Psychological Assessments

 

At Lightner Centre, psychological assessment is about more than completing tests or arriving at a diagnosis. A comprehensive assessment aims to develop a clear and meaningful understanding of an individual's strengths, difficulties, cognitive, and psychological functioning, behaviour, and the factors that may be contributing to their current presentation and daily functioning.

Our experienced psychologists provide a broad range of evidence-based psychological, cognitive, diagnostic, behavioural, and functional assessments for children, adolescents, and adults. Each assessment is individually tailored to the reason for referral, the person's unique presentation, current concerns, and goals.

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Depending on the purpose of the assessment, this may involve clinical interviews, validated psychological measures, cognitive or behavioural assessment, observation, developmental and psychosocial history, and information from parents, partners, teachers, health professionals, or other relevant sources where appropriate.

Psychological assessments can support:

• Diagnostic clarification;

• Treatment and support planning;

• Educational and workplace accommodations;

• Functional and capacity evaluations; and

• Formal documentation for third parties, including universities, employers, and licensing bodies.

 

Our goal is to provide clarity and practical direction. Assessment findings are considered together to develop an integrated understanding of the individual and, where appropriate, provide diagnostic clarification and clear recommendations to guide treatment, education/workplace supports, daily functioning, and future planning.

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With access to an extensive team of psychologists with diverse areas of clinical expertise, Lightner Centre can provide assessment across a wide range of psychological and neurodevelopmental presentations, including situations where concerns are complex, overlapping, or have previously been difficult to understand.

We take a respectful and collaborative approach, ensuring that the assessment process is thorough, transparent, and clinically meaningful, and that individuals understand both the findings and what they mean for the next steps in their care.

 

Our Assessment Services

Psychological assessments at Lightner Centre are individually tailored to the question you are seeking to answer. Our assessment pathways bring together clinical interview, validated assessment measures, standardised psychological testing, collateral information, clinical interpretation, and comprehensive reporting. Not everyone requires the same level of assessment. Where concerns overlap, assessments can be combined to provide a more comprehensive understanding while reducing unnecessary duplication.

 

ADHD Diagnostic Assessment

Fee: $1,800

Our ADHD Diagnostic Assessment provides a comprehensive evaluation of attention, concentration, impulsivity, executive functioning, and related difficulties across the lifespan. Assessment considers not only whether symptoms are consistent with ADHD, but also developmental history, current functioning, and other psychological or contextual factors that may contribute to similar difficulties.

What's included:

• Initial comprehensive clinical and developmental interview

• Validated ADHD and executive functioning measures

• Assessment of relevant mental health symptoms and differential diagnoses

• Structured diagnostic assessment

• Observer or collateral questionnaires where appropriate

• Review and integration of available supporting information

• Scoring, interpretation, and clinical formulation

• Comprehensive written report

• Individualised recommendations

• Feedback session

Cognitive assessment can be added where there are questions regarding intellectual functioning, memory, processing speed, learning ,or an individual's broader cognitive profile.

 

Autism Diagnostic Assessment

Fee: $2,400

Our Autism Diagnostic Assessment provides a comprehensive evaluation where Autism Spectrum Disorder is suspected or diagnostic clarification is required. Assessment considers developmental history, social communication, relationships, patterns of behaviour and interests, sensory experiences, functioning across different environments, masking or compensation, and other psychological or neurodevelopmental factors that may contribute to the individual's presentation. Our assessments are undertaken using a respectful and neuro-affirming approach, with the aim of understanding both strengths and areas in which additional support may be beneficial.

What's included:

• Comprehensive clinical and developmental interview

• Validated autism assessment measures

• Assessment of relevant psychological and neurodevelopmental factors

• Structured diagnostic assessment

• Observer or collateral assessment where appropriate

• Review of relevant developmental, educational, or clinical information where available

• Scoring, interpretation, and comprehensive clinical formulation

• Comprehensive written report

• Individualised recommendations

• Feedback session

 

Combined ADHD & Autism Assessment

Fee: $2,800

ADHD and autism frequently involve overlapping features. Where both are being considered, an integrated assessment can provide a clearer understanding of an individual's overall neurodevelopmental profile while avoiding unnecessary duplication across separate assessments. The assessment considers ADHD and autism alongside relevant mental health, developmental, and functional factors to determine how different aspects of the individual's presentation may interact.

What's included:

• Comprehensive clinical and developmental interview

• ADHD and autism-specific validated assessment measures

• Structured diagnostic assessment

• Executive functioning assessment

• Assessment of relevant mental health and differential diagnostic factors

• Observer and collateral information where appropriate

• Review of available developmental, educational, and clinical information

• Integrated clinical formulation

• Comprehensive written report addressing both ADHD and autism

• Individualised recommendations

• Feedback session

 

Cognitive Assessment

Fee: $1,800

Cognitive assessments explore how an individual thinks, learns, remembers, and processes information and provide a detailed profile of cognitive strengths and areas of relative difficulty. Depending on the referral question, cognitive assessment may examine:

• General intellectual functioning (IQ)

• Verbal and visual reasoning

• Working memory

• Processing speed

• Attention and information processing

• Memory and learning

• Cognitive strengths and areas of relative difficulty

Cognitive assessment may assist with understanding learning or functional difficulties, educational and workplace planning, diagnostic clarification, and identifying appropriate supports.

