PSY 614 - Exam Three

Testing and Individual Analysis

assessment

involves the collection and integration of data from diverse sources to understand the client and communicate this understanding

assessment

when conducted in a counseling relationship, may promote change

assessment collaboration

not something we do to our clients, something we do with them

assessment

can be highly collaborative and can occur in the context of a strong working alliance

selecting instruments 1.

identify the type of information needed

selecting instruments 2.

identify available information

selecting instruments 3.

determine the method for obtaining information

selecting instruments 4.

search assessment resources

selecting instruments 5.

evaluate and select an instrument or strategy

1. identify the type of information needed

Assess and describe current function, screening, assist with diagnosis and impression, treatment planning, monitoring outcomes, managing/assessing risk, therapeutic assessment

A. assessing current function

disability assessments, broad-band measures, tests designed for normal personality

disability assessments

provide a quick snapshot of global functioning

broad band measures

assess both global and specific functioning with a deficit orientation

normal personality

tests designed for _____ _____ provide more balanced assessment

B. screening

consider costs, effectiveness of treatments, reliability and validity of screening instruments

C. differential diagnosis and clinical impressions

diagnostic issues resolved, specific tests check hypotheses, normative data

normative data

permit meaningful analyses of strengths and weaknesses relative to other people

D. treatment planning

consider level of impairment, interpersonal behavior, coping, treatment motivation, and assessment objectives

E. outcome assessment

client satisfaction, global outcomes, specific outcomes, individualized outcomes

F. managing/assessing risk

client history of suicidal/homicidal behavior, all tests and interviews include relevant information, specialized measures

G. therapeutic assessment

promoting personal insight and self discovery

G. therapeutic assessment

helping the client answer personally relevant questions

G. therapeutic assessment

normalizing traits and characteristics and identifying clients' strengths

therapeutic assessment how to

establish rapport before introducing testing, make process collaborative

therapeutic assessment how to

view assessment as an ongoing process rather than as something with a finite end

therapeutic assessment how to

extend feedback beyond a formal feedback session

2. indentiying available information

review other available information and be cautious to not “overtest”

3. method for obtaining information

can it be done informally and is the formal assessment needed

4. when to think about administering tests

client has questions, diagnostic uncertainty, client has complex problems, client has had unsuccessful treatment, treatment obstacles anticipated

5. selecting test

consider appropriateness, competency issues, practical issues

personality

a set of distinctive traits and characteristics that distinguishes an individual or a nation or group

personality assessment

measurement and evaluation of psychological traits, states, values, interests, attitudes, worldview, acculturation, personal identity, sense of humor, cognitive and behavior styles, and/or related individual characteristics

who is being assessed

self-report (objective); informants

approach to assessment

objective v. projective; response styles; impression management

characteristics of a good personality measure

interpretability and stability

theory driven

test is the operationalize of the theory; more face valid

empirical driven

items are included and placed on scales based on their relationship to external criteria; low face validity

empirical driven

contrasted groups method using criterion groups

sources of information

test, interview, portfolio, case history, behavioral observation, informants

objective personality

NEO, california personality inventory, 16PF, myers-briggs

objective psychopathology

mmpi-3, mcmi-iv, PAI

big five

five recurrent, strong personality factors through an analysis of 35 researched personality factors (OCEAN)

big five criticism

too few and too many factors, question the accuracy or importance of results

NEO

by describing the individual's standing on each of the five factors, we can provide a comprehensive sketch that summarizes his or her emotional, interpersonal, experiential, attitudinal, and motivational styles

