Chapter 3

Question 1

Reliability

Answer 1

The degree to which a procedure, test, or classification system yields the same results repeatedly under the same circumstances.

Question 2

Types of Reliability

Answer 2

Test-retest Reliability, Internal Consistency Reliability, Interrater Reliability

Question 3

Test-retest Reliability

Answer 3

Determines whether a measure yields the same results when given at two different points in time. For example, if you take a personality test in the morning and then retake the test later in the day, the test is reliable if the results show stability (i.e., are consistent) from one point in time to another. If the test results vary, we would say the test has poor reliability.

Question 4

Internal Consistency Reliability

Answer 4

Requires that various parts of a test yield similar or consistent results. For example, on a test assessing anxiety, each test item should reliably measure characteristics related to anxiety.

Question 5

Interrater Reliability

Answer 5

Refers to how consistent (or inconsistent) test results are when scored by different test administrators. (Imagine that two clinicians trained to diagnose individuals according to a certain classification system are given the same list of symptoms to review and are asked to formulate a psychodiagnosis. If one clinician diagnoses an anxiety disorder and one diagnosis depression, there would be poor interrater)

Question 6

Validity

Answer 6

The extent to which a test or procedure actually performs the function it was designed to perform. If a measure intended to assess depression actually measures motivation, the measure is an invalid measure of depression. The most common forms of validity considered in assessment are predictive, construct, and content validity

Question 7

Types of Validity

Answer 7

Predictive Validity, Construct Validity, Content Validity

Question 8

Predictive Validity

Answer 8

How well a test or measure predicts or forecasts a person’s behavior, response, or performance. Colleges and universities often use applicants’ SAT or ACT scores to predict future college grades. If the tests have good predictive validity, they should be able to differ- entiate students who will perform well in college from those who will perform poorly.

Question 9

Construct Validity

Answer 9

How well a test or measure relates to the characteristics or disorder in question. For example, a test to measure social anxiety should be constructed to match other measures of social anxiety, including questions about physical symptoms seen in people who are socially anxious.

Question 10

Content Validity

Answer 10

How well a test measures what it is intended to measure. For example, we know that depression involves cognitive, emotional, behavioral, and physiological symptoms. If a self-report measure of depression contains items that assess only cognitive features, such as items indicating pessimism, the measure has poor content validity because it fails to assess the other areas we know are associated with depression.

Question 11

What is standardization?

Answer 11

(Or standard administration); Requires professionals administering a test to follow common rules or procedures. If an examiner creates a tense or hostile environment for some individuals who are taking a test, for example, the test scores may vary simply due to differences in the testing situation

Question 12

10 areas of a mental status exam

Answer 12

Appearance, Mood, Affect, Speech, Thought Process, Thought Content, Memory, Abstract Thought, General Knowledge, Sensorium

Question 13

Appearance

Answer 13

Poor self-care in grooming; disheveled appearance; stooped body posture; avoidance of eye contact.

Question 14

Mood

Answer 14

Appears severely depressed. Margaret verified that she has felt “depressed,” “exhausted,” “hopeless,” and “worthless” for months.

Question 15

Affect

Answer 15

Margaret shows minimal emotional responsiveness. Her overall demeanor is suggestive of depression.

Question 16

Speech

Answer 16

Margaret speaks and responds slowly, with short replies. She frequently stated, “I don’t know” and “I don’t care.”

Question 17

Thought Process

Answer 17

Margaret’s lack of responsiveness made it difficult to assess her thought processes.

Question 18

Thought Content

Answer 18

Margaret denies experiencing hallucinations or delusions (false beliefs). She reports thinking about suicide almost daily but denies having a suicide plan or thoughts of hurting someone else.

Question 19

Memory

Answer 19

Margaret seems to have good recall of family background, past events, jobs, and educational background. However, she had difficulty with short-term memory, she was able to recall only one out of three words after a 5-minute delay.

Question 20

Abstract Thought

Answer 20

Margaret was slow to respond but was able to explain the proverb “a rolling stone gathers no moss” and “people in glass houses shouldn’t throw stones.”

Question 21

General Knowledge

Answer 21

Margaret was able to name the last four presidents but gave up before determining the number of nickels in $135, explaining that she “just can’t concentrate.”

Question 22

Sensorium

Answer 22

Orientation x3; Orientation to person, place time

Question 23

What would a clinician analyze on the Draw-A-Person Test?

Answer 23

The examiner will analyze characteristics of your drawing, such as the size, position, and details you included, assuming that the drawings would provide clues about you. Well-controlled studies cast doubt on such diagnostic interpretations; The validity of conclusions drawn from these tests is open to question

Question 24

What are the 10 clinical scales of the MMPI?

Answer 24

Hypochondriasis (Hs), Depression (D), Hysteria (Hy), Psychopathic Deviate (Pd), Masculinity-Femininity (Mf), Paranoia (Pa), Psychasthenia (Pt), Schizophrenia (Sc), Hypomania (Ma), Social Introversion (Si)

Question 25

Hypochondriasis (Hs)

Answer 25

Individuals showing excessive worry about health with reports of obscure pains.

