PSYASS - CHAP 1

Testing

Used to refer to the administration of a psychological test to the interpretation of a test score.

Assessment

Acknowledges that testing is only one type of tool used by the professional.

Psychological Assessment

The gathering and integration of psychological/psychology related data for the purpose of making psychological evaluation that is accomplished through the use of tools such as tests, interviews, case studies, behavioral observation, and specially designed apparatuses and measurement procedures.

Process of Assessment

• Referral for assessment

• Selecting appropriate tools or tests

• Assessment

• Writing a report designed to answer the referral question at hand

Collaborative Psychological Assessment

The assessor and assessee working together from the start to finish.

Therapeutic Psychological Assessment

Therapeutic self-discovery and new understandings are encouraged and may include an element of therapy.

Dynamic Assessment

1. Evaluation

2. Intervention

3. Evaluation

Psychological Test

A device or procedure used to measure psychological construct.

Score

Code or a summary statement

Scoring

Assigning evaluative codes or statements to behavior, tasks, interviews, etc.

Cut score

• A reference point usually numerical

• Divides the set of data into two or more classifications

• No clear definition of how it should be

Psychometrics

The science of psychological measurement

Psychometrician

Psychological test users

Interview

A method of gathering information through direct communication involving reciprocal exchange. Also taking note of not only what was being said, but how it was said.

Portfolio

A work product, whether retained on paper, canvas, film, video, audio or some other medium.

Case history data

Records, transcripts, and other accounts in written, pictorial, or other form that preserve archival information.

Observation

Monitoring the actions of others or oneself by visual or electronic means while recording quantitative and/or qualitative information regarding actions.

Naturalistic observation

Observation in a natural environment.

Role-play tests

Acting an improvised or partially improvised part in a simulated situation.

Role-play tests

A tool of assessment wherein assessees are directed to act as if they were in particular situation.

Computer as tools

May help in the measurement of variables that in the past were quite difficult to quantify.

Educational setting

TYPE OF SETTINGS WHERE ASSESSMENTS ARE CONDUCTED

• Help children to be identified if they have special needs

• School ability tests

• Achievement tests

Clinical setting

TYPE OF SETTINGS WHERE ASSESSMENTS ARE CONDUCTED

• Public, private, or military hospitals

• Screen and diagnose behavior problems

• Provide non-obvious clues

• Evaluating a child with learning difficulties

• Efficacy of a certain psychotherapy method

• Malingering issues

• Defendant competencies

• Prisoner's rehabilitation

• Maybe intelligence tests, personality tests, neuropsychology tests, or other specialized instruments

Counselling setting

TYPE OF SETTINGS WHERE ASSESSMENTS ARE CONDUCTED

• Improvement of the assessee in terms of adjustment, productivity, or some related variable

• MEASURES THAT CAN BE ADMINISTERED

  • Social and academic skills

  • Personality

  • Interest

  • Attitudes

  • Values

Geriatric setting

TYPE OF SETTINGS WHERE ASSESSMENTS ARE CONDUCTED

• To evaluate cognitive, psychological, adaptive, or other functioning of old individuals also in hospitalization or hospice care

• Assessing the "good quality of life"

Business and Military setting

TYPE OF SETTINGS WHERE ASSESSMENTS ARE CONDUCTED

• Used in decision making about the careers of personnel

• Achievement, aptitude, interest, motivational, and other tests for decision making in hiring

• Engineering and design of products and environments

• Involved in taking the pulse of consumers. Predicting reciprocity to a new product

Governmental and Organizational Credentialing

TYPE OF SETTINGS WHERE ASSESSMENTS ARE CONDUCTED

• Governmental licensing

• Certification

• General credentialing of professionals

• Board certifications

Other setting

TYPE OF SETTINGS WHERE ASSESSMENTS ARE CONDUCTED

• Courts

• "Testimonies"

• Program evaluations

• Health psychology

  • Coping strategies

  • Adjustments

  • Personality

  • Behavior

Accommodation made to the assessee

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

An evaluative or diagnostic procedure or process that varies from the usual, customary or standardized way of 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.

Tests catalogues

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Test manuals

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Reference volumes

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Journal articles

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Online databases

Enumerate the REFERENCE SOURCES for authoritative information about tests