Psychological Assessment Clinic

The Psychological Assessment Clinic (PAC) is part of the Psychology Department at UL Lafayette. The staff are advanced master’s level graduate students who have completed specialized training in clinical assessment.

The staff works under close supervision from the PAC Director, Dr. Michael J. McDermott, Ph.D. Dr. McDermott is a clinical psychologist and faculty member at UL Lafayette with clinical and research expertise in assessment.

The UL Lafayette PAC is committed to providing high quality assessments and evaluations at a reduced fee for UL Lafayette students as well as the greater Lafayette area community. This can include testing and other forms of information gathering to answer questions related to struggles in school or work, difficulties concentrating, cognitive functioning and performance, and other concerns such as social, interpersonal, or emotional difficulties.

The services provided are evidence-based and are routinely reviewed to insure their quality. The Clinic also affords opportunities for psychology faculty and students to conduct research on matters related to the populations it serves.

The Psychological Assessment Clinic is also committed to providing a welcoming and inclusive environment for all members of our community. Consistent with this principle, clinic policy requires that all trainers and trainees do not discriminate on the basis of age, sex, gender identity, race, ethnicity, culture, national origin, religion, sexual orientation, disability, or socioeconomic status in in services provided at our training clinic.

Services

We conduct a wide range of assessments geared toward adults and older adolescents. Common evaluations provided in our clinic are include the following:

• Evaluation of learning difficulties
• Educational planning
• Evaluation of problems related to attention and concentration
• Evaluation of emotional and behavioral difficulties
• Personality assessment
• Psychological treatment planning

If you are completing an assessment with us to determine whether you are eligible for accommodations through a specific organization, please notify the clinician of those needs at the intake and bring along information about any specific tests the organization requires.

What to Expect

Expect to visit the clinic two or three times: first for a clinical interview, and depending on your assessments, one to six hours of testing, followed by a feedback meeting.

Interview

• Current problems and challenges
• Medical history
• Development as a child
• Educational history
• We may also ask to speak to parents, teachers, and or significant others.

Testing

• A test of abilities, designed to reveal intellectual strengths and weaknesses
• A test of achievement, designed to measure basic skills in reading, writing, and mathematics
• A personality inventory, designed to measure personal characteristics, beliefs, coping patterns, and current difficulties
• A test of attention & concentration
• A test of memory functioning
• An evaluation of academic study skills
• When testing children we may ask that the caregivers or the child's teacher(s) complete some ratings of the child's behavior

Results & Feedback

A feedback meeting is scheduled approximately three-to-six weeks after the evaluation to review the results of the evaluations and recommendations.

A written summary of the evaluation is sent approximately three to six weeks after the evaluation.

Fees

The clinic offers its services to the University’s students, faculty, staff, their families, and the Lafayette community for a substantially lower price than typically found in the private sector. Please contact the clinic for more information regarding the costs of various assessments.

Fees must be paid by CHECK ONLY. Fees are due at the initial evaluation session.

Research

An important part of our mission is to conduct research that will aid our clinicians and other practitioners across the country in deepening our understanding and effectiveness. The research is conducted and supervised by the clinical psychology faculty. There are a range of topics and areas that the staff pursue.

All research is done with the knowledge and consent of the people who participate. Privacy is always more important than research, and no observation or measurements are ever conducted without someone’s full knowledge and permission.

Location & Contact Information

E-Mail: PAC@louisiana.edu

Office:
Girard Hall, Room 112A
110 E. University Ave.
Lafayette, LA 70503

Mailing Address:
Attn: Psyc Assessment Clinic
P.O. Box 43644
Lafayette, LA 70504

Hours of operation vary; assessments take place by appointment. Please contact the clinic to schedule a mutually convenient time.