What's included:

• Initial clinical interview

• Standardised cognitive assessment

• Relevant additional assessment measures where indicated

• Collateral information where appropriate

• Scoring and comprehensive interpretation

• Comprehensive written report

• Individualised recommendations

• Feedback session

 

Cognitive & Learning Assessment

Fee: $2,400

A combined cognitive and learning assessment examines both an individual's cognitive abilities and academic achievement. This assessment may be appropriate where there are concerns regarding learning, academic performance, or a possible Specific Learning Disorder, including difficulties associated with reading, written expression, or mathematics. Assessment can identify patterns of cognitive and academic strengths and difficulties and provide recommendations to support learning at school, university, or other educational settings.

What's included:

• Initial clinical and developmental interview

• Standardised cognitive assessment

• Standardised academic achievement assessment

• Relevant behavioural or learning measures

• Collateral information from parents, teachers, or other relevant sources where appropriate

• Comprehensive interpretation and formulation

• Comprehensive written report

• Educational and support recommendations

• Feedback session

 

Comprehensive Neurodevelopmental Assessment

ADHD + Autism + Cognitive Assessment

Fee: $3,200

For some individuals, considering a single diagnosis does not adequately explain their presentation. Our Comprehensive Neurodevelopmental Assessment brings together assessment of ADHD, autism, and cognitive functioning to develop an integrated understanding of an individual's neurodevelopmental profile. This pathway may be particularly appropriate where there are complex or overlapping concerns, previous assessments have produced unclear findings, or a detailed understanding of cognitive strengths and difficulties is required alongside diagnostic assessment.

What's included:

• Comprehensive clinical and developmental interview

• Standardised cognitive assessment

• ADHD-specific assessment

• Autism-specific assessment

• Executive functioning assessment

• Relevant mental health and differential diagnostic assessment

• Observer and collateral information where appropriate

• Review of relevant developmental, educational, and clinical information

• Integrated diagnostic formulation

• Comprehensive written report

• Individualised treatment, educational, workplace and/or support recommendations as relevant

• Feedback session

 

Behavioural & Functional Assessment

Fee: from $1,800

Behavioural and functional assessments examine how an individual manages everyday activities and demands and may assist in identifying areas of independence, difficulty, and support need. Depending on the referral question, assessment may consider adaptive functioning, communication, social functioning, self-care, daily living skills, behavioural functioning, and capacity to manage everyday demands. Because functional assessments can vary considerably in scope, the required assessment pathway will be discussed following the initial consultation.

What's included may involve:

• Comprehensive clinical interview

• Validated functional and adaptive behaviour measures

• Behavioural assessment

• Observer and collateral assessment

• Review of relevant records

• Assessment of functioning across relevant environments

• Comprehensive written report

• Individualised recommendations

• Feedback session

Additional assessment or extensive third-party documentation may incur additional fees, which will be discussed with you before proceeding.

 

Comprehensive Mental Health & Diagnostic Assessment

Fee: $1,400

A Comprehensive Mental Health Assessment provides an in-depth evaluation where there are questions regarding diagnosis, psychological functioning, or the factors contributing to an individual's current difficulties. Unlike an assessment focused on a single diagnosis, this assessment considers the person's broader psychological presentation and may be useful where symptoms are complex, overlap across diagnostic categories, or have not previously been clearly understood. Assessment may consider mood, anxiety, trauma-related symptoms, personality, emotional regulation, and other relevant areas of psychological functioning according to the referral question.

What's included:

• Comprehensive clinical and psychosocial interview

• Validated psychological assessment measures

• Structured diagnostic assessment where indicated

• Assessment of relevant differential diagnoses

• Clinical formulation

• Comprehensive written report

• Diagnosis where appropriate

• Individualised treatment and support recommendations

• Feedback session

 

Personality Assessment

Fee: from $1,400

Comprehensive personality assessment may be appropriate where longstanding patterns of thinking, emotional responding, relationships, or behaviour require further clarification. Assessment considers personality functioning within the context of the individual's developmental history, current mental health, relationships, and broader circumstances rather than interpreting questionnaire results in isolation.

What's included:

• Comprehensive clinical interview

• Validated personality assessment measures

• Assessment of relevant mental health conditions

• Structured diagnostic assessment where indicated

• Comprehensive formulation and interpretation

• Written report

• Individualised treatment recommendations

• Feedback session

 

Psychological Fitness & Clearance Assessments

Fee: from $1,200

Psychological fitness assessments are undertaken where an independent psychological opinion or formal documentation is required for a particular purpose.

These may include:

• Cosmetic procedure psychological assessments

• Mental health clearance assessments

• Occupational or professional requirements

• Licensing-related psychological assessments

• Other third-party psychological evaluations

The scope and requirements of these assessments vary according to the purpose of the assessment and the requirements of the requesting organisation.

What's included:

• Clinical interview

• Relevant validated psychological measures

• Assessment of factors relevant to the referral question

• Review of supporting information where required

• Written report or documentation

• Recommendations where appropriate

Where a third party requires extensive record review, additional testing, or a report addressing specific criteria, a fee will be provided before proceeding.

 

Not Sure Which Assessment You Need?

You do not need to determine the appropriate assessment pathway yourself. Many psychological and neurodevelopmental presentations overlap, and the assessment you initially enquire about may not ultimately be the assessment that will best answer your questions. All assessments commence with consideration of the reason for referral, your current concerns, and what you would like the assessment to clarify. Your psychologist can then recommend the most appropriate assessment pathway and discuss whether any additional or combined assessment would be clinically useful. Where additional assessment is recommended, this will be discussed with you, including any change in fees, before additional testing is undertaken. Our aim is not to complete more testing than necessary, but to undertake the assessment required to provide a clear, clinically meaningful understanding of your presentation and practical recommendations for what comes next.