Week 1 - APAC pre-professional competencies in interviewing and interpersonal skills

Question 1

Psychological testing

Answer 1

Administration of a test, obtaining and interpreting scores

Question 2

Psychological assessment

Answer 2

Broader than psyc testing.
- Addresses referral question
- Used to problem solve
- Used to make an informed decision on the question

Question 3

“What is a child’s IQ?” is an example of a question for psyc testing or assessment?

Answer 3

Testing

Question 4

“Why is a child demonstrating behavioural problems” is an example of a question for psyc testing or assessment?

Answer 4

Assessment

Question 5

Define psychological test

Answer 5

An objective procedure for sampling and quantifying human behaviour to make inferences about a particular psychological construct(s) using standardised stimuli and methods of administration and scoring

Question 6

Regarding psyc testing, what is meant by objective?

Answer 6

Test is objective in scoring -> there is reliability between two or more scorers and is independent of rater bias

Question 7

5 APAC core competencies for psychologists

Answer 7

1. Selection (appropriate test or even whether to test at all)
2. Administration
3. Scoring
4. Interpretation
5. Other core competencies: ethics, communication and interventions

Question 8

What percentage of time do psychologists spend conducting assessments as part of their practice

Answer 8

24% or 1/4

Question 9

Type of measure that is most often used in assessment and it’s frequency of use

Answer 9

Symptom specific measures e.g., BDI.
78%

Question 10

Major achievement for psyc profession

Answer 10

Psychological assessment

Question 11

Why is psyc assessment a key achievement (3 points)

Answer 11

1. Decision making aid
2. Enhances accuracy and detail (treatment planning and diagnosis, treatment efficacy etc).
3. Also important for research

Question 12

Steps involved in decision-making regarding psychological testing

Answer 12

1. Is the test necessary, or even wanted by the client?
2. Identify which construct needs to be tested e.g., intelligence, personality, stress etc.
3. Select the test that is:
   - Appropriate for the construct
   - Psychometrically sound
   - Where you can explain and justify your choice of using certain assessment tool
   - Has journal articles/research (up-to-date scientific backing)
   - Use of tests are regulated and restricted.

Question 13

Review slide: APS Code of Ethics Specific to assessments

Answer 13

• Use established scientific procedures and relevant psychometric standards when developing standardised psychological tests
• Psychologists specify the purposes of their assessment techniques and clearly indicate the limits of the assessment techniques’ applicability
• Psychologists ensure that they choose, administer and interpret assessment procedures appropriately and accurately
• Psychologists use valid procedures and research findings when scoring and interpreting psychological assessment data
• Psychologists report assessment results appropriately and accurately in language that the recipient can understand
• Psychologists do not compromise the effective use of psychological assessments, nor render them open to misuse, by publishing or otherwise disclosing their contents to persons unauthorised or unqualified to receive such information.

Question 14

7 components of APS ethical guidelines for psychological assessment and use of psychological tests

Answer 14

1. Competence (not just administration, but determining need for test, scoring, recording and storing, decision making)
2. Development of psychological tests
3. Informed consent
4. Confidentiality
5. Communication of test results
6. Security of psychological assessment data and records
7. Justice

Question 15

Study that demonstrates the future of psychological testing

Answer 15

Used uni students and played games in a lab and then completed cognitive tests. Found a good relationship between them.

Question 16

Most widely used psychological assessment technique

Answer 16

Interviewing

Question 17

Psychological assessment technique that:
- Usually face-to-face and used to observe and gather data (behaviour, attitudes, current situation, personality, life history) related to the referral question
- Can be structured, semi-structured or unstructured

Answer 17

Interviewing

Question 18

When interviewing in assessment contexts, what 6 points allow you to demonstrate appropriate interpersonal communication and interview skills in situations appropriate to psychological practice and research

Answer 18

1. Active listening
2. Clarifying and reflecting
3. Building rapport
4. Effective questioning
5. Paraphrasing and summarising
6. Appropriate cultural responsiveness and empathic responding

