Psychological Evaluations
In This Section:
What is a
Psychological Evaluation?
77%
Using the HCR-20 V3 structured professional judgment tool, our evaluations correctly flag individuals at high risk for violent reoffending in as many as 77% of cases.
74%
The Violence Risk Scale (VRS) has been shown to predict serious violent incidents among offenders with about 74% accuracy.
52X
START vulnerability assessments reveal that individuals rated high risk are up to 52 times more likely to engage in violent incidents than those rated low risk.
78%
The Goal
of a Psychological Evaluation.
The goal of an evaluation is to provide a clear understanding of a person’s psychological functioning and to answer specific clinical or legal questions. These assessments are often used to clarify diagnoses, guide treatment planning, support legal decisions, or evaluate readiness for certain life changes.
Why Would Someone Be Referred
For Psychological Evalution?
Individuals may be referred for a psychological evaluation for a wide range of reasons, including:
- Clarification or confirmation of a psychiatric diagnosis
- Assessment of mental health symptoms such as anxiety, depression, or trauma
- Evaluation of risk, dangerousness, or competency
- Court-ordered assessments for custody, criminal cases, or civil matters
- Pre-employment evaluations for sensitive or high-responsibility positions
- Disability evaluations and fitness for duty assessments
Dr. Markey works closely with referring professionals, attorneys, courts, and agencies to ensure the evaluation addresses the appropriate questions and meets the necessary standards for documentation and testimony.
What Happens
After the Evaluation?
Following the evaluation, Dr. Markey prepares a detailed, professional report summarizing the findings, diagnostic impressions, and tailored recommendations. When appropriate, a feedback session is scheduled to review the results and answer any questions.
The evaluation report may be used to guide therapy, support legal arguments, inform court decisions, or provide clarity for employers, schools, or other institutions.
Insightful Assessments
for Informed Mental Health Care
Types of
Psychological Evaluation
Standard Psychological Evaluations
Psychological evaluations help identify emotional, behavioral, or cognitive issues by using interviews and standardized tests. Like medical exams guide physical care, psychological assessments inform accurate diagnosis and effective treatment planning.
Forensic Evaluations
Dr. Markey conducts evaluations for legal purposes, including Social Security claims, competency and sanity in criminal cases, independent and court-ordered assessments, and child custody evaluations.
Parental Competency Evaluations
Also known as custody evaluations, these assessments examine each parent’s ability to provide care and determine which environment best supports the child’s well-being.
Not Guilty by Reason of Insanity Evaluations
These forensic assessments determine whether a defendant was legally insane at the time of an offense, based on mental state, available evidence, and relevant legal standards.
Patient Capacity Evaluations
Capacity evaluations assess whether an individual can understand, consider, and communicate medical decisions. These evaluations balance patient autonomy with the need for protection in cases of cognitive impairment.
Psychological Autopsy
A psychological autopsy reconstructs a person’s mental and emotional state before death using interviews, documents, and official reports to help clarify cause or contributing factors.
Forensic Consultation
Dr. Markey assists attorneys by offering expert psychological insight into legal cases. He evaluates case strengths and weaknesses, provides clarity on psychological issues, and helps shape effective legal strategies.
Threat Assessment
Threat assessments identify and evaluate potential risks of violence, determine the seriousness of threats, and develop intervention plans to prevent harm and resolve underlying conflicts.
Fitness for Duty
Fitness for Duty evaluations assess whether an employee can safely and effectively perform their job. These are typically requested by employers in safety-sensitive roles and address concerns related to mental health or workplace behavior.
Answers to Your
Psychological Evaluation
Questions
What is a psychological evaluation?
A psychological evaluation is a comprehensive assessment combining clinical interviews, collateral record reviews, and standardized tests to clarify diagnoses, guide treatment planning, or inform legal decisions. It offers an in-depth understanding of cognitive, emotional, and behavioral functioning.
In forensic contexts, these evaluations may address competency, sanity, custody, or independent psychological opinions. In clinical settings, they help differentiate conditions—such as ADHD or mood disorders—and tailor intervention strategies.
How do I know if I need an evaluation?
Evaluations are often recommended when diagnostic uncertainty exists, when multiple conditions overlap, or when a third-party expert opinion is required (for example, by attorneys, schools, or courts). Physicians and mental health professionals may refer you for clarity on complex presentations.
You can also self-refer if you’re struggling with persistent symptoms that haven’t responded to treatment or if you need formal documentation for accommodations, disability claims, or legal proceedings.
What is involved in the evaluation process?
Dr. Markey typically dedicates 10–15 hours to each evaluation, including face-to-face interviews, thorough review of medical, educational, or legal records, administration of standardized assessment tools, and scoring and interpretation of data.
Following data collection, he writes a detailed report outlining diagnostic impressions, test results, and evidence-based recommendations. An optional feedback session can be scheduled to review findings and answer questions.
Will my results remain confidential?
Clinical evaluations adhere to standard confidentiality practices: results are shared only with you and, if you authorize, your treating providers. For forensic evaluations, however, reports are provided to the referring party (e.g., an attorney or court), and absolute confidentiality cannot be guaranteed.
Before beginning, Dr. Markey will discuss these distinctions and obtain informed consent, ensuring you understand who will receive your evaluation findings and under what circumstances.
How soon will I receive my report?
You can expect a comprehensive written report within 2–4 weeks after completing all assessment components. This timeframe allows for careful analysis, interpretation, and report preparation.
If you choose the feedback session, it is typically scheduled shortly after the report is finalized so you can review results, discuss recommendations, and plan next steps.