CHAPTER 1  May be conceived as a problem-solving

process that can take many different

Testing and Assessment
forms.
 1905 - Alfred Binet and a colleague published a  Psychological tests might be marshaled
test design to help place Paris school children in in the process of assessment,
appropriate classes. depending on the particular objectives,
 Was then used later on during WWI where the people, and circumstances involved as
military needed a way to screen large numbers well as on other variables unique to the
of recruits quickly for intellectual and emotional particular situation.
problems.
 During WWII, the military would depend even  Psychological Testing
more on psychological tests to screen recruits  The process of measuring psychology-
for service. related variables by means of devices or
procedures designed to obtain a sample
Psychological Testing and Assessment Defined of behavior.
 Testing Enterprise Testing Assessment
 Spawned more tests, test developers,
Typically, to obtain Typically, to answer
more test publishers, and more test some gauge, usually a referral question,
users. numerical in nature, solve a problem, or
Objective
with regard to an arrive at a decision
 Testing ability or attribute. through the use of
 Term used to refer to everything from tools of evaluation.
the administration of a test (“Testing in Testing may be Assessment is
progress”) to the interpretation of a individual or group in typically
test score (“The testing indicated nature. After test individualized. In
that…”). administration, the contrast to testing,
tester will typically assessment more
add up “the number typically focuses on
 Assessment Center Approach to Personnel
of correct answers or how an individual
Evaluation Process
the number of certain processes rather
 Using an innovative variety of types of responses… than simply the
evaluative tools along with data from with little if any regard results of that
the evaluations of highly trained for the how or processing.
assessors inspired by the OSS model. mechanics of such
 In many psychological evaluation contexts, content” (Maloney &
conducting an assessment requires greater Ward, 1976 p. 39)
education, training and skill than simply The tester is not key The assessor is the
administering a test. to the process; key to the process
practically speaking, of selecting tests/or
 Psychological Assessment one tester may be other tools of
Role of
 The gathering and integration of substituted for evaluation as well as
Evaluator
another tester in drawing
psychology-related data for the purpose
without appreciably conclusions from
of making a psychological evaluation
affecting the the entire
that is accomplished through the use of evaluation. evaluation.
tools such as tests, interviews, case Skill of Testing typically Assessment typically
studies, behavioral observation, and Evaluator requires technician- requires an
specially designed apparatuses and like skills in terms of educated selection
measurement procedures. administering and of tools of
scoring a test as well evaluation, and
as in interpreting a thoughtful
 test result. organization and  Ecological Monetary Assessment
integration of data. (EMA)
Typically, testing Typically,  Refers to the “in the moment”
yields a test score or assessment entails a evaluation of specific problems
series of test scores. logical problem- and related cognitive and
solving approach behavioral variables at the very
Outcome that brings to bear time and place that they occur.
many sources of
 Has been used to tackle diverse
data designed to
clinical problems including
shed light on a
referral question. PTSD, problematic smoking, and
chronic abdominal pain in
children.
Varieties of Assessment
The Process of Assessment
 The term assessment may be modified in a
seemingly endless number of ways, referring to 1. Begins with a referral for assessment from a
a particular variety or area of assessment. source such as a teacher, school psychologist,
 Therapeutic Psychological Assessment counselor, judge, clinician, or corporate human
 Refers to the assessment that resource specialist.
has a therapeutic component to  Typically, one or more referral
it. questions are put to the assessor about
 Educational Assessment the assessee “Can this child function in
 Refers to the use of tests and a general education environment?”, “Is
other tools to evaluate abilities this defendant competent to stand
and skills relevant to the trial?”, “How well can this employee be
success or failure in a school or expected to perform if promoted to an
pre-school context. executive position?”
 Intelligence test, achievement 2. The assessor may meet with the assessee or
tests, and reading others before the formal assessment in order to
comprehension tests are some clarify aspects of the reason for referral.
of the evaluative tools that may 3. The assessor prepares for the assessment by
spring to mind with the selecting the tools of assessment to be used.
mention of the term 4. Subsequent to the selection of the instruments
“educational assessment”. or procedures to be employed, the formal
 Retrospective Assessment assessment will begin.
 The use of evaluative tools to 5. After the assessment, the assessor writes a
draw conclusions about report of the findings that is designed to answer
psychological aspects of a the referral question.
person as they existed at some 6. More feedback sessions with the assessee
point in time prior to the and/or interested third parties (assessee’s
assessment. parents and the referring professional) may also
 Remote Assessment be scheduled.
 Refers to the use of tools of Different Approaches of Assessment
psychological evaluation to
gather data and draw 1. Collaborative Psychological Assessment
conclusions about a subject  The assessor and assessee may work as
who is not in physical proximity “partners” from initial contact through
to the person or people final feedback.
conducting the evaluation.