Question 19

What describes the connection or relationship of two people who relate well to each other and creates trust, which leads to a more open and honest discussion

Answer 19

Rapport

Question 20

Why is rapport important? (3 points)

Answer 20

1. Helps create strong therapeutic alliance, which is predictive of desirable treatment outcomes
2. Longer stays in treatment
3. Can affect performance on assessments

Question 21

7 things that help develop rapport

Answer 21

1. Being well-prepared
2. Warmth, friendliness and non-judgemental
3. Safe and trusting environment (offer cup of tea etc)
4. Break the ice (appropriate self-disclosure. Opportunities to find things in common or talking about what they’re interested in)
5. Privacy and confidentiality
6. Use of non-verbal cues (body positioning, eye contact etc.)
7. Normalising how they feel.

Question 22

What is making an effort to be there with and for the client, and trying to see how they feel about things

Answer 22

Empathic responding

Question 23

Is empathic responding demonstrated verbally or non-verbally?

Answer 23

Both

Question 24

communication of empathic understanding does what? (3 things)

Answer 24

• Reduces threat and defensiveness
• Conveys interest and helpful intent
• Creates an atmosphere conducive to deeper sharing of feelings and later to behaviour change

Question 25

Empathy, genuineness, warmth and positive regard are related to what?

Answer 25

Positive treatment outcomes

Question 26

What are these examples of?
- Reflecting feelings
- Pointing out conflictual feelings and thoughts
- Using analogies
- Reflecting non-verbal behaviours
- Metaphors (doesn’t have to be a direct reflection)

Answer 26

Empathic responding

Question 27

What is happening when you are fully concentrating on what is being said rather than just passively “hearing” the message of the speaker.

Answer 27

Active listening

Question 28

Active listening involves listening with all the senses, not only focussing fully on the speaker but also actively showing verbal and non-verbal signs of listening and what else?

Answer 28

Giving the other person time to explore their thoughts and feelings

Question 29

Active listening impacts satisfaction with care, adherence to treatment and quality of life. 4 components of active listening?

Answer 29

1. Body language
2. Distractions (creating safe space)
3. Following (allowing room for silence, space to speak and following what they are conveying)
4. Small rewards (verbal and non-verbal)

Question 30

Closely repeating or paraphrasing what the client has said in order to show comprehension

Answer 30

Reflecting

Question 31

Asking questions of the client to ensure that the correct message has been received

Answer 31

Clarifying

Question 32

Asking relevant questions and/or making statements that build or help clarify what the interviewee has said. Appropriate use of open/closed ended questions

Answer 32

Effective questioning

Question 33

One or two brief sentences, the clinician reflects back in their own words the most important details of what the client has said

Answer 33

Paraphrasing

Question 34

Brief statements of longer excerpts of the interview and pulls together key points of what’s been said

Answer 34

Summarising

Question 35

What helps the client:
- To feel clinician has understood
- By simplifying, focussing and crystallising what they said
- Feel encouraged to elaborate
- Provide a check on the accuracy of clinician’s perceptions.

Answer 35

Paraphrasing

Question 36

Study investigated the effects of empathic paraphrasing as an extrinsic emotion regulation technique. Twenty participants were interviewed on an ongoing or recently self-experienced social conflict. Interviewer asked 10 standardised questions and responded by either paraphrasing or taking notes. What were the results?

Answer 36

cognitive empathy through paraphrasing can extrinsically regulate negative emotion –> less negative after hearing paraphrasing and skin conductance, HR etc., was higher for paraphrasing.

Treating people in an empathic way and using empathic paraphrasing stimulated more intense emotion processing and helped them to move through the conflict.

Question 37

How do you demonstrate appropriate cultural responsiveness?

Answer 37

• Ask questions to learn about a cultural background and context e.g., gender roles, language, sexual orientation, parenting/child-rearing practices etc.
• Making sure tests/ assessment tools are appropriate for age, education level and ethnic background