INTRODUCTION

Test – is a measurement device or technique that is used to quantify behavior or aid in the understanding and prediction of behavior. It measures a sample of behavior, and error is associated with a sampling process.

Psychological test – is a set of items that are designed to measure characteristics of human beings that pertain to behavior; It measures both the overt and covert behaviors  It also attempts to predict future behavior

Psychological testing – refers to all possible uses, applications, and underlying concepts of psychological and educational tests. The main use of these tests is to evaluate individual differences or variations among individuals. Such tests measure individual differences in ability and personality, and assume that the differences shown on the test reflect actual differences among individuals.

Psychometrics – the branch of psychology that deals with the design, administration, and interpretation of quantitative tests for the measurement of psychological variables such as intelligence, aptitude, personality traits

Ability tests – measures skills in terms of speed, accuracy, or both

Achievement tests – measures previous learning o Aptitude tests – measures potential for acquiring a specific skill

Intelligence tests – measures potential to solve problems, adapt to changing circumstances, and profit from experience.

Personality tests – measures typical behavior; traits, temperaments, and dispositions

Structured (objective) personality tests – provides a self-report statement to which the person responds with “true” or “false” or a “yes” or “no”

Projective personality tests – provides an ambiguous test stimulus wherein response requirements are unclear

Making decisions - it involves selection and placement, deciding on the individual’s need for treatment or rehabilitation, in personnel selection and evaluating child needs.

Psychological research - it includes cross-sectional, longitudinal, and meta-analytic studies.

Diagnostic purposes - Diagnostic procedure is a significant and delicate stage before the decision of intervention or treatment

Risk assessment - It is the process of identifying hazards, analyzing, and determining appropriate ways to diminish or control them; is a thorough look to identify situations and processes that may cause harm

Assessment – includes a broad array of evaluative measures that yield information about a person

Psychological assessment – refers to the gathering and integration of psychology related data for the purpose of making a psychological evaluation that is accomplished through the use of tools

  1. Assessment procedures – include the following:

   

  1. Clinical review
  2. Informal assessment techniques such as:
  3. ▪ observation
  4. ▪ Rating scales
  5. ▪ Classification methods
  6. ▪ Environmental assessments,
  7. ▪ Records and personal documents
  8. ▪ Performance based assessment
  9. • Personality tests such as:

       1. ▪ Objective tests 2. ▪ Projective tests 3. ▪ Interest inventories 4. • Ability tests ▪ 5. Achievement tests 6. ▪ Aptitude tests

USES OF ASSESSMENT

Assessment in the cognitive domain (ability testing) • These are tests that measure what a person can do in the cognitive realm

• Achievement testing – are tests that measure what one has learned. o Survey battery tests – are tests that are usually given in school settings with the intention to measure broad content areas, and to assess progress in school

Diagnostic tests – are tests that assess problem areas of learning. It is often used to assess learning disabilities

Readiness test – tests that measure one’s readiness for moving ahead in school. It is often used to assess readiness to enter first grade

•Aptitude tests – are tests that measure what one is capable of learning.

Intellectual and cognitive functioning – are tests that measure a broad range of cognitive functioning in the domains such as general intelligence, intellectual disabilities, giftedness, and changes in overall cognitive functioning. It includes testing that leads to an IQ score and neuropsychological assessment that assesses the changes in cognitive functioning over time

Cognitive ability tests – are tests that measure a broad range of cognitive ability. It is usually based on what a student has learned in school and are useful in making predictions about the future o Special aptitude tests – are tests that measure one aspect of ability. It is often useful in determining the likelihood of success in a vocation

Multiple aptitude tests – tests that measure any aspect of ability. It is often useful in determining the likelihood of success in a number of vocations. Assessment in the affective domain (Personality assessment) • These are tests in the affective realm that is used to assess habits, temperament, likes and dislikes, character, and similar behaviors.

Objective personality testing – is a multiple choice, true-false tests that assess various aspects of personality. It is often used to increase client insight, to identify psychopathology, and to assist in treatment planning

Projective personality tests – tests that represent a stimulus to which individuals can respond. Personality factors are interpreted on the individual’s response. It is often used to identify psychopathology and to assist in treatment planning

Interest inventories – these are tests that measure likes and dislikes as well as one’s personality orientation toward the world of work. It is generally used in career counselling.

Informal assessment procedures

Often developed by the user, these tests tend to assess broad areas of ability or personality and tend to be specific to the testing situation

Observation – involves observing an individual in order to develop a deeper understanding of one or more specific behaviors • Rating scales – scales developed to assess any of a number of attributes of the examinee

Classification methods – a tool whereby an individual identifies whether he or she has, or does not have, specific attributes or characteristics

Environmental assessment – a naturalistic and systematic approach to assessment in which information about clients is collected from their home, work, school, or other places through observation, self-reports, and checklists

Records and personal documents – include items such as diaries, personal journals, genograms, and school records that are examined to gain a broader understanding of an individual

Performance-based assessment – the evaluation of an individual using informal assessment procedures based on real-world activities that are not highly loaded for cognitive skills. These procedures are seen as an alternative to standardized testing.