A full evaluation is a comprehensive psychological and psychoeducational assessment that goes beyond a single IQ test. It provides a detailed picture of your cognitive, academic, emotional, and behavioral functioning, with actionable recommendations for academic planning, career development, or clinical intervention.

Last Updated: August 2026

What is a Full Evaluation?

A full evaluation is a comprehensive psychological and psychoeducational assessment that provides a complete picture of your cognitive, academic, emotional, and behavioral functioning. Unlike a single IQ test, which focuses only on cognitive abilities, a full evaluation includes multiple tests and assessments to provide a holistic understanding of your strengths and challenges.

Full evaluations are typically conducted by licensed psychologists and can take anywhere from 2 to 6 hours of testing time, often spread across multiple sessions.

What a Full Evaluation Includes

• Cognitive Assessment (IQ testing): WISC-V (children), WAIS-IV or WAIS-5 (adults), or Stanford-Binet 5 to measure intellectual abilities
• Academic Achievement Testing: Measures reading, writing, math, and other academic skills
• Behavioral and Emotional Assessment: Questionnaires and interviews to assess emotional well-being, social functioning, and behavioral patterns
• Executive Functioning Assessment: Measures attention, planning, organization, and self-regulation
• Clinical Interview: Detailed interview to understand personal history, concerns, and goals
• Comprehensive Report: Detailed findings with scores, interpretations, and actionable recommendations

Full Evaluation vs. Single IQ Test

When Is a Full Evaluation Recommended?

A full evaluation is recommended in several situations:

• Learning disabilities: Suspected dyslexia, dyscalculia, dysgraphia, or other learning disorders
• ADHD: Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder diagnosis and treatment planning
• Giftedness with learning challenges (2E): Twice-exceptional children who are both gifted and have learning disabilities
• Autism assessment: Comprehensive evaluation for autism spectrum disorder
• Educational planning: For Individualized Education Programs (IEPs) or 504 plans
• Legal documentation: For court cases, disability claims, or special education advocacy
• Mental health concerns: Anxiety, depression, or other emotional challenges affecting academic or occupational functioning
• College accommodations: Documentation for accommodations on college entrance exams (SAT, ACT, GRE) or in college settings

Norfolk Hospitals and Medical Centers Offering Evaluations

Sentara Norfolk General Hospital and Sentara Neurosciences

• Neurology and neuropsychology: Sentara neurologists and neuropsychologists evaluate memory, cognition, stroke, epilepsy, movement disorders, brain injury and other neurological conditions.
• Complex care: Sentara Norfolk General has advanced neuroscience facilities and a dedicated neuroscience ICU.
• Referral fit: Confirm whether the need is medical neuropsychology, general psychology, ADHD, autism, learning or disability documentation.

Children's Hospital of The King's Daughters

• Pediatric specialty care: CHKD provides developmental, behavioral, neurological, rehabilitation and pediatric mental-health services.
• Age and scope: Referral, clinic, age range and testing availability vary by clinical question.
• Records: Bring school, developmental, medical and prior evaluation records when requested.

Macon & Joan Brock Virginia Health Sciences at ODU

• Health-professions education: ODU's health-sciences enterprise supports medical and clinical training within the regional care network.
• Research and referral: Academic resources may contribute to specialty care, but not every program offers direct public testing.
• Purpose: Verify whether a clinic or research study provides diagnosis, treatment recommendations or an external-use report.

Norfolk Community Services Board

• Public services: Behavioral-health, developmental-disability and substance-use programs have defined eligibility and referral procedures.
• Testing scope: Services may focus on treatment or public-program eligibility rather than private school or Mensa documentation.

VA Hampton Health Care and Military Resources

• Veterans: Eligible veterans may access mental-health, rehabilitation, neurological, disability and referral pathways.
• Active duty: Naval health clinics, Naval Medical Center Portsmouth and TRICARE networks serve military-connected referrals.
• Documentation: Military fitness, disability, medical-board and civilian accommodation questions may require different evaluators and reports.

Private Neuropsychology and Psychological Practices

• Services: Hampton Roads practices offer ADHD, autism, learning, cognitive, neuropsychological, forensic, disability, bariatric and diagnostic evaluations.
• Credentials: Verify Virginia licensure, neuropsychology training, age range and experience with the referral question.
• Report fit: Schools, courts, employers, military programs and testing agencies may require specific documentation.

School, Public and Regional Resources

• Norfolk Public Schools: Evaluates eligible students under educational rules for special-education and 504 questions.
• Regional referral: Highly specialized cases may involve Virginia Beach, Chesapeake, Richmond, Duke, UNC or other tertiary centers.
• Coordination: Clarify who will integrate school, medical, military and private findings.

