Running head: USING ASSESSMENT AS A THERAPEUTIC TOOL

Position Paper: Using Assessment as a Therapeutic Tool Ali Longstreet University of Calgary EDPS 616: Assessment Theory & Practices July 2, 2012

USING ASSESSMENT AS A THERAPEUTIC TOOL Using Assessment as a Therapeutic Tool The current document will examine the notion of using assessment as a therapeutic tool. The paper will begin with my beliefs regarding why the topic has been challenging, followed by a brief analysis of current research and thoughts in the area. Next, the paper will examine my conceptualization of the issue and how my experience in this course has challenged my preconceived notions regarding the topic. Lastly, I will discuss how the issue has challenged my ability to collaborate with clients and professionals, and will close with the creation of a professional plan to help me conceptualize and utilize the construct. To begin, the concept of using assessment as a therapeutic tool has been particularly interesting and challenging for me because of the mindset I had when I began the course and the current paper. Specifically, I believed that assessment involved a cold, distant relationship between assessor and assessee, leading to an anxiety-causing experience for the client. My negative bias toward assessment stemmed from my personal experience with testing. In addition, many psychologists share similar views regarding assessment, and place more emphasis on intervention in their practice (Finn & Tonsager, 1997). This has led to a crisis in psychological assessment, as assessment is being dismissed by clinicians and in educational programs (Finn & Tonsager, 1997). The notion that assessment can be therapeutic is new and exciting to me, which ultimately stimulated my interest to explore the topic further. A focus on therapeutic assessment may be what is necessary to restore interest in psychological assessment. Next, professional and personal challenges have resulted from my bias against assessment. I have dismissed client testing results as largely insignificant, and have been skeptical when reading psychological assessment reports. Personally, I have also avoided testing opportunities that may have increased my self-awareness. While I have had these challenges with assessment, I am aware of the importance of assessment in the counselling process and thus feel it necessary to challenge my views of assessment. Research and Current Thinking The use of testing in counselling has been less controversial than in other situations

USING ASSESSMENT AS A THERAPEUTIC TOOL involving selection and prediction (Hood & Johnson, 2007). Assessment in counselling, specifically in regards to testing, is believed to have great therapeutic benefit. First and foremost, counsellors use tests to assist clients in developing to their fullest potential (Hood & Johnson, 2007). Tests are designed to be used by the client, and only in the way in which the client would like to use, or not use, the results (Hood & Johnson, 2007). By identifying client strengths, test data can help the client and counsellor understand the client at a deeper level (Hood & Johnson, 2007). Testing can also foster a therapeutic relationship early in therapy and can initiate client change by providing a learning opportunity for the client (Macdonald, 2012). Finn and Tonsager (1997) coined the term therapeutic assessment (p. 377) to describe a semi-structured form of psychological assessment that was developed in the early 1990s. Therapeutic assessment differs from traditional types of assessment that emphasize diagnosis, treatment planning, and evaluation (Finn & Tonsager, 1997). Therapeutic assessment has the primary goal of facilitating positive client change, and achieves healing power by confirming certain views clients have of themselves, giving clients information about themselves, and allowing clients to feel understood and accepted (Finn & Tonsager, 1997). The model is also guided by a set of core values, including collaboration, humility, respect, compassion and openness (Finn, 2012). According to Finn (2009), the core values have healing potential as they meet the human desire to be seen, deeply understood, and accepted (p. 22). Therapeutic assessment is therefore considered to be both a therapeutic assessment process and a brief therapeutic intervention (Finn & Tonsager, 1997). Next, various research studies have indicated that therapeutic assessment results in greater therapeutic benefit when compared to traditional assessment processes. First, Finn and Tonsager (1992) conducted a study with a group of college students who were randomly assigned to either supportive nondirective counselling, or a brief therapeutic assessment. Following the intervention, students in the therapeutic assessment group reported increased self-esteem in comparison to the control group, and less distress than those in the control group at a two-week follow-up.

USING ASSESSMENT AS A THERAPEUTIC TOOL Also, Ackerman, Hilsenroth, Baity, and Blagys (2000) compared clients who received a therapeutic assessment with those who received a traditional psychological assessment. Clients who received a therapeutic assessment rated their sessions as more deep, vulnerable, and powerful, and their relationship with the assessor as more positive, than clients who received a traditional psychological assessment. Clients who received a therapeutic assessment were also more likely to complete the assessment and follow through with recommendations than were clients who received a traditional assessment. Lastly, Hilsenroth, Peters, and Ackerman (2004) found that in comparison to clients who received a traditional assessment, clients who received a therapeutic assessment formed a stronger therapeutic alliance with their assessors and with their counsellors in subsequent psychotherapy. While the previous studies appear to be promising, results must be interpreted with caution as many aspects of therapeutic assessment remain to be investigated (Finn & Tonsager, 1997). Personal Conceptualization of Using Assessment as a Therapeutic Tool I will now turn to an examination of my conceptualization of using assessment as a therapeutic tool. First, I have become aware of the importance of assessment from my experience working as an addictions counsellor. I have also become aware of the importance of encouraging therapeutic benefit in each and every encounter we have with a client, regardless of the initial purpose for the meeting. Because the number of sessions that a client attends can vary from several over many years to only one (Borbridge, 2012), it is necessary to provide clients with a therapeutic experience in the event that they do not return. In my opinion, we must ensure our clients always leave our office with a greater sense of self-esteem, self-awareness, and hope for the future.

