Chapter 2

Question 1

Professional Psychology

Answer 1

Psychological testing and psychological assessment Assessment: • PTs one source of data – but focus of this unit! • Areas of application - Clinical, counselling, industrial & organisational, forensic, neuropsychological, developmental & educational • Core skills of psychological testing - Aspects and best practices • Ethics - APS Code of Ethics 2007 - NHMRC ethical conduct in human research

Question 2

Testing vs assessment Assessment

Answer 2

Assessment: - Maloney and Ward (1976): “a process of solving problems (answering questions) in which psychological tests are often used as one of the methods of collecting relevant data” - “The gathering and integration of psychology‐related data for the purpose of making a psychological evaluation, accomplished through the use of tools such as tests, interviews, case studies, behavioural observation, and specially designed apparatuses and measurement procedures” (Cohen & Swerdlik, p. 3) Is much broader than just testing

Question 3

Testing v assessment Testing

Answer 3

• Psychological testing refers to the administration, scoring, and interpretation of PTs – Limitedinterpretation – e.g., an exam score and grade (55%, Pass), IQ score and percentile ranking - Psychological assessment • Why is a child experiencing problems at school - Administer PTs (e.g., WISC) - Interview (child, parents, teachers) - Obtain history to referral problem (medical, family, developmental, educational) - Observe – nonverbal, affect/manner, relations with others, child in class Several sources of data bear on hypotheses to solve the referral problem

Question 4

Psychological assessment

Answer 4

Question 5

who refers?

Answer 5

– Parents, partners
– Doctors, clinicians & medical specialists
– School counsellors & teachers
– Courts & legal professionals
– Human resources specialists & employers
– Insurance, injury compensation (WorkCover) – Self‐referral

Question 6

Types of PTs

Answer 6

1. Type of response required:

– Self‐report
– What people say they do (e.g., MMPI, PAI)
– Economical (group admin, time, scoring)
– Assess typical behaviour (personality, attitude)

– Performance
– What people do (e.g., WAIS)

– Answer referral problem

– Individual administration
– Assess limits of behaviour (aptitude, ability)

Question 7

Types of PTs cont’d

Answer 7

2. Administration of PTs

– Group
• Economical

– Individual
• Often performance tests (e.g., WAIS)
• More information (behaviour, interaction)

3. Degree of computer assistance
   • With administration, scoring, interpretation

Question 8

Types of PTs continued

Answer 8