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Introduction to
Psychological
Assessment
Bill Chislev Jeff J. Cabrera, RPm
College of Arts and Sciences

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Testing and Assessment Defined

Testing: The process of measuring psychology-

related variables by means of devices or
procedures designed to obtain a sample of
behavior.
Assessment: The gathering and integration of
psychology-related data for the purpose of making
a psychological evaluation through tools such as
tests, interviews, case studies, behavioral
observation, and other methods.
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Cohen, R. J., Swerdlik, M. E., & Phillips, S. M. (2018).

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Cohen, R. J., Swerdlik, M. E., & Phillips, S. M. (2018).

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Testing and Assessment

Collaborative Psychological Assessment:

The assessor and assessee work as
partners.

Therapeutic Psychological Assessment:

Therapeutic self-discovery is encouraged
through the assessment process.

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Dynamic Assessment

Evaluation

Dynamic assessment is typically

employed in educational settings
Intervention but also may be used in corporate,
neuropsychological, clinical, and
other settings

Evaluation 1-6

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What is a test?

u A measurement device or technique used to quantify

behavior or aid in the understanding and prediction of
behavior
u When the word test is prefaced with a modifier, it refers to
a device or procedure designed to measure a variable
related to that modifier.
u In a like manner, psychological test refers to a device or
procedure designed to measure variables related to
psychology.

The Test
u A psychological test is a device or procedure designed
to measure variables related to psychology (e.g.,
intelligence, attitudes, personality, interests, etc.).

u Psychological tests vary by content, format,

administration, scoring, interpretation, and technical
quality

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Psychological Tests
Content: The subject matter of the test.
Content depends on the theoretical
orientation of test developers and the
unique way in which they define the
construct of interest.
Format: The form, plan, structure, layout
of test items, and other considerations
(e.g., time limits).
Administration: Tests may require certain
tasks to be performed, trained
observation of performance, or little
involvement by the test administrators
(e.g., self-report questionnaires).
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Psychological Tests

Scoring and Interpretation: Scoring of tests may be simple,

such as summing responses to items, or may require more
elaborate procedures.
u Some tests results can be interpreted easily, or interpreted
by computer, whereas other tests require expertise for
proper interpretation.
Cut Score: A reference point, usually numerical, used to
divide data into two or more classifications (e.g., pass or
fail).
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Psychological Tests

Technical Quality or Psychometric Soundness:

Psychometrics is the science of psychological
measurement. The psychometric soundness of a test
depends on how consistently and accurately the test
measures what it purports to measure.
u Test users are sometimes referred to as
psychometrists or psychometricians.

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Types of tests
u Individual test vs Group test
u Achievement test : refers to previous learning
u Aptitude test: the potential for learning or acquiring a specific skill
u Intelligence tests: refers to a person’s general potential to solve
problems, adapt to changing circumstances, think abstractly and
benefit from experience.
u Personality tests: the tendency of a person to show a particular
behavior in a given situation
u Structured personality tests: the subject has to choose between
2 or more alternative responses
u Projective personality tests: the stimulus or the required
response are ambiguous.

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Uses of Psychological Tests

u Assessment needs in education

u Intelligence testing
u Classification of students as to their ability to profit
from instruction
u Identification of fast or slow learners
u Educational and occupational counseling

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Uses of Psychological Tests

u Assessment needs in education

u Selection and classification of industrial personnel
u Individual counseling
u Research and data gathering

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Psychological Assessment

u The process psychologists use to collect and evaluate

information in order to make diagnoses, plan
treatment, and predict behavior
u Involves an evaluation of an individual’s strengths and
weaknesses, a conceptualization of the problem at
hand (with etiological factors), and some prescription
for alleviating the problem that leads us to a better
understanding of the client

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u May include clinical interviews, reviewing past

records, observing behavior, and administering
psychological tests
u Measure cognitive, behavioral, personality, family, biological
factors
u Psychological testing involves specific assessment
techniques utilizing reliable and valid testing
instruments that enable the psychologist to compare
individual scores with the scores obtained from
normative samples

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u Assessing an individual’s psychological make-

up in a course of a few meetings is a
formidable undertaking
u Challenge: hone the ability to access, identify,
describe, and meaningfully integrate an
individual’s mind and emotions

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Clinical Assessment Process

• Self, parent, professional, school or

Referral company

• Intake interview: demographics and

Presenting
Problem
history of problem

• Problem Identification:
Planning
and Interview, Observation, Testing &
Data
Collection
Documents

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• Integrate data from various

Data assessment techniques
Interpretation

• Making sense of the integrated data

Case by using a psychological framework
Formulation

• Test Results, Formulation, Diagnosis,

Written and Oral
Communication Prognosis and RECOMMENDATIONS
of Findings

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The Referral

u Where the assessment process

begins
u Begins with a referral question
and a good understanding of what
is being sought
u Do clinicians have a choice to
decline or change the nature of a
referral?

