How Psychological Evaluations Support Workplace and School Accommodations
- Daniel Steinberg, PhD
- 10 minutes ago
- 2 min read
More adults are seeking accommodations at work or in academic settings than ever before. Rising demands, remote work challenges, and increasing awareness of ADHD, anxiety, trauma, and mood disorders have all made accommodations a practical and sometimes essential part of functioning well.
But many adults discover quickly that a simple doctor’s note isn’t enough.
HR departments, disability offices, and academic accessibility centers usually require documentation that provides a clear diagnosis and explains how symptoms affect daily functioning.
A psychological evaluation is often the most efficient and reliable way to obtain that documentation.
1. Why adults seek accommodations
Adults pursue accommodations for many reasons, including:
Difficulty with sustained focus
Executive-function challenges such as planning or prioritizing
Anxiety that interferes with presentations, deadlines, or testing situations
Trauma symptoms that impact concentration or sleep
Mood symptoms that limit endurance or productivity
These challenges don’t always fit neatly into one diagnosis, and that’s exactly where structured evaluation helps.
2. Common accommodations for adults
Workplace and academic accommodations vary based on need but often include:
Extended time for exams or projects
Modified or flexible deadlines
Reduced-distraction environments
Flexible scheduling
Short breaks to manage anxiety or overwhelm
Access to recorded lectures or note-taking support
Ability to work remotely during symptomatic periods
Leave support or documentation for short-term disability
These requests need to be grounded in a clear clinical rationale.
3. What documentation is usually required
Most organizations ask for:
A clear DSM-5 diagnosis
A description of symptoms
How those symptoms impair functioning
The reason the recommended accommodations are appropriate
Duration of condition
Recommendations supported by clinical evidence
Evaluations provide the level of detail these systems expect.
4. How a psychological evaluation provides this documentation
A comprehensive evaluation includes:
A structured diagnostic interview
Targeted psychological testing
Screening for mood, anxiety, trauma, and executive functioning
Optional performance-based attention testing
A written report that directly links diagnosis to functional impairment
Recommendations that can be submitted to HR or disability services
The evaluation frames symptoms in the language administrators expect: functional impact, rationale, and evidence-based recommendations.
5. When a brief letter is not enough
Adults are often surprised to learn that:
A primary care note is usually insufficient
Medication history alone does not qualify for accommodations
A therapist’s note may not meet documentation requirements
A psychological evaluation provides the structured, diagnosis-linked evidence organizations need to approve accommodations.
6. Telehealth evaluations for accommodations
Most workplace and academic accommodation systems accept telehealth evaluations as long as they:
Include standardized measures
Are conducted by a licensed psychologist
Include clear functional impairment language
Provide explicit, clinically supported recommendations
Telehealth expands access without compromising quality.
7. How to get started
If you’re seeking documentation for accommodations or want to understand your symptoms more clearly, you can learn more about the evaluation process here:
A psychological evaluation doesn’t just “qualify” you for accommodations—it helps you understand what’s happening and what supports will make life more manageable.
Dr. Daniel Steinberg is a licensed clinical psychologist specializing in evidence-based psychological evaluations for adults across PSYPACT states. His work emphasizes clarity, precision, and clinically sound conclusions.
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