USING ASSESSMENT AS A THERAPEUTIC TOOL The therapeutic assessment model parallels my belief that each and every client meeting should be therapeutic. The model also satisfies my desire to collaborate with my client, using empathy, compassion, and positive regard to learn as much as possible about their presenting concerns. The approach also satisfies my desire to remain flexible and non-directive, as it is my belief that more insight is gained from an adaptable approach when compared to a rigid approach. Most importantly, however, the model challenges my belief that assessment is always a cold, non-collaborative process that should be avoided. My Learning from this Course From this course, my preconceived notions regarding the weaknesses of psychological assessment have been challenged. From the course readings and those I found on the current topic, I have learned that assessment, and specifically testing, does not have to result in a negative experience for the client. With an awareness that testing can be positive and therapeutic, my desire to utilize tests and focus more on assessment procedures throughout counselling is strengthened. I have also learned that assessment and testing are not equivalent (Hood & Johnson, 2007). While testing is a type of assessment measure, it is not always a necessary part of the assessment process (Macdonald, 2012). Also, I am now aware that my bias was not against assessment, but rather, against testing. I have also realized that I have been regularly assessing my clients in my work as an addictions counsellor, however, without the awareness that I was conducting an assessment. I have learned that assessment can include various types of assessment measures, including interview, questionnaire, and behavioural observation (Hood & Johnson, 2007). I believe that my learning in this course will enable me to work more effectively as a counsellor, as I believe I am now more accepting and welcoming of psychological assessment. Collaborating with Clients and Professionals My personal bias with psychological testing has created difficulties in my ability to collaborate effectively with clients and other professionals. When receiving a psychological

USING ASSESSMENT AS A THERAPEUTIC TOOL assessment report from another professional for a client of mine, I have tended to dismiss its importance in the past. However, with the awareness that test results can be made therapeutic by identifying how the results can help the client achieve his or her goals, I believe I will now be more proactive in using test results for treatment planning purposes. Nonetheless, I have always been eager and motivated to discuss observation and interview types of assessment with clients and other professionals. I find it very interesting to discuss behavioural observation with other professionals, as it appears that client strengths and weaknesses can be conceptualized in various ways depending on the theoretical orientation and experience of the observer. Without the ability to collaborate effectively with other professionals, we are limiting our ability to fully understand our clients, and thus are limiting our ability to provide them with the best possible care. My Professional Course of Action I will now discuss a course of action that I will implement to help me conceptualize and utilize the tool of therapeutic assessment. In order to put more emphasis on the assessment process than I have in the past, I will follow the therapeutic assessment model created by Finn et al. (1997). Using this model, I will assess the clients primary concerns while simultaneously providing them with a therapeutic experience by being present and ensuring the client feels heard, understood and accepted. In the first session of therapeutic assessment, I will invite the client to generate questions with me that will help us determine what the client would like to learn about themselves (Finn, 2012). Testing will follow in the next session, followed by a discussion of the clients thoughts in regard to having taken the test (Finn, 2012). Additional assessment interventions will follow to further explore the information gathered from testing (Finn, 2012). Lastly, the assessment will conclude with a discussion of the implications of the results, collaborating with the client to determine if the results coincide with the clients own understanding (Finn, 2012). A written summary of the results is then given to the client (Finn, 2012). Once we have a clear idea of the presenting problem as determined by the therapeutic assessment process, the client and I would

USING ASSESSMENT AS A THERAPEUTIC TOOL then collaborate to determine the best method of intervention. In conclusion, therapeutic benefit derived from assessment begins with the purposeful actions of a skilled assessor. It is not the test or the assessment measure itself that generates a therapeutic experience for the client, rather, it is the way in which the assessor uses the assessment process to create a meaningful experience for the client. When we as counsellors and assessor are able to provide our clients with an assessment process that is both informative and therapeutic, our clients benefit immensely.

USING ASSESSMENT AS A THERAPEUTIC TOOL References Ackerman, S. J., Hilsenroth, M. J., Baity, M. R., & Blagys, M. D. (2000). Interaction of therapeutic process and alliance during psychological assessment. Journal of Personality Assessment, 75(1), 82-109. doi:10.1207/S15327752JPA7501_7 Borbridge, C. (2012, June 23). Re: Average number of counselling sessions attended by clients. [Online forum comment]. Retrieved from https://blackboard.ucalgary.ca/webapps/portal/frameset.jsp?tab_id=_2_1&url=%2fwebap ps%2fblackboard%2fexecute%2flauncher%3ftype%3dCourse%26id%3d_122506_1%26 url%3d Finn, S. E. (2009). The many faces of empathy in experiential, person-centered, collaborative assessment. Journal of Personality Assessment, 91(1), 20-23. doi: 10.1080/002238908 -02483391 Finn, S. E. (2012). Therapeutic assessment: Resources for clinicians, researchers and clients. Retrieved from: http://www.therapeuticassessment.com/ Finn, S. E., & Tonsager, M. E. (1992). Therapeutic effects of providing mmpi-2 test feedback to college students awaiting therapy. Psychological Assessment, 4(3), 278-287. Finn, S. E., & Tonsager, M. E. (1997). Information-gathering and therapeutic models of assessment: Complementary paradigms. Psychological Assessment, 9(4), 374-385. Hilsenroth, M. J., Peters, E. J., & Ackerman, S. J. (2004). The development of therapeutic alliance during psychological assessment: Patient and therapist perspectives across treatment. Journal of Personality Assessment, 83(3), 332-344. doi:10.1207/s15327752jp -a8303_14 Hood, A. B., & Johnson, R. W. (2007). Assessment in counselling: A guide to the use of psychological assessment procedures (4th ed.). Alexandria, VA: American Counseling Association. Macdonald, B. (2012). Week 2b: The role of assessment in counselling [Breeze Presentation]. Retrieved from EDPS 616: Assessment Theory & Practices Web site:

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