NEO

designed to measure five major dimensions or domains of normal adult personality

NEO

for ages 12 and over

NEO

240 items, takes 35-45 minutes

NEO uses

assessing employee variables, vocational cousneling, general developmental counseling

neuroticism

represents the contrast between adjustment or emotional stability and maladjustment or neuroticism

neuroticism facets

anxiety, angry hostility, depression, self-consciousness, impulsiveness, vulnerability

high neuroticism

prone to have irrational ideas, less able tocontrol impulses, and poor when coping with stress

low neuroticism

typically calm, relaxed, and able to face stressful situations without becoming upset

extraversion

measures the extroversion/introversion tendency in people

extraversion facets

warmth, gregariousness, assertiveness, activity, excitement-seeking, positive emotions

high extraversion

the prototypical assertive, active, and talkative salesperson

low extraversion

are those that lack extraversion in their personalities

openness

includes such elements as active imagination, aesthetic sensitivity, attentiveness to inner feelings, preference for variety, intellectual curiosity, and independence of judgment

openness facets

fantasy, aesthetics, feelings, actions, ideas, values

high openness

lead experientially richer lives, entertainunconventional ideas, and experience emotions strongerthan do "closed" individuals

low openness

have a narrower scope and less intense interests

agreeableness

associated with interpersonal tendencies

agreeableness facets

trust, straightforwardness, altruism, modesty, tender-mindedness

high agreeableness

altruistic, sympathetic, and eager to help

low agreeableness

antagonistic, egocentric, skeptical of others, and competitive

conscientiousness

attempts to assess one's tendency toward planning, organizing, and carrying out tasks; associated with the common descriptor, character

conscientiousness facets

competence, order, dutifulness, achievement striving, self-discipline, deliberation

high conscientiousness

indicative of a person that is scrupulous, punctual, and reliable

low conscientiousness

typical of those that are not as reliable in how they apply their moral standards and are less exact in goal seeking

NEO reliability

outstanding internal consistency

NEO validity

replicated factor structure, convergent validity with disorder traits, convergent validity with observers

most researched profiles

style of well-being (N&E), style of interactions (E&A), style of interests (E&O)

NEO weakness

lack of sophisticated validity scales

NEO strength

50 years of research, likert type language

projective tests rationale

ambiguous stimuli will elicit projections of one's personality

projective tests characteristics

relatively unstructured, brief, ambiguous stimuli, low face validity

rorschach

projective test with the overall goal to assess the structure of personality

rorschach

10 symmetrical inkblots on cards; 20-30 minutes; age 5 and up

rorschach

provides information on variables such as motivation, response tendencies, cognitive operations, affectivity, and personal and interpersonal perceptions

rorschach strength

bypasses a person's conscious resistance and assesses a person's underlying unconscious structure of personality

rorschach limitation

variable reliability and validity estimates, time required, extensive training

other projective techniques

thematic apperception test (TAT), sentence completion tasks, draw-a-person test, house-tree-person, roberts apperception test for children, kinetic family drawing test

organizing written results feedback

test-oriented model (test-by-test), domain-oriented model, hypothesis-oriented model

purpose

feedback: remind the client of the ____ of testing

encourage

feedback: ______ questions, comments, reactions throughout

ready

feedback: ensure they are _____ to receive results

scale names, jargon, scores

summarize results without using s____ n____, j____, s____, or technical details

probabilities

present results in terms of ______ rathern than certainties

reliability

consider the ______ or items when choosing the strength of words

specific

avoid ____ reporting of scores if possible

interpret

______ test data in light of the other available information

objectively

present results ______ and without judgment

compare

do not _____ clients to each other

checking for understanding

invite questions and solicit impressions

checking for understanding

assure that your test interpretation is understood

checking for understanding

ideally the client will hear, understand, and accept the results; clients may react irrationally and emotionally to results

checking for understanding

recognize that you could do everything right in explaining the data and the client may still reject the results

checking for understanding

concentrate on increasing understanding rather than being an expert

checking for understanding

use appropriate methods to help clients engage in self appraisal and planning given their results

acceptance

from the beginning of the evaluation process, involve the client in decision making (make the process personally relevant)

acceptance

spend enough time during the feedback session but do not overwhelm the client; translate results into language that the client can understand