Norfolk Evaluation Costs by Provider

• Private psychology: Cost depends on test battery, age, referral complexity, report length and feedback time.
• Neuropsychology: Medical evaluations are generally longer and more expensive because they integrate neurological, medical and functional evidence.
• Hospital systems: Insurance contracts, referral, medical necessity, prior authorization, deductibles and network status affect patient responsibility.
• School division: Eligible educational evaluations are provided through public-school procedures but may not satisfy private, legal, military or college documentation needs.
• Military and VA: Coverage and access follow TRICARE or VA eligibility and referral rules.
• Written estimate: Request total expected fees, deposit, cancellation policy, report turnaround and charges for records, school meetings or testimony.

Norfolk Legal and Forensic Evaluations

• Forensic purpose: Capacity, disability, fitness, damages, criminal, family or employment questions require an evaluator with relevant forensic experience.
• Military context: Line-of-duty, fitness, security, medical-board or veterans-benefit matters may have specialized standards.
• Neutral role: A forensic evaluator's role differs from a treating clinician's role.
• Records: Courts and attorneys may require extensive medical, school, military, employment and collateral information.
• Fees: Depositions, testimony, record review, travel and expedited work are usually billed separately.
• Attorney coordination: The retaining attorney should define the legal question and jurisdictional standard before testing.

Norfolk Evaluation Timeline and Process

• Referral clarification: Identify the exact question, intended report recipient, deadline and required credentials.
• Records collection: School, medical, military, treatment, employment and prior testing records may be requested before the appointment.
• Interview: Developmental, educational, occupational, medical, emotional and family history guides test selection.
• Testing: A full battery may require several hours or multiple sessions, with breaks and accommodations as appropriate.
• Scoring and integration: The psychologist analyzes patterns rather than relying on one score.
• Feedback and report: Turnaround varies by provider, complexity, records and whether collateral interviews are required.
• Regional logistics: Base gates, tunnels, flooding and cross-Hampton Roads travel should be considered when scheduling.

Norfolk Insurance Coverage for Evaluations

• Medical necessity: Insurance is more likely to consider evaluation when tied to a clinical diagnosis or treatment question than to gifted placement, Mensa or personal curiosity.
• Prior authorization: Neurology, neuropsychology and autism services may require referral or authorization.
• Network status: Verify the individual psychologist and testing service, not only the hospital system.
• TRICARE and VA: Military-connected access follows eligibility, referral and network rules.
• School services: Educational evaluations are governed by school law rather than health-insurance benefits.
• Written confirmation: Ask about deductible, coinsurance, excluded services, report fees and appeal options.

Norfolk Evaluation Referrals

• Self-referral: Many private psychologists accept direct inquiries for IQ, ADHD, autism, learning and personal-insight assessments.
• Medical referral: Neurologists, pediatricians, primary-care clinicians, psychiatrists or rehabilitation teams may refer for neuropsychology.
• School referral: Parents or school teams may request educational evaluation under IDEA or Section 504 procedures.
• Military or VA referral: Service members and veterans should follow their health-system and documentation pathways.
• Attorney or agency referral: Forensic, disability and vocational matters should state the exact legal or administrative question.
• Receiving institution: Confirm the report requirements before testing to avoid paying for an unusable evaluation.

Benefits of a Full Evaluation

• Complete picture: Understand the full picture of your or your child's functioning – cognitive, academic, emotional, and behavioral
• Accurate diagnosis: Receive precise diagnoses for learning disabilities, ADHD, autism, or other conditions
• Legal documentation: Obtain documentation for IEPs, 504 plans, college accommodations, disability claims, or court cases
• Personalized recommendations: Receive tailored recommendations for academic planning, career development, therapy, or treatment
• Peace of mind: Understand your or your child's strengths and challenges and how to address them effectively
• Long-term planning: Use the findings for educational, career, and personal planning

Full Evaluations in Norfolk

Norfolk's military, maritime, medical, university and public-school environment creates diverse referral needs. A full evaluation may support educational planning, disability documentation, neurological diagnosis, military or workplace decisions, college accommodations, treatment planning or legal questions.

• Children: Coordinate private findings with Norfolk Public Schools or the receiving private school.
• Adults: Clarify whether the report is for treatment, accommodations, employment, military, disability or legal use.
• Medical complexity: Neurological disease, brain injury, stroke, epilepsy or memory concerns may require a neuropsychologist.
• Regional care: Sentara, CHKD, ODU health sciences, VA and private practices serve different age groups and referral questions.
• Travel: Select a provider based on expertise and report fit, while accounting for tunnels, base access, flooding and appointment length.

Frequently Asked Questions