The purpose of psychological testing is to provide diagnostic clarity and guide treatment planning. People often know testing exists, but they don’t always know what it’s for.
Testing is often especially helpful when there’s uncertainty about what’s going on. For example, if a child is struggling with reading, testing can often help determine the “why.” If they have a learning disability like dyslexia, testing can help suggest strategies to support them. If testing shows that reading challenges are related to inattention and poor working memory, a diagnosis of ADHD might be appropriate, and recommendations might include therapy or medication.
Similarly, testing can help differentiate between normal cognitive aging and conditions like dementia. We can tell someone, “Yes, you’re experiencing memory decline faster than expected for your age,” or “No, your cognitive abilities are perfectly in line with what’s typical for someone your age.” In fact, neuropsychological testing can not only help diagnose mild cognitive impairment or dementia but can also help clarify the underlying process (such as Alzheimer’s disease vs. Frontotemporal or vascular dementia). This is essential to understanding prognosis and developing a better treatment plan.
Testing is often especially helpful if a child is struggling with reading; testing can often help determine the “why.” If they have a learning disability like dyslexia, testing can help suggest strategies to support them.
Another important time for testing is when treatments aren’t working. For example, if someone has been in therapy for more than six months with little improvement, or their medication isn’t helping, testing can help uncover what’s really going on. It might reveal that their symptoms are rooted in trauma rather than depression, or that a personality disorder is affecting their treatment response.