Introduction to Psychological Assessment PDF

PSYCH ASSESSMENT- BITUIN AJA Introduction to psychological assessment The Portfolio - Usually on institutions, patients have handicrafts and other physical pr...

PSYCH ASSESSMENT- BITUIN AJA Introduction to psychological assessment The Portfolio - Usually on institutions, patients have handicrafts and other physical products available which can be PSYCHOLOGICAL TESTING - The process of used as data for assessment. measuring psychology-related variables by means of devices or procedures designed to obtain a CASE HISTORY DATA -records, transcripts, and other accounts sample of behaviors in written, pictorial and other form that preserve archival information, official and informal accounts and other data and PSYCHOLOGICAL ASSESSMENT- gathering and items relevant to an assessee. integration of psychology-related data for the BEHAVIORAL OBSERVATION purpose of making a psychological evaluation that is accomplished through the use of tools ROLE-PLAY TEST -acting an improvised or partially improvised such as tests, interviews, case studies, behavioral part in a simulated situation observation, and specially designed apparatuses and measurement procedures. COMPUTER AS TOOLS -statistics, motion-capture, Computer assisted psychological assessment OTHER TOOLS -Medical tests, ECG, MRI, fMRl, CT-scan TEST DEVELOPER — the publishers of the tests. Includes IPAT, Pearson, Wechsler, etc. TEST USER — administrators of tests, must be qualified Psychometricians - Main job is to administer/score psychological tests (except projective tests) and do basic interpretation of test results. - Minimum Requirements: Undergraduate degree in Psychology (BS/AB in Psychology), Passed Licensure exam for psychometricians Psychologists - They can administer, score, and interpret psychological tests (including projective tests), diagnose mental disorders, and do psychotherapy. - Minimum Requirements: Undergraduate degree in psychology (MS/MA/Masters in Psychology), Passed Licensure exam for Psychologists TEST TAKERS - the consumers, some cheat the tests, some have test anxiety, some have coaching, some are not motivated to do the tests, some cannot speak English. It is the THE TEST - just like how medical science have medical test user's job to manage them tests, psychology have psychological tests Pencil/paper or Computer aided SOCIETY AT LARGE - it exerts effort to determine what tests Group or individually administered must be developed or be removed Scoring and interpretation OTHER PARTIES — companies/government/hospitals THE INTERVIEW — body language and face-to-face benefits  EDUCATIONAL SETTING ACHIEVEMENT TEST - Tests that measure a person's current cognitive ability APTITUDE TEST —Tests that measure a person's potential cognitive ability DIAGNOSTIC TEST — Tests that measure what a person knows about a certain topic or subject SCHOOL GRADES CLINICAL SETTING PSYCHOTHERAPY ASSESSMENT —Battery of tests (IQ tests, Personality tests, Emotional functioning test, etc.) Learning difficulties TESTING OF PSYCHOTHERAPY — Tests used to determine the effect or lack of effect of psychotherapies. INSURANCE COMPANIES (not applicable yet in PH) COURT TRIAL - Annulment, Trauma-related, Child Custody, to determine if the client is fit or psychologically incapacitated PRISON FOR REHAB OR PARDON COUNSELING GERIATRIC SETTINGS BUSINESS AND MILITARY GOVERNMENT AND ORGANIZATIONAL CREDENTIALING (PRC, CSC) ACADEMIC RESEARCH Familiarity with test administration and protocol (test forms) Establishing rapport Having a conducive testing condition Accommodation of people with disability — people who are blind or deaf must be accommodated when they are given a test. FROM THE BOOK: Retrospective assessment may be defined as the use of evaluative tools to draw conclusions about The roots of contemporary psychological testing psychological aspects of a person as they existed at and assessment can be found in early twentieth- some point in time prior to the assessment. century France. In 1905, Alfred Binet and a colleague published a test designed to help place Remote assessment refers to the use of tools of Paris schoolchildren in appropriate classes. psychological evaluation to gather data and draw Binet’s test would have consequences well conclusions about a subject who is not in physical beyond the Paris school district. When the proximity to the person or people conducting the United States declared war on Germany and evaluation. entered World War I in 1917, the military needed a way to screen large numbers of recruits quickly Psychological assessment by means of smartphones also serves as an example of an approach to for intellectual and emotional problems. assessment called ecological momentary assessment (EMA). EMA refers to the “in the moment” evaluation During World War II, the military would depend of specific problems and related cognitive and even more on psychological tests to screen behavioral variables at the very time and place that recruits for service. Following the war, more and they occur. more tests purporting to measure an ever- widening array of psychological variables were developed and used. There were tests to measure not only intelligence but also In general, the process of assessment begins with a referral for assessment from a source such as a teacher, school personality, brain functioning, performance at psychologist, counselor, judge, clinician, or corporate human work, and many other aspects of psychological resources specialist. and social functioning. In one approach to assessment, referred to (logically “Testing” was the term used to refer to enough) as collaborative psychological assessment, everything from the administration of a test (as the assessor and assessee may work as “partners” in “Testing in progress”) to the interpretation of a from initial contact through final feedback. One test score (“The testing indicated that...”). variety of collaborative assessment includes an element of therapy as part of the process. The OSS model—using an innovative variety of evaluative tools along with data from the Stephen Finn have described a collaborative evaluations of highly