Psych Assessment - Chapter 1
Psych Assessment - Chapter 1
Psych Assessment - Chapter 1
Assessment
VERONICA MENDOZA, RPM
19 AUGUST, 2021
TESTING
used to refer to everything from the
administration of a test to the interpretation of a
test score. During World War I, the term “testing”
aptly described the group screening of
thousands of military recruits.
PSYCHOLOGICAL
ASSESSMENT
gathering and integration of psychology-related data
for the purpose of making a psychological evaluation
that is accomplished through the use of tools such as
tests, interviews, case studies, behavioral
observation, and specially designed apparatuses and
measurement procedures.
PSYCHOLOGICAL
TESTING
the process of measuring psychology-related variables
by means of devices or procedures designed to obtain
a sample of behavior.
TESTING ASSESSMENT
Objective
Process
may be individual or group in nature. typically individualized.
After test administration, the tester typically focuses on how an
will typically add up “the number of individual processes rather than
correct answers or the number of simply the results of that
certain types of responses . . . with processing.
little if any regard for the how or
mechanics of such content”
(Maloney & Ward, 1976, p. 39).
TESTING ASSESSMENT
Role of Evaluator
The assessor is key to the process of
one tester may be substituted for selecting tests and/or other tools of
another tester without appreciably evaluation as well as in drawing conclusions
affecting the evaluation. from the entire evaluation.
Skill of Evaluator
Requires an educated selection of tools
Requires technician-like skills in terms
of evaluation, skill in evaluation, and
of administering and scoring a test as
thoughtful organization and integration
well as in interpreting a test result.
of data.
Outcome
Process of
Preparation of tools for assessment
Formal assessment
Feedback session
DIFFERENT APPROACHES
Collaborative Therapeutic
Dynamic
Psychological Psychological
Assessment
Assessment Assessment
the assessor and therapeutic self-discovery refers to an interactive
assessee may work as and new understandings approach to psychological
“partners” from initial are encouraged throughout assessment that usually
contact through final the assessment process follows a model of (1)
feedback. evaluation, (2) intervention
of some sort, and (3)
evaluation
Test
Interview
TOOLS OF Portfolio
Computer as Tools
Tools for Psychological Assessment
1 Test may be defined simply as a measuring device or procedure.
Psychological test refers to a device or procedure designed to measure
variables related to psychology (such as intelligence, personality,
aptitude, interests, attitudes, or values)
Format pertains to the form, plan, structure, arrangement, and layout of
test items as well as to related considerations such as time limits.
also used to refer to the form in which a test is administered
also used to denote the form or structure of other evaluative tools
and processes, such as the guidelines for creating a portfolio work
sample.
Tools for Psychological Assessment
Scoring and Interpretation Procedures:
Score as a code or summary statement, usually but not necessarily
numerical in nature, that reflects an evaluation of performance on a test,
task, interview, or some other sample of behavior.
Scoring is the process of assigning such evaluative codes or statements
to performance on tests, tasks, interviews, or other behavior samples. In
the world of psychological assessment, many different types of scores
exist.
Cut score (also referred to as a cutoff score or simply a cutoff) is a
reference point, usually numerical, derived by judgment and used to
divide a set of data into two or more classifications.
Tools for Psychological Assessment
Psychometric soundness of a test when referring to how
consistently and how accurately a psychological test measures
what it purports to measure.
psychometric - refers to measurement that is psychological in nature
psychometrist and psychometrician - referring to a professional who
uses, analyzes, and interprets psychological test data
utility - refers to the usefulness or practical value that a test or other tool
of assessment has for a particular purpose.
Tools for Psychological Assessment
2 Interview - a method of gathering information through direct
communication involving reciprocal exchange. May be used to help
professionals in human resources to make more informed recommendations
about the hiring, firing, and advancement of personnel.
Panel interview (also referred to as a board interview) - more than one
interviewer participates in the assessment
advantage: any idiosyncratic biases of a lone interviewer will be
minimized (Dipboye, 1992)
disadvantage: the cost of using multiple interviewers may not be
justified (Dixon et al., 2002).
