Practical Applications of Psych

What does PSQI stand for?

Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index

What does the PSQI measure?

It measures sleep quality and disturbances over a month, evaluating aspects like sleep duration, sleep disturbances, and daytime dysfunction.

What aspects are measured in the PSQI?

subjective sleep quality, sleep latency, sleep duration, habitual sleep efficiency, sleep disturbances, use of sleeping medications, and daytime dysfunction

Sleep Latency

the time it takes to transition from full wakefulness to the lightest stage of sleep

Habitual Sleep Efficiency

the percentage of time you actually spend asleep compared to the total time you lie in bed over a sustained period

What is the scoring of the PSQI?

19 items, generating a global score ranging from 0 to 21, with higher scores indicating poorer sleep quality

Positives/strengths/advantages of the PSQI

It is a reliable and valid tool for assessing sleep quality across various populations.
It helps identify specific sleep problems and can be used in both clinical and research settings.

Negatives/weaknesses/disadvantages of the PSQI

Possible subjective bias, less effective for certain populations, and doesn't diagnose sleep disorders.

Extent of use for the PSQI

Adults 18+ (primarily validated for aged 24–83), multiple populations across cultures

Who created the PSQI?

Buysse et al. (1988)

What does the WISC stand for?

Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children

What does the WAIS stand for?

Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale

What do the WISC and WAIS measure?

They are standardised intelligence tests designed to measure general cognitive ability, intellectual strengths, weaknesses, and a Full Scale IQ. Both gauge your capacity to reason, problem-solve, and process complex information

What aspects are measured in the WISC and WAIS?

Verbal Comprehension Index, Visual Spatial Index, Fluid Reasoning Index, Working Memory Index, and Processing Speed Index

Verbal Comprehension Index

This index measures verbal reasoning and knowledge. It corresponds to Crystallised Intelligence, which refers to the breadth and depth of knowledge acquired through culture and education. Common subtests include Similarities and Vocabulary.

Visual Spatial Index

This index evaluates spatial processing and visualisation. It aligns with Visual Processing, which is the ability to perceive, analyse, and manipulate visual patterns and stimuli, such as mentally rotating objects. A hallmark subtest for this index is Block Design.

Fluid Reasoning Index

This index tests the ability to identify underlying conceptual rules. It corresponds to Fluid Intelligence, which involves mental operations used when faced with relatively novel tasks that cannot be performed automatically, such as inductive and deductive reasoning. Typical subtests include Matrix Reasoning and Figure Weights.

Working Memory Index

This index measures short-term memory and attention. It represents Working Memory, the capacity to apprehend, hold, and perform cognitive operations on information in immediate awareness. The Digit Span subtest is frequently used to measure this index.

Processing Speed Index

This index assesses the speed of visual information processing. It aligns with Processing Speed, the ability to perform simple, repetitive cognitive tasks quickly and fluently while maintaining focused attention. Common subtests include Coding and Symbol Search.

What is the scoring of the WISC and WAIS?

The scores from each subtests are combined to form a Full Scale IQ score. The scaled scores typically have a mean of 10 and a standard deviation of 3, allowing for comparisons against age-specific norms.

Positives/strengths/advantages of the WISC and WAIS

They provide a comprehensive assessment of cognitive abilities, generate norm-referenced scores for comparison, assist in diagnosing learning disabilities and giftedness, have predictive validity for academic success, and are widely recognised and validated in clinical and educational settings.

Negatives/weaknesses/disadvantages of the WISC and WAIS

They are culturally biased and subjectively scored. Tests are time-consuming and focus on specific constructs, and ultimately are not diagnostic for learning disabilities.

Who created the WISC and WAIS

Wechsler (1949, 1955)

What does ADOS stand for?

Autism Diagnostic Observation Schedule

What does ADI-R stand for?

Autism Diagnostic Interview Revised

What is being measured by the ADOS?

It measures behaviours, communication styles, and social interactions associated with ASD by observing how an individual naturally responds in semi-structured activities and social scenarios

What is being measured by the ADI-R?

