TESTING

• Process of measuring psychology related variables by means of devices or procedures designed to obtain a sample of behavior

→ Objective: Obtain some gauge, usually numerical in nature, with regard to an ability or tribute

ASSESSMENT

• Gathering and integration of psych-related data for the purpose of making psychological evaluation through test, interviews, case studies, behavioral observation

→ Objective: to answer a referral question, solve a problem, arrive at a decision

COLLABORATIVE PSYCHOLOGICAL ASSESSMENT

• Assessor and assessee work as partners

THERAPEUTIC PSYCHOLOGICAL ASSESSMENT

• Therapeutic self-discovery is encouraged through assessment process

DYNAMIC ASSESSMENT

• Evaluation, Intervention, Evaluation

I. BASIC CONCEPTS

TEST

• Measurement device or technique used to quantify behavior or aid in the understanding and prediction of behavior

Type of test

a. INDIVIDUAL TEST

b. GROUP TEST

ABILITY TEST

• Measures speed, accuracy, or both

ACHIEVEMENT TEST

• Measures previous learning

• For checking existing knowledge

APTITUDE TEST

• Measures potential for learning or acquiring a specific skill

• For future potential

INTELLIGENCE TEST

• Measures potential to solve problems, adapt to changing circumstances, think abstractly, and profit from experience

PERSONALITY TEST

• Typical behavior, traits, temperaments, and dispositions

STRUCTURED PERSONALITY TEST (objective type)

• Usually self report

• Require to choose between two or more alternative responses

PROJECTIVE PERSONALITY TEST

• Either stimulus/required response or both are ambiguous

ITEM

• Specific stimulus to which a person responds overtly and can be scored or evaluated

PSYCHOLOGICAL TEST

• Set of items that are designed to measure characteristics of human beings that pertain to behavior (covert/overt)

II. TOOLS OF PSYCHOLOGICAL ASSESSMENT

TEST

• May vary by format, administration, scoring, interpretation, and technical quality

CONTENT

• Subject matter of test

• Content depends on theoretical orientation of test developers and unique way which they define construct of interest

• Content depends on construct which depends on theory

FORMAT

• Form, plan, structure, layout of test items

ADMINISTRATION

• May require certain tasks to be performed, trained observation of performance, or little involvement by the test administrators

SCORING AND INTERPRETATION

• Scoring of tests may be simple, such as summing responses to items or may require more elaborate procedures

○ Some tests results can be interpreted easily or interpreted by computer, while other require expertise interpretation

CUT SCORE

• A reference point, usually numerical, used to divide data into two or more classifications

○ E.g. pass or fail

○ Eye ball method

TECHNICAL QUALITY or PSYCHOMETRIC SOUNDNESS

• Psychometrics is the science of psychological measurement

• Depends on how consistently and accurately the test measures what its purports to measure

○ Test users are sometimes referred to as psychometrists or psychometrician

III. WHO, WHAT, WHY, HOW, and, WHERE

Who are the parties?

TEST DEVELOPER

• Tests are created for research studies, publication, or modifications of existing tests

• The Standards for Educational and Psychological Testing covers issues related to test administration to consider linguistic minorities

TEST USER

• Used by a wide range of professionals

○ Standard contains guidelines for who should be administering psych tests

TEST TAKER

• Anyone who is the subject of an assessment or eval

○ May differ on a number of variables at the time of testing

○ E.g. test anxiety, emotional distress, alertness