  One variety of collaborative assessment  A psychological test almost always
includes an element of therapy as part involves analysis of a sample of
of the process. behavior.
 The behavior sample could be elicited
by the stimulus of the test itself, or it
could be naturally occurring behavior
(observed by the assessor in real time
2. Therapeutic Psychological Assessment as it occurs, or recorded).
 Therapeutic self-discovery and new
understandings are encouraged
throughout the assessment process.
 Content (Subject Matter)
 Varies with the focus of the of the
3. Dynamic Assessment
particular test.
 Refers to an interactive approach to
 Different test developers come to the
psychological assessment that usually
test development process with different
that usually follows a model of (1)
theoretical orientations.
evaluation, (2) intervention of some
 Format
sort, (3) evaluation.
 Pertains to the form, plan, structure,
 The term dynamic may suggest that a
arrangement, and layout of test items
psychodynamic or psychoanalytic
as well as to related considerations such
approach to assessment is being
as time limits.
applied.
 Also used to refer to the form in which
 But as used in the present context,
a test is administered: computerized,
dynamic is used to describe the
pencil-and-paper, or some other form.
interactive, changing, or varying nature
 Also used to denote the form or
if the assessment.
structure of other evaluative tools and
 In essence, dynamic assessment
processes, such as the guidelines for
provides a means for evaluating how
creating a portfolio work sample.
the assessee processes or benefits from
 Administration Procedures
some type of intervention (feedback,
 Guidelines are a set of policies and
hints, instruction, therapy, and so forth)
procedures that outline how
during the course of evaluation.
standardized assessments should be
The Tools of Psychological Assessment distributed and administered.
 Score
 Test
 A code or summary statement, usually
 A measuring device or procedure.
but not necessarily numerical in nature,
 When the word test is prefaced with a
that reflects an evaluation of
modifier, it refers to a device or
performance on a test, interview, or
procedure designed to measure a
some other sample of behavior.
variable related to that modifier (e.g.,
 Scoring
medical test)
 Is the process of assigning such
 Psychological Test
evaluative codes or statements to
 Refers to a device or procedure
performance on tests, tasks, interviews,
designed to measure variables related
or other behavior samples.
to psychology (such as intelligence,
 Cut Score / Cutoff Score
personality, aptitude, interests,
 Is a reference point, usually numerical,
attitudes, or values).
derived by judgement and used to
divide a set of data into two or more
classifications.
  May be used in grading, or making  May be used to help professionals in
decisions about the class or program to human resources to make more
which children will be assigned. informed recommendations about the
 Used by employers as aids to decision hiring, firing, and advancement of
making about personnel hiring, personnel.
placement, and advancement.  Interviewing in the context of clinical
 Psychometric Soundness and counseling settings, has its
 Technical Quality objective not only the gathering of
information from the interviewee, but a
targeted change in the interviewee’s
 Psychometrics thinking and behavior.
 The science of psychological  Panel Interview (Board Interview)
measurement.  More than one interviewer participates
 Variants of these words include the in the assessment.
adjective psychometric (which refers to  A presumed advantage of this
measurement that is psychological in personnel assessment technique is that
nature) and the nouns psychometrist any idiosyncratic biases of a lone
and psychometrician (both terms interviewer will be minimized (Dipboye,
referring to a professional who uses, 1992).
analyzes, and interprets psychological  Motivational Interviewing
test data.)  A therapeutic dialogue that combines
 Psychometric Soundness of a Test person-centered listening skills such as
 How consistently and how accurately openness and empathy, with the use of
psychological test measures what it cognition -altering techniques designed
purports to measure. to positively affect motivation and
 Psychometric Utility effect therapeutic change.
 Refers to the usefulness or practical  Portfolio
value that a test or other tool of  Samples of one’s ability and
assessment has for a practical purpose. accomplishment.
 Interview  May be used as a tool of evaluation.
 Used as a tool for psychological  Case History Data
assessment.  Refers to records, transcripts, and other
 A method of gathering information accounts in written, pictorial, or other
through direct communication involving form that preserve archival information,
reciprocal exchange official and informal accounts, and
 Interviewer is taking note both of verbal other data and items relevant to an
and nonverbal behavior (body language, assessee.
movements, and facial expressions in  May include files or excerpts from files
response to the interviewer, the extent maintained at institutions and agencies
of eye contact, apparent willingness to such as schools, hospitals, employers,
cooperate, and general reactions to the religious institutions, and criminal
demands of the interview.) justice agencies.
 Differ with regard to many variables,
such as their purpose, length, and
nature.
 May be used by psychologists in various
specialty areas to help make diagnosis,
treatment, selection, or other decisions.