It measures behaviours and developmental history associated with ASD by conducting a 1.5 to 3-hour structured interview with a parent or caregiver who is intimately familiar with the individual's history and current functioning.

Positives/strengths/advantages of ADOS

It provides standardised, direct observation of communication and social behaviours across nearly the entire lifespan, from toddlers to adults. It demonstrates high diagnostic accuracy and was specifically updated to align with modern DSM-5 criteria.

Positives/strengths/advantages of ADI-R

It provides detailed qualitative data regarding an individual's early developmental and real-world history, which is essential for a clinical diagnosis.

Negatives/weaknesses/disadvantages of ADOS

It provides a snapshot of behaviour in a structured setting, which results in low ecological validity and high costs for training and materials and often misses subtle traits in females or produce false positives in individuals with complex psychiatric conditions like psychosis.

Negatives/weaknesses/disadvantages of ADI-R

It is time-intensive and relies on caregiver recall of events from up to 50 years ago, which can reduce accuracy.

Scoring of the ADOS

Scoring of the ADI-R

Who created the ADOS?

Lord et al. (1989)

Who created the ADI-R

Rutter et al. (1989)

What does HADS stand for?

Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale

What is being measured by the HADS?

It measures states of anxiety and depression through two distinct 7-item sub-scales. It is designed to evaluate psychic symptoms of these disorders, deliberately excluding somatic symptoms that might be caused by a patient's physical illness.

Positives/strengths/advantages of the HADS

It is brief, easy to use, and highly acceptable to patients in medical settings. Its primary advantage is that its scores are not affected by the presence of bodily illness, and it uses alternative response options to reduce potential response bias.

Negatives/weaknesses/disadvantages of the HADS

It is a screening instrument, not a formal diagnostic tool, and abnormal results must be followed up with a clinical interview. Studies have noted concerns regarding its reliability in older adults and suggest it is most accurate for measuring moderate levels of depression rather than high or low extremes.

Scoring of the HADS

7 Anxiety questions and 7 Depression questions. Each subscale has a score range of 0–21, interpreted as: 0–7 Normal, 8–10 Borderline/Elevated distress, 11–14 Abnormal, and 15–21 Severe distress.

Who created the HADS?

Zigmond & Snaith (1983)

What does MoCA stand for?

Montreal Cognitive Assessment

What does the MoCA measure?

Screens for cognitive decline covering memory, executive functions, language, and orientation.

Positives/strengths/advantages of the MoCA

Excellent sensitivity for detecting Mild Cognitive Impairments, providing much greater accuracy in identifying early impairment than the MMSE. It is also highly efficient, taking only about 10 minutes to administer, and is free for research use.

Negatives/weaknesses/disadvantages of the MoCA

A primary weakness is that results are significantly influenced by an individual's age and education level. Additionally, the test's validity has been threatened by a "learning effect" caused by the widespread public disclosure of its specific questions in the media.

Scoring of the MoCA

Scored out of a total of 30 points, with a score of 26 or higher considered normal (1 pt. added for individuals without education)

7 Domains assessed by the MoCA

Visuospatial & Executive Functioning, Naming, Attention, Language, Abstraction, Memory / Delayed Recall, Orientation

Who created the MoCA?

Nasreddine et al. (2005)

What does PDQ-39 stand for?

Parkinson's Disease Questionnaire

What does MDS-UPDRS stand for?

Movement Disorder Society-Sponsored Revision of the Unified Parkinson's Disease Rating Scale

What is being measured by the PDQ-39?

It measures health-related quality of life and the lived experience of Parkinson’s disease across eight domains: mobility, activities of daily living, emotional well-being, stigma, social support, cognitions, communication, and bodily discomfort

Positives/strengths/advantages of the PDQ-39

It is a brief, self-administered tool (10 minutes) that captures the patient's perspective and is highly sensitive to changes in quality of life over time or following interventions

Negatives/weaknesses/disadvantages of the PDQ-39

Scores are subjective and can be influenced by a patient's mood or cognitive status; the tool may also exhibit ceiling and floor effects at very early or late disease stages

Scoring of the PDQ-39

Items are scored 0–4 and converted into domain scores from 0 to 100, where higher scores indicate worse quality of life; a single Summary Index is calculated as the mean of the eight domain scores

What are the 8 Domains assessed in the PDQ-39?

