Personality Testing and Assessments
Most physicians in Tampa are reluctant to prescribe medications for psychiatric symptoms to a child without a complete psychological assessment or psychiatric interview. Dr. Bishop often receives referrals for psychological testing so that the physician can discern how symptoms can best be treated.
For example, symptoms of panic, anxiety, depression, post-traumatic stress and hyperactivity can be very similar, but treatments can differ greatly. Personality assessment with clinical interviews can help with understanding the dynamics of an individual's emotional difficulties.
A personality test may be helpful in gaining understanding of the following behaviors in children:
- Abuse of drugs and/or alcohol
- Inability to cope with daily problems and activities
- Changes in sleeping and/or eating habits
- Excessive complaints of physical ailments
- Defying authority, skipping school, stealing or damaging property.
- Long-lasting negative moods, often accompanied by poor appetite and thoughts of death
- Frequent outbursts of anger
- Changes in school performance, such as poor grades despite good efforts
- Loss of interest in friends and activities they usually enjoy
- Significant increase in time spent alone
- Excessive worrying or anxiety
- Hyperactivity
- Persistent nightmares or night terrors
- Persistent disobedience or aggressive behavior
- Frequent temper tantrums
- Hearing voices or seeing things that are not there (hallucinations)
Personality tests can help a medical doctor prescribe the right medication for a patient, or it can help determine the best course of therapy. A personality test can assist a treatment professional understand the patient better and make better treatment decisions as a result. Finally, a personality test can be used as documentation to advocate for environmental changes in the patient’s school or workplace, or it may be used in court for various reasons.
The MMPI-2 and MMPI-A for adolescents is the most frequently used clinical test. The MMPI-2 is used frequently in court cases to provide personality information on defendants or litigants in which psychological adjustment factors are pertinent to resolution of the case. More research has been on the MMPI-2 than any psychological test available. The results are therefore legally defensible when administered properly by a licensed clinician qualified to administer, score, and interpret the test.
Dr. Bishop is experienced in MMPI-2 interpretation and learned to use the test under Dr. Roger L. Greene, author of MMPI-2: An Interpretive Manual.
The MMPI-2 provides an objective measure of personality. Since it is such a well-researched and highly reliable instrument, it is often used in custody evaluations. It provides clear, valid descriptions of people's problems, symptoms, and characteristics in broadly accepted clinical language. The profiles are easy to explain in court and are relatively easy for people to understand.
After completing Personality Testing Dr. Bishop will meet with the patient and / or parents to explain the results and provide you with a written copy of the test along with a copy specifically for any treating professional or other entity the test may be required for.
