When symptoms are complex, a diagnosis is unclear, or treatment is not working as expected, a comprehensive evaluation can help you better understand what is happening and make informed decisions about your care.
Helping You Better Understand Yourself
Sometimes the most important next step in treatment is gaining a clearer understanding of what is happening.
The Center for Testing & Evaluation Services at Cognitive Behavior Institute provides specialized Diagnostic Evaluations and Psychological Testing for children, adolescents, and adults seeking diagnostic clarification and individualized treatment recommendations.
Individuals may come to us because they are struggling with attention, anxiety, mood changes, trauma-related symptoms, developmental concerns, behavioral difficulties, or other complex presentations. Others may already have a diagnosis but want a second opinion, have questions about whether the diagnosis still fits, or have not responded to treatment as expected.
Our goal is not simply to administer tests or assign a diagnosis. We work to understand the whole clinical picture and provide useful recommendations that help patients, families, and treatment providers make informed decisions about what should happen next.
Every evaluation is individualized to the patient's specific concerns, history, clinical questions, and goals.
Is an Evaluation Right for Me?
You do not need to know what diagnosis you have or what type of evaluation you need before contacting us.
A Diagnostic Evaluation may be helpful when:
- Your diagnosis is unclear
- You have received different diagnoses from different providers
- Your symptoms are complex or difficult to understand
- Treatment has not worked as expected
- You would like a second opinion
- A previous diagnosis needs to be reconsidered or clarified
- Attention or executive-functioning difficulties are affecting daily life
- You have questions about ADHD, autism, trauma, anxiety, depression, or other mental health or developmental concerns
- Emotional, behavioral, or developmental concerns are affecting functioning
- Your current treatment team needs additional diagnostic information
- You would benefit from recommendations regarding treatment or next steps in care
- There is a question about whether formal Psychological Testing would provide useful additional information
An evaluation does not necessarily lead to Psychological Testing. In many cases, a comprehensive Diagnostic Evaluation provides the clarification and recommendations needed without additional testing.
Finding the Right Evaluation
Our evaluation process is designed to answer the specific clinical questions that bring you to the Center. Depending on your needs, this may involve a Diagnostic Evaluation, Psychological Testing, or a combination of both.
For many patients, the process begins with a Diagnostic Evaluation completed by one of our psychologists. This comprehensive clinical consultation helps us understand your concerns, history, current symptoms, functioning, previous diagnoses and treatment, and the questions you would like the evaluation to address.
Depending on your needs, a Diagnostic Evaluation may include:
- A comprehensive clinical interview
- Review of current concerns and symptoms
- Medical, developmental, educational, social, and mental health history as relevant
- Review of previous diagnoses and treatment
- Standardized questionnaires or rating scales
- Review of previous records when appropriate
- Consultation with current treatment providers when clinically appropriate
- Diagnostic impressions
- Individualized treatment recommendations
A Diagnostic Evaluation can help clarify a diagnosis, provide a second opinion, evaluate a complex clinical presentation, reconsider previous diagnoses, identify treatment barriers, understand treatment nonresponse, and recommend appropriate next steps in care.
Psychological Testing
Psychological Testing provides additional objective information through standardized assessment tools selected specifically for the questions being evaluated. Testing may be recommended as part of the evaluation process when it can provide greater clarity or additional information to support diagnosis, treatment planning, or other clinical recommendations.
Depending on the referral question, Psychological Testing may assess areas such as:
- Attention and executive functioning
- Cognitive abilities
- Learning
- Memory
- Personality functioning
- Emotional functioning
- Behavioral concerns
- Social and developmental functioning
The specific measures and testing process are individualized based on the patient's needs and the clinical questions being addressed.
What Happens After the Evaluation?
At the conclusion of the evaluation process, your psychologist will review the findings with you and discuss what they mean for your care.
Depending on your needs, recommendations may include:
- Diagnostic clarification
- Confirmation or reconsideration of an existing diagnosis
- A second clinical opinion
- Recommendations for psychotherapy or other behavioral health treatment
- Recommendations regarding medication consultation
- Recommendations for additional services or supports
- Recommendations regarding level of care
- Identification of treatment barriers or factors contributing to treatment nonresponse
- Additional Psychological Testing, when clinically useful
The goal is to leave you with a clearer understanding of your clinical presentation and practical recommendations for what to do next.