Mobility, Activities of Daily Living, Emotional Well-being, Stigma, Social Support, Cognition, Communication, and Bodily Discomfort

Who created the PDQ-39?

Peto et al. (1995)

What is being measured by the MDS-UPDRS?

This assessment measures Parkinson's disease severity across four parts: Non-motor Experiences of Daily Living, Motor Experiences of Daily Living, Motor Examination, and Motor Complications

Positives/strengths/advantages of the MDS-UPDRS

It is the "gold-standard" clinician-rated measure of disease severity, demonstrating strong reliability, validity, and the ability to facilitate standardised communication among multidisciplinary teams

Negatives/weaknesses/disadvantages of the MDS-UPDRS

Administration is resource-intensive, requiring formal training and certification; additionally, scores can fluctuate significantly based on whether the patient is in an "ON" or "OFF" medication state

Scoring of the MDS-UPDRS

Each item is rated on a 0–4 ordinal scale (0 = Normal, 4 = Severe impairment), with higher total or part-specific scores indicating greater disease severity

Who created the MDS-UPDRS?

Goetz et al. (2007)

What does OPQ32r stand for?

Occupational Personality Questionnaire (32 traits)

What is being measured by the OPQ32r?

It measures an individual’s typical or preferred way of behaving, thinking, and feeling at work. It assesses 32 dimensions of personality grouped into three domains: Relationships with People, Thinking Style, and Feelings & Emotions

Positives/strengths/advantages of the OPQ32r

It uses a forced-choice format that reduces response bias while delivering high-quality normative data through advanced Item Response Theory scoring. It is internationally validated in 39 languages and demonstrates high reliability (median 0.84)

Negatives/weaknesses/disadvantages of the OPQ32r

The forced-choice task (ranking blocks of items) is more cognitively demanding for test-takers than simple rating scales. Additionally, it is a restricted tool that requires formal training and certification for clinical or professional use

Scoring of the OPQ32r

It uses Thurstonian Item Response Theory (TIRT) to convert pair-wise preference decisions into absolute normative scores. These are typically reported as Sten (Standard Ten) scores on a 1–10 scale, where 5 or 6 are considered average.

Who created the OPQ32r?

Saville et al. (2009)

What does MFQ stand for?

Moral Foundations Questionnaire

What is being measured by the MFQ?

It measures the degree to which an individual endorses five intuitive moral systems: Harm/Care, Fairness/Reciprocity, In-Group/Loyalty, Authority/Respect, and Purity/Sanctity. It gauges sensitivities to basic types of moral concerns rather than just opinions on specific political or social issues.

Positives/strengths/advantages of the MFQ

The MFQ is theoretically grounded and covers a much broader range of the moral domain than traditional scales focusing only on empathy or justice. It has demonstrated strong incremental predictive validity and is internationally validated across multiple cultures and languages.

Negatives/weaknesses/disadvantages of the MFQ

One weakness is that abstract relevance ratings may not always perfectly reflect a person’s actual moral judgments in real-world contexts. Additionally, while the scale is reliable, its internal consistency (alpha) levels are sometimes lower than those of other scales because it prioritises broad conceptual coverage over item redundancy.

Scoring of the MFQ

Items are responded to on a 0–5 scale. The questionnaire produces separate scores for each of the five foundations, which can be calculated as a total score or broken down into "Relevance" and "Judgments" sub-scales

Who created the MFQ?

Graham et al. (2010)

Fluid Reasoning (Gf)

The ability to solve novel problems and identify complex patterns without relying on prior knowledge.

Crystallised Intelligence (Gc)

Accumulated knowledge, vocabulary, and understanding of one's culture.