trained assessors—would approach to assessment called therapeutic later inspire what is now referred to as the psychological assessment. In that approach, therapeutic self-discovery and new understandings assessment center approach to personnel are encouraged throughout the assessment process. evaluation Dynamic assessment refers to an interactive Psychological assessment is the gathering and approach to psychological assessment that usually integration of psychology-related data for the follows a model of (1) evaluation, (2) intervention of purpose of making a psychological evaluation some sort, and (3) evaluation. that is accomplished through the use of tools such as tests, interviews, case studies, behavioral observation, and specially designed apparatuses and measurement procedures. A test may be defined simply as a measuring device or procedure. Psychological testing is the process of measuring Psychological test refers to a device or procedure psychology-related variables by means of devices designed to measure variables related to psychology or procedures designed to obtain a sample of (such as intelligence, personality, aptitude, interests, behavior. attitudes, or values). The term format pertains to the form, plan, Educational assessment refers to, the use of structure, arrangement, and layout of test items as tests and other tools to evaluate abilities and well as to related considerations such as time limits. skills relevant to success or failure in a school or Score as a code or summary statement, usually but pre-school context. not necessarily numerical in nature, that reflects an evaluation of performance on a test, task, interview, or some other sample of behavior.  Scoring is the process of assigning such Behavioral observation, as it is employed by evaluative codes or statements to performance assessment professionals, may be defined as on tests, tasks, interviews, or other behavior monitoring the actions of others or oneself by visual samples. In the world of psychological or electronic means while recording quantitative assessment, many different types of scores exist. and/or qualitative information regarding those actions. A cut score (also referred to as a cutoff score or Sometimes researchers venture outside of the simply a cutoff) is a reference point, usually confines of clinics, classrooms, workplaces, and numerical, derived by judgment and used to research laboratories in order to observe behavior of divide a set of data into two or more humans in a natural setting—that is, the setting in classifications. which the behavior would typically be expected to occur. This variety of behavioral observation is Psychometrics may be defined as the science of referred to as naturalistic observation. psychological measurement. Role play may be defined as acting an improvised or Utility refers to the usefulness or practical value partially improvised part in a simulated situation. that a test or other tool of assessment has for a particular purpose. A role-play test is a tool of assessment wherein assessees are directed to act as if they were in a particular situation. Interview as a method of gathering information through direct communication involving Computers can serve as test administrators reciprocal exchange. (online or off) and as highly efficient test scorers. Panel interview (also referred to as a board Scoring may be done on-site (local processing) or interview) is employed. Here, more than one conducted at some central location (central interviewer participates in the assessment. processing). If processing occurs at a central location, test-related data may be sent to and Motivational interviewing may be defined as a returned from this central facility by means of therapeutic dialogue that combines person- phone lines (teleprocessing), mail, or courier. centered listening skills such as openness and , with the use of cognition-altering techniques Whether processed locally or centrally, an account of designed to positively affect motivation and a testtaker’s performance can range from a mere listing of a score or scores (a simple scoring report) effect therapeutic change. to the more detailed extended scoring report, which includes statistical analyses of the testtaker’s Students and professionals in many different performance. fields of endeavor ranging from art to architecture keep files of their work products. A step up from scoring reports is the interpretive These work products—whether retained on report, which is distinguished by its inclusion of paper, canvas, film, video, audio, or some other numerical or narrative interpretive statements in the medium—constitute what is called a portfolio. report. Case history data refers to records, transcripts, At the high end of interpretive reports is what is and other accounts in written, pictorial, or sometimes referred to as a consultative report. This other form that preserve archival information, type of report, usually written in language appropriate for communication between assessment official and informal accounts, and other data professionals, may provide expert opinion concerning and items relevant to an assessee. analysis of the data. Case study (or case history) as a report or Another type of computerized scoring report is illustrative account concerning a person or an designed to integrate data from sources other than event that was compiled on the basis of case the test itself into the interpretive report. Such an history data. integrative report will employ previously collected data (such as medication records or behavioral Groupthink arises as a result of the varied forces observation data) into the test report. that drive decision-makers to reach a consensus (such as the motivation to reach a compromise in CAPA refers to the term computer-assisted positions). psychological assessment, assisted typically refers to the assistance computers provide to the test user, not the testtaker. One specific brand of CAPA, for example, is Q-Interactive.  