Question 26

Depression (D)

Answer 26

People suffering from chronic depression, feelings of uselessness, and inability to face the future.

Question 27

Hysteria (Hy)

Answer 27

Individuals who react to stress by developing physical symptoms (paralysis, cramps, headaches, etc.).

Question 28

Psychopathic Deviate (Pd)

Answer 28

People who show irresponsibility, disregard social conventions, and lack deep emotional responses.

Question 29

Masculinity-Femininity (Mf)

Answer 29

People tending to identify with the opposite sex rather than their own.

Question 30

Paranoia (Pa)

Answer 30

People who are suspicious, sensitive, and feel persecuted.

Question 31

Psychasthenia (Pt)

Answer 31

: People troubled with fears (phobias) and compulsive tendencies.

Question 32

Schizophrenia (Sc)

Answer 32

People with bizarre and unusual thoughts or behavior.

Question 33

Hypomania (Ma)

Answer 33

People who are physically and mentally overactive and who shift rapidly in ideas and actions.

Question 34

Social Introversion (Si)

Answer 34

People who tend to withdraw from social contacts and responsibilities.

Question 35

First major limitations of personality inventories?

Answer 35

First, the fixed number of answer choices can make it difficult for individuals to answer in a manner that clearly describes them, (ex. If asked to answer “true” or “false” to the statement “I am suspicious of people,” you would not have an opportunity to explain your answer. You might mark “yes” because you have had personal experiences to which suspiciousness is a logical reaction)

Question 36

Example of the first major limitations of personality inventories

Answer 36

If asked to answer “true” or “false” to the statement “I am suspicious of people,” you would not have an opportunity to explain your answer. You might mark “yes” because you have had personal experiences to which suspiciousness is a logical reaction.

Question 37

Second major limitations of personality inventories?

Answer 37

a person may have a unique response style or response set (i.e., a tendency to respond to test items in a certain way regardless of content) that may affect the test results. (ex. If you have a tendency to present yourself in a favorable light (which many people do), your answers might be socially acceptable but might not accurately reflect your true mental state)

Question 38

Example of the second major limitations of personality inventories

Answer 38

If you have a tendency to present yourself in a favorable light (which many people do), your answers might be socially acceptable but might not accurately reflect your true mental state.

Question 39

Third major limitations of personality inventories?

Answer 39

Interpretations of responses of people from different cultural groups may be inaccurate if test norms for these groups are lacking

Question 40

Fourth major limitations of personality inventories?

Answer 40

Cultural factors may shape the way a trait or characteristic is viewed. (ex. Although Asian Americans tend to score higher on measures of social anxiety, their scores may reflect cultural values of mod- esty and self-restraint rather than a sign of psychopathology; similarly, African Americans show a unique pattern of responding to measures of social anxiety)

Question 41

What is the mean IQ of the general population?

Answer 41

100

Question 42

What are the 2 most popular IQ tests?

Answer 42

The Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale and The Stanford Binet Intelligence Scale

Question 43

The Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale

Answer 43

(The WAIS and most recent version, WAIS-IV) is administered to persons age 16 and older. The WAIS-IV assesses four areas: Verbal Comprehension, Perceptual Organization, Working Memory, and Processing Speed.

Question 44

The Stanford Binet Intelligence Scale

Answer 44

Now in its fifth edition, assesses intelligence in individuals ages 2 to 85. The Stanford-Binet is somewhat complicated to administer and score. If you were to take the Stanford-Binet, the examiner would first establish a basal age (the level where you pass all subtests) and a ceiling age (the level where you fail all subtests) as part of the process of calculating your IQ score.

Question 45

neuroimaging techniques

Answer 45

Electroencephalograph (EEG), CT Scan, MRI, PET Scan

Question 46

Electroencephalograph (EEG)

Answer 46

Examines the brain by recording brain waves; abnormalities in the activity can provide information about the presence of tumors or other brain conditions.

Question 47

CT Scan

Answer 47

Produces cross-sectional images of the structure of the brain, allowing for a detailed view of brain deterioration or abnormality.

Question 48

MRI

Answer 48

Creates a magnetic field around the patient and uses radio waves to detect abnormalities. MRIs can produce an amazingly clear cross-sectional picture of the brain and its tissues. Because of these superior pictures, which are reminiscent of postmortem brain slices, MRIs can often provide more detailed images of lesions than CT scans can

Question 49

PET Scan

Answer 49

Scan enables non-invasive study of the physiological and biochemical processes of the brain, rather than the anatomical structures seen in the CT scan. In PET scans, a radioactive substance is injected into the patient’s bloodstream. The scanner detects the substance as it is metabolized in the brain, yielding information about physiological processes within the brain.

Question 50

What is the WHODS used for?

Answer 50

An instrument used to assess overall level of impairment and disability