Motivational interviewing may be defined as a therapeutic dialogue that
combines person-centered listening skills such as openness and
empathy, with the use of cognition-altering techniques designed to
positively affect motivation and effect therapeutic change.
Tools for Psychological Assessment
3 Portfolio - work products—whether retained on paper, canvas, film, video,
audio, or some other medium as samples of one’s ability and
accomplishment.
Types of Processing:
local processing – scoring done on site
central processing – scoring conducted at some central location
teleprocessing - test-related data may be sent to and returned from this
central facility by means of phone lines
Tools for Psychological Assessment
Types of Report:
simple scoring report - mere listing of score or scores
extended scoring report – more detailed report which includes statistical
analyses of the testtaker’s performance
interpretive report - which is distinguished by its inclusion of numerical
or narrative interpretive statements in the report. Some interpretive
reports contain relatively little interpretation and are limited to calling
the test user’s attention to certain scores that need to be focused on.
consultative report - this type of report, usually written in language
appropriate for communication between assessment professionals, may
provide expert opinion concerning analysis of the data.
integrative report - will employ previously collected data (such as
medication records or behavioral observation data) into the test report
Tools for Psychological Assessment
Other things to note:
CAPA refers to the term computer assisted psychological assessment
assisted typically refers to the assistance computers provide to the
test user, not the testtaker
•The amount of test anxiety they are experiencing and the degree to which
that test anxiety might significantly affect the test results
•The extent to which they understand and agree with the rationale for the
assessment
•Their capacity and willingness to cooperate with the examiner or to
comprehend written test instructions
•The amount of physical pain or emotional distress they are experiencing
•The amount of physical discomfort brought on by not having had enough to
eat, having had too much to eat, or other physical conditions
•The extent to which they are alert and wide awake
•The extent to which they are predisposed to agreeing or disagreeing
when presented with stimulus statements
•The extent to which they have received prior coaching
WHO ARE THE PARTIES?
**Psychological autopsy - may be defined as a
reconstruction of a deceased individual’s
psychological profile on the basis of archival
records, artifacts, and interviews previously
conducted with the deceased assessee or with
people who knew him or her.
Society at large
tests are administered early in school life to help identify children who may have special
needs.
School ability test - these are administered early in school life to help identify
children who may have special needs
Achievement test - which evaluates accomplishment or the degree of learning that
has taken place.
Diagnosis - a description or conclusion reached on the basis of evidence and
opinion.
this conclusion is reached through a process of distinguishing the nature of
something and ruling out alternative conclusions.
Diagnostic test - a tool of assessment used to help narrow down and identify areas
of deficit to be targeted for intervention.
Informal evaluation - a typically nonsystematic assessment that leads to the
formation of an opinion or attitude.
WHAT TYPES OF SETTINGS ARE ASSESSMENTS
CONDUCTED, AND WHY?
Clinical Settings
such as public, private, and military hospitals, inpatient and outpatient clinics, private-
practice consulting rooms, schools, and other institutions.
3.The test administrator (or examiner) must be familiar with the test
materials and procedures and must have at the test site all the materials
needed to properly administer the test
4.Ensuring that the room in which the test will be conducted is suitable and
conducive to the testing
The Buros Center for may contain reviews of One of the most widely
Testing provides “one- the test, updated or used bibliographic
stop shopping” for a independent studies of databases for test-
great deal of test-related its psychometric related publications is
information. soundness, or examples that maintained by the
This volume, which is also of how the instrument Educational Resources
updated periodically, was used in either Information Center
provides detailed research or an applied (ERIC).
information for each test context.
listed, including test
publisher, test author, Other sources
test purpose, intended Many university libraries also provide access to online databases,
test population, and test such as PsycINFO, and electronic journals. Most scientific papers can
administration time. be downloaded straight to one’s computer using such an online
service. This is an extremely valuable resource to students, as non-
subscribers to such databases may be charged hefty access fees for
such access.