Our Evaluation Services
The Center for Testing & Evaluation Services offers individualized evaluation services based on each patient's needs, presenting concerns, and referral questions.
Diagnostic Evaluations
Comprehensive clinical evaluations designed to clarify diagnosis, provide a second opinion, evaluate complex presentations, understand treatment barriers or nonresponse, and develop individualized recommendations for care.
Psychological Testing
Comprehensive or targeted assessment using standardized psychological measures to provide objective information about cognitive, emotional, behavioral, personality, attentional, or developmental functioning and help answer specific clinical questions.
ADHD Evaluations
Evaluation of attention, executive functioning, impairment, developmental history, and other factors that may contribute to attention-related concerns. Depending on the clinical question, the evaluation may include a Diagnostic Evaluation, Psychological Testing, or both.
Autism & Developmental Evaluations
Evaluation of developmental, social, behavioral, and emotional functioning when autism or another developmental presentation is part of the clinical question, based on the patient's age, needs, and the Center's available evaluation services.
Diagnostic Second Opinions & Complex Case Consultation
Independent evaluation for individuals whose diagnosis remains uncertain, who have received different diagnoses, or whose symptoms or response to treatment suggest that additional diagnostic clarification may be beneficial.
What We Do Not Currently Provide
Some evaluations require specialized forensic, occupational, disability, or neuropsychological services that fall outside the scope of the Center. At this time, CBI does not provide:
- Custody or parenting evaluations
- Forensic or court-ordered evaluations
- Competency evaluations
- Criminal responsibility evaluations
- Fitness-for-duty evaluations
- Workers' compensation evaluations
- Disability evaluations
- Dementia evaluations or other specialized neuropsychological evaluations
- Evaluations of severe intellectual disability requiring specialty services
When a requested evaluation falls outside our scope of practice, we will help direct patients toward appropriate community resources whenever possible.
Meet the Team
Lindsey Venesky, Licensed Psychologist
Clinical Director
Our Center is supported by psychologists with specialized expertise in psychological assessment, diagnostic evaluation, and evidence-based clinical decision-making.
Our evaluation team includes licensed psychologists and postdoctoral fellows with experience assessing a range of emotional, behavioral, developmental, cognitive, and diagnostic concerns across the lifespan.
Meet Our Evaluating Psychologists
Resources & Education
Understanding psychological assessment and diagnostic evaluation can help patients and families feel more informed about the evaluation process, potential diagnoses, and recommended next steps. The following trusted resources provide additional education and support related to psychological assessment and several of the conditions commonly evaluated through the Center.
Understanding Psychological Testing & Assessment
- American Psychological Association: Understanding Psychological Testing and Assessment: An accessible overview of psychological testing and assessment, including why testing may be recommended, what to expect, and how results can inform diagnosis and treatment.
ADHD
- CHADD (Children and Adults with Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder): National education and resources for children, adults, and families seeking to better understand ADHD, diagnosis, treatment, and everyday functioning.
- Pittsburgh ADHD Resource Alliance: Local Pittsburgh-area information, education, and community resources for individuals and families affected by ADHD.
Autism
- Autism Connection of Pennsylvania: Pennsylvania-based education, advocacy, support, and community resources for autistic individuals and families, including assistance following a new diagnosis.
- Autistic Self Advocacy Network (ASAN) Resource Library: Autistic-led educational resources providing an important self-advocacy and neurodiversity-informed perspective for autistic individuals and families, including materials for newly diagnosed individuals, parents, college students, and adults diagnosed later in life.
OCD & Related Conditions
- International OCD Foundation (IOCDF): Specialized education and resources on OCD and related disorders, including symptoms, diagnosis, evidence-based treatment, specialty providers, and support resources.
- National Institute of Mental Health: Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD): Research-based information about OCD symptoms, treatment, research, and additional resources.
Community & Professional Education
The Center for Testing & Evaluation Services supports greater understanding of psychological assessment and diagnostic evaluation through:
- Community presentations on behavioral health and psychological assessment.
- Education and consultation for mental health professionals.
- Collaboration with treating providers to support continuity of care and implementation of evaluation recommendations.
Cost & Insurance
Insurance is accepted for Diagnostic Evaluations and Psychological Testing when services are covered and medically necessary. Coverage varies by insurance plan, and some Psychological Testing services may require prior authorization.
When Psychological Testing is recommended, our Billing Team will verify applicable benefits and provide a personalized estimate of expected financial responsibility before testing begins.