General Ability (g)

this is the overarching general intelligence factor that influences all other cognitive tasks.

Processing Speed (Gs)

How quickly and fluently you can perform cognitive tasks.

Long-Term Retrieval (Glr)

The ability to store information and fluently retrieve it later.

Visual and Auditory Processing (Gv) and (Gu)

The ability to perceive, analyze, and manipulate visual and auditory patterns.

Decision Speed/Reaction Time (Gt)

Reading and Writing (Grw)

Basic literacy skills, reading comprehension, and spelling.

Quantitative Knowledge (Gq)

Mathematical reasoning and understanding of numerical concepts.

Psychomotor Speed (Gps)

The speed and fluidity with which an individual can execute repetitive physical body movements (e.g., rapid finger tapping or reaction time)

Carroll’s Three-Stratum Theory

Theory that organises human cognition into a hierarchy of three levels: Narrow abilities (Strata I), Broad abilities (Strata II), and General intelligence (Strata III)

What skills are organised into Strata I in CHC Theory?

General Domain / Narrow Abilities

What Skills are organised into Strata II in CHC Theory?

Fluid Reasoning (Gf), Crystallised Intelligence (Gc), Quantitative Knowledge (Gq), Reading and Writing (Grw), Short-Term Working Memory (Gsm), Long-Term Storage and Retrieval (Glr), Visual Processing (Gv), Auditory Processing (Ga), Processing Speed (Gs), Decision Speed/Reaction Time (Gt)

Similarities and Differences Between the Cattell-Horn Model and the Carroll Model

Both recognise essential broad abilities like fluid and crystallised intelligence, underpinned by a similar classification of approximately 70–80 narrow skills. However, Carroll’s model includes a general intelligence factor at the apex, whereas the Cattell-Horn model rejects it, while also disagreeing on the categorisation of quantitative, literacy, and memory abilities.

actigraphy

a non-invasive, wearable method used to continuously monitor your rest and activity cycles over several days or weeks

Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE)

a brief 30-question questionnaire used widely in clinical settings to measure cognitive impairment

Schwartz Values Scale (SVS)

A 58-item scale measuring 10 broad classes of values, such as benevolence and traditionalism

Big Five Personality Inventory

A 44-item inventory assessing the five-factor model of personality (Openness, Conscientiousness, Extraversion, Agreeableness, and Neuroticism)

HEXACO Model of Personality

A six-dimensional model that assess personality through the following items (Honesty-Humility, Emotionality, eXtraversion, Agreeableness, Conscientiousness, and Openness to Experience)

Hogan Personality Inventory (HPI)

An occupational personality measure often correlated with the OPQ32 to establish convergent validity

The 16PF (Sixteen Personality Factor Questionnaire)

a scientifically validated psychometric assessment developed by Raymond Cattell to measure 16 primary personality traits

The Beck Inventories

a family of widely used standardised self-report tools developed by Beck et al. used by healthcare and mental health professionals to gauge the severity of specific cognitive and emotional conditions

Hamilton Inventories

a set of highly standardised psychiatric and physical symptom rating scales developed by Dr Hamilton used to measure the severity of mental and physical conditions over time

Woodcock-Johnson (WJ III)

a comprehensive set of individually administered standardised tests used to measure cognitive abilities and academic achievement to help professionals identify learning disabilities, diagnose psychological processes, and plan educational programs.

Gilliam Autism Rating Scale (GARS)

a widely used, standardised screening instrument designed to help teachers, parents, and clinicians identify ASD in individuals aged 3 to 22 and estimate its severity

St. Mary’s Hospital Sleep Questionnaire (SMH)

a validated, 14-item subjective assessment tool used to evaluate an individual's sleep duration and quality over the previous 24 hours

Rey Auditory Verbal Learning Test (RAVLT)

a widely used neuropsychological assessment designed to evaluate verbal learning, memory, and episodic memory functions frequently utilised to detect and differentiate cognitive impairments, such as those caused by Alzheimer’s or Parkinson’s disease