HISTORY OF
PSYCHOLOGICAL
ASSESSMENT
China 2200 BCE
tests emphasized knowledge of
classical literature.
government jobs, civil service
Testtakers who demonstrated
examination
their command of the classics
proficiency in endeavors such as
were perceived as having
music, archery, horsemanship,
acquired the wisdom of the past
writing, and arithmetic were
and were therefore entitled to a
examined.
government position.
During the Song dynasty,
emphasis was placed on
960 to 1279 C.E.
knowledge of classical literature.
The tests were only open to
men, with the exception of a
brief period in the 1800s
Releasing the roll: results posted
on the wall
18th Century
Victor Henri
is the Frenchman who would
collaborate with Alfred Binet on
papers suggesting how mental
a psychiatrist tests could be used to measure
was an early experimenter with the higher mental processes
word association technique as a
formal test.
Emil Kraepelin
Lightner Witmer
Robert S. Woodworth
Late 1930s
Culture and Assessment
Culture Culture-specific tests
“the socially transmitted
behavior patterns, tests designed for use with people from one culture
beliefs, and products of but not from another
work of a particular
population, community,
or group of people”.
Soon after Alfred Binet
introduced intelligence
testing in France, the
U.S. Public Health
Service began using
such tests to measure
the intelligence of
people seeking to
immigrate to the United
States
Culture and Assessment
Henry Goddard
translated Binet-Simon to English.
used interpreters in test administration, employed a
bilingual psychologist, and administered mental tests
to selected immigrants who appeared mentally
retarded to trained observers.
found most immigrants from various nationalities to be
mentally deficient when tested
coined the term moron
in the interest of the greater good of society at large—
mentally deficient individuals should be segregated or
institutionalized and not be permitted to reproduce
special education services first became law
acceptance of intelligence test data into evidence and
for the limitation of criminal responsibility
Culture and Assessment
Some Issues Regarding Culture and Assessment
VERBAL COMMUNICATION
Language - the means by which
information is communicated, is a key
yet sometimes overlooked variable in
the assessment process.
The examiner and the examinee must
speak the same language.
Translator?
meaning may be lost in translation
unintentional hints to the correct or more desirable response may be conveyed
translated items may be either easier or more difficult than the original
words may change meaning or have dual meanings when translated
Culture and Assessment
Some Issues Regarding Culture and Assessment
STANDARDS OF EVALUATION
individualist culture is characterized by value being placed
on traits such as self-reliance, autonomy, independence,
uniqueness, and competitiveness
collectivist culture - value is placed on traits such as
conformity, cooperation, interdependence, and striving
toward group goals.
A challenge inherent in the assessment enterprise concerns
tempering test- and assessment-related outcomes with good
judgment regarding the cultural relativity of those outcomes.
LEGISLATION
Discrimination - the practice of making
distinctions in hiring, promotion, or other disparate treatment - the
selection decisions that tend to consequence of an employer’s hiring
systematically favor members of a majority or promotion practice that was
group regardless of actual qualifications for intentionally devised to yield some
positions. discriminatory result or outcome.
may occur as the result of intentional or disparate impact - the consequence
unintentional action on the part of an of an employer’s hiring or promotion
employer. practice that unintentionally resulted
reverse discrimination - the practice of in a discriminatory result or outcome.
making distinctions in hiring, promotion, or
other selection decisions that systematically
tend to favor members of a minority group
regardless of actual qualifications for
positions.
The Concerns of the Public
LITIGATION
Test-User Qualifications
The right of informed consent - Testtakers have a right to know why they are
being evaluated, how the test data will be used, and what (if any) information will
be released to whom.
The right to be informed of test findings - Testtakers have a right to be informed,
in language they can understand, of the nature of the findings with respect to a
test they have taken. They are also entitled to know what recommendations are
being made as a consequence of the test data
The right to privacy and confidentiality
The concept of the privacy right “recognizes the freedom of the individual to
pick and choose for himself the time, circumstances, and particularly the extent
to which he wishes to share or withhold from others his attitudes, beliefs,
behavior, and opinions”
The right to the least stigmatizing label
The Standards advise that the least stigmatizing labels should always be
assigned when reporting test results.