CAT - computer adaptive testing. The adaptive in Diagnosis may be defined as a description or this term is a reference to the computer’s ability conclusion reached on the basis of evidence and to tailor the test to the test taker’s ability or test- opinion. taking pattern. Diagnostic Test refers to a tool of assessment used to help narrow down and identify areas of deficit to be targeted for intervention. Informal Evaluation - typically nonsystematic assessment that leads to the formation of an opinion or attitude. Clinical settings - Tests and many other tools of assessment are widely used in clinical settings such as public, private, and military hospitals, inpatient and outpatient clinics, private-practice consulting rooms, schools, and other institutions. These tools are used to help screen for or diagnose behavior problems. Counseling settings Assessment in a counseling context may occur in environments as diverse as schools, prisons, and governmental or privately owned institutions. Geriatric settings - At issue in many such assessments is the extent to which assessees Test developers and publishers create tests or are enjoying as good a quality of life as possible. (For old people) other methods of assessment. Quality of life evaluations are variables related to Test user - psychological tests and assessment perceived stress, loneliness, sources of satisfaction, methodologies are used by a wide range of personal values, quality of living conditions, professionals, including clinicians, counselors, and quality of friendships and other social support. school psychologists, human resources personnel, consumer psychologists, experimental Dementia is a loss of cognitive functioning (which psychologists, and social psychologists. may affect memory, thinking, reasoning, psychomotor speed, attention, and related abilities, Test taker - we have all been testtakers. However, as well as personality) that occurs as the result of we have not all approached tests in the same damage to or loss of brain cells. way. The road to diagnosis by the clinician is complicated by the fact that severe depression in the elderly can Society at large – At all periods of human history contribute to cognitive functioning that mimics men have observed and described differences dementia, a condition referred to as between individuals. But educators, politicians, pseudodementia and administrators have felt a need for some way of organizing or systematizing the many-faceted Business and military settings - In business, as in complexity of individual differences. the military, various tools of assessment are used in sundry ways, perhaps most notably in decision Other parties - Organizations, companies, and making about the careers of personnel. governmental agencies sponsor the development of tests Governmental and organizational credentialing - One of the many applications of measurement is in governmental licensing, certification, or general credentialing of professionals. Educational settings - Tests are administered early in school life to help identify children who Academic research settings - Conducting any sort of may have special needs. In addition to school research typically entails measurement of some ability tests, another type of test commonly given kind, and any academician who ever hopes to in schools is an achievement test, which publish research should ideally have a sound evaluates accomplishment or the degree of knowledge of measurement principles and tools of learning that has taken place. assessment.  Other settings - Many different kinds of Professional books - Many books written for an measurement procedures find application in a audience of assessment professionals are available wide variety of settings. to supplement, re-organize, or enhance the information typically found in the manual of a very Health psychology, a discipline that focuses on widely used psychological test. understanding the role of psychological variables Reference volumes - updated periodically, provides in the onset, course, treatment, and prevention detailed information for each test listed, including of illness, disease, and disability test publisher, test author, test purpose, intended test population, and test administration time. Protocol - typically refers to the form or sheet or Journal articles - Articles in current journals may booklet on which a testtaker’s responses are contain reviews of the test, updated or independent entered. studies of its psychometric soundness, or examples of how the instrument was used in either research Rapport - may be defined as a working or an applied context. relationship between the examiner and the Online databases - contains a wealth of resources examinee. and news about tests, testing, and assessment. (E.g. ERIC, APA, PsycLAW,etc.) Assessment of people with disabilities - People with disabilities are assessed for exactly the Other sources - A source for exploring the world of same reasons people with no disabilities are unpublished tests and measures is the Directory of assessed: to obtain employment, to earn a Unpublished Experimental Mental Measures. Also, professional credential, to be screened for as a service to psychologists and other test users, psychopathology, and so forth ETS maintains a list of unpublished tests. Accommodation may be defined as the adaptation of a test, procedure, or situation, or the substitution of one test for another, to make the assessment more suitable for an assessee with exceptional needs. Alternate assessment is an evaluative or diagnostic procedure or process that varies from the usual, customary, or standardized way a measurement is derived, either by virtue of some special accommodation made to the assessee or by means of alternative methods designed to measure the same variable(s). Test catalogues - Perhaps one of the most readily accessible sources of information is a catalogue distributed by the publisher of the test. Because most test publishers make available catalogues of their offerings, this source of test information can be tapped by a simple telephone call, e-mail, or note. Test manuals - Detailed information concerning the development of a particular test and technical information relating to it should be found in the test manual, which usually can be purchased from the test publisher.