Introduction to Assessment 3

Question 1

What are the purposes of of Assessment?

Answer 1

• To gather information about the client.

However, The information gathered also depends on the another purpose of the assessment, which are
1 Screening 
2 Identification / Diagnosis 
3 Intervention planning 
4 Progress and outcome evaluation

Question 2

What is Screening?

Answer 2

A not comprehensive quick part of the assessment process. Usually involving a single procedure or instrument that are often held to lower standards of psychometrical soundness, and used to determine whether an individual has a high risk of having a specific problem and needs more in-depth assessment at that time.

Question 3

How screening help identify the individual problem?

Answer 3

Does not necessarily detect a specific problem or disorder an individual might have or how serious it might be
it provides counselors with preliminary information that identifies those individuals with a high probability of having a particular problem.

If an individual is identified as having a high risk for a disorder, then further assessment is war ranted.

Question 4

What are some example of screening?

Answer 4

For example, many colleges have “depression screening days” in which students are given the opportunity to complete a questionnaire or instrument that detects a risk for depression. If the results of the instrument indicate a high risk for depression, the student is referred to the counseling center for further evaluation and, if needed, counseling.

when a counselor has an initial concern about the potential for substance abuse with a client. The counselor might use the Substance Abuse Subtle Screening Inventory–4th Edition (SASSI-4) to identify the potential for a substance use disorder. If a client scores at clinically significant levels, then the counselor would con-duct a more thorough assessment to determine the types of substances, level of use, potential for withdrawal, potential need for detoxification, and best options for treatment planning.

Question 5

2 Identification and Diagnosis

What is diagnosis?

Answer 5

Can be defined as a “detailed analysis of an individual’s strengths and weaknesses, with the general goal of arriving at a classification decision”

Question 6

What is the process of diagnosis?

Answer 6

Typically encompasses the use of a series of instruments and strategies to identify a client’s problem areas that need to be targeted for intervention.

Question 7

What does Counselors use to diagnose?

Answer 7

A classification system called DSM-V – Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth Edition

E.g. counselors might diagnose depression using the DSM-V which can help them later on in making decisions about an intervention

Question 8

What is Identification? Explain in an example

Answer 8

In school settings, identifying students who may be experiencing delays or learning problems is an important objective of assessment.

Question 9

3 Intervention and Planning

Whet Intervention planning?

Answer 9

• Intervention planning (i.e., treatment planning) involves deciding on a course of action that facilitates client change and helps improve the client’s outcome.

Question 10

Give an example for Intervention and Planning purpose of assessment?

Answer 10

A client is usually referred for assessment because they are struggling and need specific interventions to help improve their situation

The purpose of assessment is to gather information to determine the most effective interventions that address and resolve the client’s specific areas of concern.

There are innumerable interventions that a counselor can choose from, and the interventions decided upon are based on the client’s problems and the reason for referral.

Question 11

4 Progress and Outcome Evaluation

Why it is important to do assessments for the purpose of Progress and Outcome Evaluation?

Answer 11

• It is important to monitor a client’s progress in order to determine if the interventions are helping the client
• If an intervention is having no positive effects, counselors may re-evaluate the client and make new intervention plans.
• When an intervention program is completed, counselors may conduct an outcome evaluation to determine if the particular intervention was effective and if the clients achieved their goals at the end of counseling.

Question 12

What is the first step in progress and outcome evaluation?

Answer 12

o a baseline measure of the client is established
o This usually takes place during the initial meet-ing for assessment
o Involve the use of formal or informal assessment instruments or strategies.
o (e.g. rate your symptoms on a scale of 1 to 10)
o For example, an informal method would be to ask clients to rate their feelings of depression on a scale from 0 to 10, with 0 indicating a complete absence of depressive symptoms and 10 indicating feeling intensely depressed. An example of a formal assessment instrument designed specifically for progress and outcome evaluation is the Outcome Questionnaire (OQ-45), which measures adult clients’ psychological symptoms (e.g., depression and anxiety), interpersonal functioning, and social role functioning.

Question 13

When progress and outcome evaluation happen?

Answer 13

Throughout the course of intervention, the same strategies used to collect baseline measure data are re-administered to monitor the client’s progress

The same is also done after the client completes the intervention and results of the outcome assessment are compared to the baseline assessment

If there is no improvement in scores, the counselor will reevaluate and make new intervention plans

Question 14

Describe how assessment is today?

Answer 14

• Use of testing and assessment continues to grow.
• Modern testing is heavily influenced by developments in technology which have increased convenience and affordability.
• E.g., computer administration of assessment instruments, automated test scoring, computer adaptive tests, computer simulations, internet-based assessment
• Computer-based interpretations are unable to take into account the uniqueness of the test taker and incorporate such elements as a client’s personal history, life events, or current stressors. Therefore, computerized reports are considered broad, general descriptions that should not be used without the evaluation of a skilled counselor. Whether a counselor chooses to (or not to) use a computer-based test interpretation, the counselor is ultimately accountable for the accuracy of interpretation