WEEK 5 - Psychometrics and assessment Flashcards
What is psychological assessment?
- 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
Where and why might we undertake assessment?
- 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
During an interview setting, what also needs to be considered apart from verbal cues?
- Bodily behaviour
- Eye behaviour
- Emotional tone
- Physiological responses
- General appearance
What does the interviewer have to consider about themselves during an interview?
- Bodily behaviour
- Facial expressions
- Voice-related behaviour
- Space between counsellor and client
- General presentation
What is important for the counsellor to remember about their interaction skills during an interview?
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
What is involved in the clinical treatment process?
Initial assessment Case formulation Treatment Planning Implement Plan Monitor Progress Prepare for closure Closure
What is involved in the initial assessment phase of clinical treatment?
Why have they come to see you? Gather relevant info from a variety of sources.
What is involved with case formulation of clinical treatment?
- Initial diagnosis
- What factors are contributing to current concerns?
What is involved in the treatment planning phase of clinical treatment?
- Evidence based treatment plan
- Concrete, specific goals
- Clear steps on how to achieve goals
What is involved with implementing a plan during the process of clinical treatment?
Talk through the plan and initiate
How may you monitor progress in clinical treatment?
- Look back and see how things have improved
How may closure be prepared for in clinical treatment?
- What happens when therapy ends?
- How to reduce the risk of relapse?
What is involved in closure in the clinical treatment process?
Provide advice on how to ensure continued wellbeing
What is important to be covered in the initial assessment with a client?
- Identify information
- General appearance and demeanor
- History related to problem
- Past psychiatric history
- Educational and job history
- Health
- Social/developmental history
- Family history
What is important about the sequence of obtaining information during an interview?
Start with least threatening topics to more sensitive topic
What is psychometrics?
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
What is psychological testing?
- Administering a test of some form, often a part of broader assessment.
- Tests can be scored and the scores can be interpreted
How can psychological tests be interpreted?
- 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)
What can tests be based on?
Self-report or performance based
What are some important things to consider when conducting a test?
- 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?
What factors need to be considered when deciding whether the test is appropriate for the person?
Age Gender Physical ability Norms Diagnostic
How may a good test be determined?
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?
What factors need to be considered when determining whether a test is being used appropriately?
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?
How may testing and culture effect testing?
- Language, experience, knowledge, beliefs may all influence performance
How may we prevent culture from hindering results?
- 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