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The process of assessment

u Referral for assessment; teacher, school psychologist,

counselor, judge, clinician, corporate human resource
specialist.
u Use of tests and other tools
u Report writing

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The Interview

The interview is a method of

gathering information through
direct communication
involving reciprocal exchange

Interviews vary as to their

purpose, length and nature

The quality of information obtained in an interview often depends on

the skills of the interviewer (e.g. their pacing, rapport, and their ability
to convey genuineness, empathy, and humor) 1-25

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Other Tools of Psychological Assessment

The Portfolio: A file containing the products of one’s work.

May serve as a sample of one’s abilities and accomplishments

Case History Data: Information preserved in records,

transcripts, or other forms.

Behavioral Observation: Monitoring the actions of people

through visual or electronic means

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Other Tools of Psychological Assessment

Role-Play Tests: Assessees are directed to act as if

they were in a particular situation. Useful in
evaluating various skills.

Computers as Tools: Computers

can assist in test administration,
scoring, and interpretation.

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Computers as Tools Contd.

u Scoring may be done on-site (local processing) or at

a central location (central processing).
u Reports may come in the form of a simple scoring
report, extended scoring report, interpretive report,
consultative report, or integrative report.
u Computer Assisted Psychological Assessment (CAPA)
and Computer Adaptive Testing (CAT) have allowed
for tailor-made tests with built-in scoring and
interpretive capabilities.
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Computers as Tools Contd.

u Assessment is increasingly conducted via the internet.

Advantages of Internet Testing

1) Greater access to potential test-users
2) Scoring and interpretation tends to be quicker
3) Costs tend to be lower
4) Facilitates testing otherwise isolated populations
and people with disabilities
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Who, What, Why, How, and Where?

Who Are the Parties?

The test developer – tests are created for research
studies, publication (as commercially available
instruments), or as modifications of existing tests.
u The Standards for Educational and Psychological
Testing covers issues related to test construction and
evaluation, test administration and use, special
applications of tests and considerations for linguistic
minorities.
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Who are the Parties?

u The test user – Tests are used by a wide range of

professionals
u The Standards contains guidelines for who should be
administering psychological tests, but many countries
have no ethical or legal guidelines for test use
The test-taker – Anyone who is the subject of an
assessment or evaluation is a test-taker.
u Test-takers may differ on a number of variables at the
time of testing (e.g. test anxiety, emotional distress,
physical discomfort, alertness, etc.)
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Who are the Parties?

Society at large – Test developers create tests to meet

the needs of an evolving society.
u Laws and court decisions may play a major role in test
development, administration, and interpretation.
Other parties - Organizations, companies, and
governmental agencies sponsor the development of
tests.
u Companies may offer test scoring and interpretation
u Researchers may review tests and evaluate their
psychometric soundness
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What Types of Settings?

Educational settings:
Students typically undergo
school ability tests and
achievement tests.
Diagnostic tests may be used
to identify areas for
educational intervention .

Educators may also make informal evaluations of their students

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What Types of Settings?

Clinical settings: Includes hospitals, inpatient and

outpatient clinics, private-practice consulting rooms,
schools, and other institutions.
u Assessment tools are used to help screen for or
diagnose behavior problems.
Counseling settings: Includes schools, prisons, and
governmental or privately owned institutions.
u The goal of assessments in this setting is
improvements in adjustment, productivity, or related
variable.
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What Types of Settings?

Geriatric settings: Assessment primarily evaluates

cognitive, psychological, adaptive, or other functioning. At
issue is quality of life.
Business and military settings: Decisions regarding careers
of personnel are made with a variety of achievement,
aptitude, interest, motivational, and other tests.
Government and organizational credentialing: Includes
governmental licensing, certification, or general
credentialing of professionals (e.g. attorneys, physicians,
and psychologists)

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How are Assessments Conducted?

u There are many different methods used.

u Ethical testers have responsibilities before, during, and
after testing.
Obligations include:
u familiarity with test materials and procedures
u ensuring that the room in which the test will be conducted
is suitable and conducive to the testing
u It is important to establish rapport during test
administration. Rapport can be defined as a working
relationship between the examiner and the examinee.
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Assessment of People with Disabilities

u The law mandates “alternate

assessment” – The definition of this is
up to states or school districts

• Accommodations need to be made – the

adaptation of a test, procedure, or
situation, or the substitution of one test
for another, to make the assessment more
suitable for an assessee with exceptional
needs
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Where to go for Information on Tests

• Test catalogues - catalogues distributed by publishers of

tests. Usually brief, and un-critical, descriptions of tests.
• Test manuals - Detailed information concerning the
development of a particular test and technical
information.
• Reference volumes – reference volumes like the Mental
Measurements Yearbook or Tests in Print provide detailed
information on many tests.
• Journal articles - contain reviews of a test, updated or
independent studies of its psychometric soundness, or
examples of how the instrument was used in either
research or an applied context.
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Where to go for Information on Tests

u Online databases - Educational Resources Information

Center (ERIC) contains a wealth of resources and news
about tests, testing, and assessment. There are abstracts
of articles, original articles, and links to other useful
websites.
u The American Psychological Association (APA) has a number
of databases including PsycINFO, ClinPSYC, PsycARTICLES,
and PsycSCAN.
u Other sources - Directory of Unpublished Experimental
Mental Measures and Tests in Microfiche. Also, university
libraries provide access to online databases such as
PsycINFO and full-text articles..
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