psychodiagnostics tests + key terms (week 1)

characteristics of tests

(5) standardized procedure, only limited samples of the examinee’s behavior, prediction of non-test behavior, classification or qualification (X = T + e), interpretation of results is based on norms

norm-referenced test

the results of a test are interpreted in reference to a standardized sample

criterion referenced test

the results of a test are interpreted in reference to a specific threshold (like standardized tests in school)

tests

only a part of a whole procedure

assessment

the whole procedure, includes interviews, observations, subjective process intending to collect information about behavior and use that information to make predictions

benefit of individual tests

the possibility of accounting for measurement error by assessing the subject’s current state, motivation, etc.

intelligence tests

measure range of heterogeneous skills to estimate general intelligence level

aptitude tests

measure an ability in relation to future behaviors (prediction)

multiple aptitude tests

used to measure multiple abilities in relation to future behaviors

achievement tests

measure degree of learning/accomplishment in a subject so far, school tests, assess knowledge that should have already been acquired

creativity tests

measure a person’s ability to produce new ideas, solutions, focus on divergent thinking (originality of solution)

personality tests

measure traits, qualities, or behaviors that determine a person’s individuality

behavioral procedures

assess what come before a behavior, the antecedents of that behavior, and the consequences through checklists, interviews or rating scales. very useful for treatment

neuropyschological tests

assess whether a person might have brain injury or disfunction, used to make inferences about locus, extent and consequences of the disfunction

variants of classification

placement, screening, certification, selection

placement (classification)

sorting of people into different categories/programs based on skills or needs

screening (classification)

simple tests to identify people who have special needs or characteristics, usually performed in multiple stages to avoid misclassification

certification (classification)

passing this test implies that someone has a minimum amount of skill required to perform a specific activity (like driving test)

selection (classification)

passing this test gives you specific privileges (attending university, etc.)

diagnosis

determining the nature/source of a person’s abnormality, classifying that abnormality within a ____ system, more comprehensive than classification because it entails etiology and treatment plan

self-knowledge tests

results of this test give important feedback, for career change, or special care at school.

uses of testing

to make decisions about people, classification, diagnosis, self-knowledge, program evaluation, research

Level A (competence of examiner)

non-psychologists can give simple pen and paper tests, like education tests

Level B (competence of examiner)

post-graduate education is required to give these tests, as well as training in statistics and test construction, includes aptitude tests and personality inventories

Level C (competence of examiner)

a master’s degree or more in psychology is required to administer these tests, includes individual intelligence tests, neuropsychological tests

competency (informed consent)

the mental capacity of the examinee to provide consent, children or individuals w/limited intelligence requires consent from legal guardian

voluntariness (informed consent)

the choice to undergo assessment is given freely, not with coercion

disclosure (informed consent)

test takers should receive enough information to decide if they want to participate

stereotype threat

possibility of confirming a negative stereotype about one’s group, can affect a person’s performance on intelligence or achievement tests b/c attention is moved to negative repercussions for their performance

China 2200 BCE (history of testing)

officials were examined every third year to determine fitness for office, written exams on five topics, later essay/poem exams, 3 difficulty levels, only best 10% moved up, entire protocol abolished in 1906 (procedures not valid)

physiognomy (history of testing)

says that we can judge the inner character from appearance, especially the face. aristotle said changes in soul impact appearance of the body

phrenology (history of testing)

(Gall) the size of a specific area corresponds to how developed a person is in that capacity, mental capacities could be inferred by looking at surface of skull (measured with psychograph)

brass instruments era

early experimental psychologists used ______ to measure sensory thresholds and reaction times, thought these abilities were signs of intelligence

Wundt (1832-1920)

father of experimental psychology, established first psych. lab, device called thought meter to determine speed of thoughts, believed this speed was different in every person, used empirical analysis

Galton (1822-1911)

obsessed with measurement, focused on human evolution, invented term “just perceptible differences",” proved that individual differences exist and can be measured though standardized procedures, considered father of mental testing

Cattell (1860-1944)

thought that individual differences should be studied systematically, invented term “mental test",” bodily and mental energy are connected, by measuring bodily strength you can index mental power, focused on “just noticeable differences”

Wissler

tried to demonstrate that mental test scores could predict academic achievement (found very small correlations), turned back on use of reaction times/sensory discrimination as measure for intelligence

Galen (rating scales)

said you can determine health based on four bodily fluids or “humors” (yellow bile, black bile, phlegm, blood), balance of these determined health, first to use rating scale (so he could measure these fluids)

Thomasius (1665-1728

first to implement rating scales for psychological purposes, theory of personality with 4 dimensions (sensuousness, acquisitiveness, social ambition, rational love)

Binet (1857-1911)

invented first modern intelligence test (1905) that emphasized verbal skills, battery of 30 tests from simple sensory input to complex verbal abstractions, used to identify children that needed special needs education

mental age

the age reflected by a person’s mental abilities, their levels compared to levels of other children of that age

chronological age

age of a child in years, regardless of mental abilities

the army alpha exam

exam that consists of 8 verbally loaded tests for average and high-functioning examinees (following oral directions, arithmetical reasoning, practical judgement, synonym-antonym pairs, disarranged sentences, number series completion, analogies, information)

the army beta exam

exam administered to illiterate people or people with low understanding of English that consists of various motor and visual-perceptual tests (mazes, visualizing number of blocks depicted in 3D drawing)

the personal data sheet (1919)

(Woodworth) 116 YES/NO questions, designed to test level of psychoneurosis in veterans

Thurstone personality scale

hundreds of YES/NO items, each correlated with total score on the scale to see if it fits well with the scale (internal consistency)

MMPI

based on Woodworth, introduced use of validity scales to determine fake and random response patterns. used to assess personal and social adjustment, test patients in medical and substance abuse settings

Rorschach (projective testing)

inkblot test, analyze responses to discover important personality dimensions

thematic apperception test (projective testing)

(Murray) pictures of people engaged in ambiguous interaction, asked to tell what people are thinking, what happened before picture, after picture, etc.

diagnostic cycle

assessment of client’s complaints, assessment of client’s problems, diagnosing, indication

assessment of client’s complaints (diagnostic cycle)

includes intake interview, anamnesis (account of medical history), client’s request for help, what they want to get out of this

assessment of client’s problems (diagnostic cycle)

includes making a link between complaints and problems, cluster the problems, cross-referencing of the problems with scientific knowledge of mental illness, etc.

diagnosing (diagnostic cycle)

includes formulating hypothesis, testing hypothesis, choosing tests, evaluation of test results, integration of the test results

indication (diagnostic cycle)

includes determining a goal for intervention, determining the type of help, making recommendations

problems with the DSM-5

either there is a diagnosis or not (no spectrum), not all childhood disorders fit into homogenous categories, can be forcefully diagnosing a child to answer the questions so valuable information gets lost once that diagnosis is made, criteria are not well defined, lack of clear procedures

needs-based assessment

made to fill gap between assessment data and recommendations of the assessment procedure. stages: intake

intake (needs-based assessment)

asking patients what they want to know, what they want to achieve, collect background info, build constructive relationship

strategy (needs-based assessment)

form alternative hypotheses and translate them into questions

testing/diagnosis (needs-based assessment)

test hypotheses, answer questions we made, test/observe child and interview other important people

needs-assessment (needs-based assessment)

integrate collected data into a diagnosis connecting the questions and answers from testing, how do we make those changes, different interventions are considered

recommendations (needs-based assessment)

inform clients about diagnosis and recommendations, ask them to make their choice, process is evaluated by the clients, if needed process is repeated