting 60 to 90 minutes. During this interview, we will gather detailed information about your history, school or work performance, daily functioning, and current concerns.
For adult evaluations, this interview is completed directly with you. For child evaluations, we typically meet with parents or caregivers first and also spend time speaking directly with the child. Most clinical interviews can be completed virtually through secure video sessions, providing flexible scheduling and convenience.
The clinical interview helps us select the right psychological tests to address your specific needs and concerns.
Step 2: Screening Forms and Rating Scales
You and others who know you or your child well—such as parents, teachers, partners, or family members—will complete screening forms and behavioral rating scales. These forms help us understand how concerns such as inattention, hyperactivity, anxiety, mood changes, or social challenges show up in daily life at home, school, work, or in social settings.
For ADHD testing, autism evaluations, learning disability assessments, and mental health diagnostic clarification, these forms are a key part of the evaluation process. Screening forms are typically sent electronically and can be completed at your convenience.
Step 3: Testing Sessions
Testing sessions generally last 1.5 to 3.5 hours depending on the type of evaluation. Testing may involve answering questions, solving puzzles, memory tasks, attention tasks, academic tasks, or completing computer-based assessments.
We offer virtual psychological testing through secure, HIPAA-compliant platforms when clinically appropriate. In-person psychological testing is available in Charlotte, Lake Wylie, Gastonia, Rock Hill, and surrounding areas and may be recommended for certain types of assessments. We will help you determine whether virtual, in-person, or hybrid testing is best for you.
For child evaluations, we work to create a supportive and comfortable testing environment.
Step 4: Scoring, Interpretation, and Report Writing
After testing and screening forms are complete, we carefully score, interpret, and integrate all results. This step is completed outside of your scheduled sessions and typically requires several hours of detailed review.
We combine information from the clinical interview, testing sessions, and rating forms to develop a comprehensive, accurate psychological profile. We will then write a detailed psychological evaluation report that explains the findings and provides clear, practical recommendations for home, school, work, or therapy.
Our psychological reports are written to support educational planning, workplace accommodations, treatment recommendations, and diagnostic clarity.
Step 5: Feedback Session
When your report is ready, we will schedule a feedback session, typically lasting 60 to 90 minutes. During this session, we will explain your results in clear and understandable language, answer your questions, and walk you through personalized recommendations and next steps.
Feedback sessions can be completed virtually or in person based on your preference. For adult evaluations, the feedback is provided directly to you. For child evaluations, feedback is typically provided to parents or caregivers, and when appropriate, we may also speak directly with the child in a developmentally appropriate way.
How Long Does the Psychological Evaluation Process Take?
Most psychological evaluations are completed within a few weeks, depending on scheduling, testing needs, and timely return of screening forms.
Typical timeframes:
Clinical Interview: 60–90 minutes
Testing Sessions: 1.5–3.5 hours
Feedback Session: 60–90 minutes
We offer flexible scheduling and virtual options to make the process as convenient as possible.
Virtual Psychological Testing Available
Jeffrey Ellison with Ellison Psychological Services is PsyPact certified, which allows us to provide telehealth psychological evaluations to clients in most states across the United States.
Many parts of the evaluation—including the clinical interview, screening forms, some psychological tests, and the feedback session—can be completed virtually through secure video sessions. In-person testing is available for individuals in Charlotte, Lake Wylie, Gastonia, Rock Hill, and nearby areas.
Private Pay Psychological Evaluations
We provide private pay psychological evaluations for children, teens, and adults. Our private pay structure allows us to offer timely, personalized, and comprehensive psychological assessments without the restrictions or delays of insurance-based testing.
Schedule Your Free 10-Minute Video Consultation
If you are considering a psychological evaluation but aren’t sure if it’s the right step, we offer a free 10-minute video consultation. This brief meeting gives you the opportunity to ask questions, learn about the process, and see whether our services are a good fit for your needs.
Contact us today to schedule your free video consultation or to learn more about our psychological testing services.