WEEK 5 - Psychometrics and assessment

Question 1

What is psychological assessment?

Answer 1

• May include testing, but it more in-depth. May include:
• Interviews that includes asking about a current issue, family history, medical history etc
• Observation in a particular setting
• Test/scale/questionaire to measure symptoms
• Checklist to make sure all relevant details are noted
• review of collateral information

Question 2

Where and why might we undertake assessment?

Answer 2

• Clinical psychology: diagnoses of clinical disorders and mental health issues
• Neuropsychology: Assessment of behavioural and functional changes associated with neurological illness or injury
• Organisational/ HR: Suitability for a particular role
• Educational/developmental: Learning abilities, assessing classroom behaviour etc
• Health: Motivation/ability to change health-related behaviours, chronic pain etc
• Forensic: Assess risks an behavioural issues

Question 3

During an interview setting, what also needs to be considered apart from verbal cues?

Answer 3

• Bodily behaviour
• Eye behaviour
• Emotional tone
• Physiological responses
• General appearance

Question 4

What does the interviewer have to consider about themselves during an interview?

Answer 4

• Bodily behaviour
• Facial expressions
• Voice-related behaviour
• Space between counsellor and client
• General presentation

Question 5

What is important for the counsellor to remember about their interaction skills during an interview?

Answer 5

S: Face client squarely
O: Adopt an open posture
L: Remember that it is possible times to lean towards the other person
E: Maintain good eye contact
R: Be relaxed and natural in these behaviours

Question 6

What is involved in the clinical treatment process?

Answer 6

Initial assessment
Case formulation
Treatment Planning
Implement Plan
Monitor Progress
Prepare for closure
Closure

Question 7

What is involved in the initial assessment phase of clinical treatment?

Answer 7

Why have they come to see you? Gather relevant info from a variety of sources.

Question 8

What is involved with case formulation of clinical treatment?

Answer 8

• Initial diagnosis

- What factors are contributing to current concerns?

Question 9

What is involved in the treatment planning phase of clinical treatment?

Answer 9

• Evidence based treatment plan
• Concrete, specific goals
• Clear steps on how to achieve goals

Question 10

What is involved with implementing a plan during the process of clinical treatment?

Answer 10

Talk through the plan and initiate

Question 11

How may you monitor progress in clinical treatment?

Answer 11

• Look back and see how things have improved

Question 12

How may closure be prepared for in clinical treatment?

Answer 12

• What happens when therapy ends?

- How to reduce the risk of relapse?

Question 13

What is involved in closure in the clinical treatment process?

Answer 13

Provide advice on how to ensure continued wellbeing

Question 14

What is important to be covered in the initial assessment with a client?

Answer 14

• Identify information
• General appearance and demeanor
• History related to problem
• Past psychiatric history
• Educational and job history
• Health
• Social/developmental history
• Family history

Question 15

What is important about the sequence of obtaining information during an interview?

Answer 15

Start with least threatening topics to more sensitive topic

Question 16

What is psychometrics?

Answer 16

Branch of psychology that deals with design, administration and interpretation of quantitative tests for measuring psychological variables such as intelligence, aptitude and personality traits.

• Starts with theoretical construct
• Test designed to measure the construct and statistics tot check that the test measures what it is supposed to
• Check how accurate it is and even compare to other tests

Question 17

What is psychological testing?

Answer 17

• Administering a test of some form, often a part of broader assessment.
• Tests can be scored and the scores can be interpreted

Question 18

How can psychological tests be interpreted?

Answer 18

• May have cut-off and passing that may indicate pathology
• Individual may be tested repeatedly to see if there is any change
• Score may be compared to a large number of other scores to see where they are compared to average (aka norm referenced test)

Question 19

What can tests be based on?

Answer 19

Self-report or performance based

Question 20

What are some important things to consider when conducting a test?

Answer 20

• Is the test appropriate for the person?
• Is it a good test?
• Are you using the test appropriately?
• Is the person administering it qualified?
• Is it ethical?
• Have all details been recorded appropriately?
• Have the results been explained clearly to the person brother agencies?

Question 21

What factors need to be considered when deciding whether the test is appropriate for the person?

Answer 21

Age
Gender
Physical ability
Norms
Diagnostic

Question 22

How may a good test be determined?

Answer 22

Check the:
Validity: Is it measuring what you think it is measuring and can you draw meaningful conclusions?

Reliability: Is it consistently measuring the construct in the question? Are all of the. items contributing to the overall interpretation of the test?

Question 23

What factors need to be considered when determining whether a test is being used appropriately?

Answer 23

Age
Norms
Quality of test
Practice effects: Learning from previous exposure that effects scores?
Fatigue: how long is the test and could that impact performance?
Setting: Distractions?

Question 24

How may testing and culture effect testing?

Answer 24

• Language, experience, knowledge, beliefs may all influence performance

Question 25

How may we prevent culture from hindering results?

Answer 25

• It is impossible to create culture free tests
• Attempt to make tests culture fair
• Gather normative data from different cultures and compare people against appropriate sample/population