BPD Assessment Process
A BPD screening is an initial, one-session interview and self-reported questionnaire I will give you. It is designed as a screening tool to determine if further testing is needed for personality disorders.
Before the first session, I will send you a "PAS” The PAS (Personality Assessment Screener) is an initial screener for different personality domains. It is not a test, but it can give me an idea of the direction for assessing/testing. It consists of 22 questions; you should expect to spend 10-15 minutes on it. This replaces the previous PID-5.
The first phase of the BPD assessment process will take place during one session lasting 90 minutes in length and consists of the following:
- Introductions & Information gathering
- Family history and background
- Essentially, we will spend some time getting to know each other and I will gather information to understand how to best move forward with the assessment.
- At the end of the first session, I will provide you with instructions on testing.
Personality disorders can’t be diagnosed in a single session, and they take multiple sessions to be done properly. The next 4-5 sessions will consist of the following:
- An in-depth interview based on the results of any testing instruments I provided. We will discuss your current and previous symptoms and how they affect your day-to-day functioning, relationships, and mental health. Together, we will begin to form a plan.
During the last session of your assessment, we will discuss the assessment results and develop a comprehensive treatment plan tailored to your specific needs. I will provide a written report of any diagnosis, recommendations, and a clinical interpretation of results and summary from your testing. You can see a sample report on this page.
Due to copyright laws and ethical considerations, I cannot provide a copy of the testing materials or raw results.
Depending on the next course of action, any of the following may take place depending on individual situations:
- If you remain with me, we will set goals for treatment and discuss what to expect moving forward.
- If you are going to return to a different provider (i.e., you were referred to me for testing only) I am more than happy to send a copy of your testing summary directly to your provider.
- I may refer you to a Clinical Psychologist if further, more in-depth/intensive psychological testing is needed.
- I may refer you to an in-person or higher level of care if needed.
We will always discuss your options.
As part of a comprehensive personality disorder assessment, I may include any of several psychological tests I have been trained to administer. During the assessment process, I may administer any and all of the following:
- MCMI-IV– Millon Clinical Multiaxial Inventory. This self-report inventory assesses a wide range of personality disorders and other mental health conditions. It is designed to be used by mental health professionals to aid in diagnosis and treatment planning.
- MMPI-III – The test is designed to detect abnormal personality traits, such as narcissism, histrionism, and antisocial behavior (I do not use this one very often)
- PAS- This is the “screener” that is part of the initial BPD assessment. It has 22 questions and takes about 10 minutes.
- PAI – This test measures a broad range of personality traits and is often used to assess for personality disorders. It includes several scales specifically designed to detect the presence of disorders such as borderline, narcissistic, and antisocial personality disorder.
- Others that may be helpful
Testing services may be purchased on their own. They will be included as part of the comprehensive personality disorder assessment package. It is important to note that no single personality test can diagnose a personality disorder independently. A comprehensive evaluation by a mental health professional is necessary to arrive at an accurate diagnosis.
Assessment & Testing Pricing
Comprehensive BPD Evaluation
- Comprehensive BPD Evaluation: $450 – Billed in two payments of $225 each
- BPD Screening *: $30 (single session personality disorder screening)
- Testing Only/Add-On *up to $150; This covers the cost of testing materials, some insurances cover this and some do not. In the event your insurance does not cover the testing materials, your cost will be up to $150 and will be billed separately.
- * Services marked with an * can be added to any session for any client. Another provider may refer a client, for example strictly for a screening or assessment. You can read more about the levels of assessment and evaluation we offer under our services page. Unless prior arrangements have been made, all fees are due at the time of the session and will be charged to your card on file that we require to be placed prior to your initial intake session.