PSYCHOLOGICAL ASSESSMENT

 Tests - are measurement devices or techniques used to quantify behavior, to aid in the
understanding and prediction of behavior
 ITEM is a specific stimulus to which a person responds overtly; can be evaluated or scored.
 A PSYCHOLOGICAL TEST or educational test is a set of items that is designed to measure
characteristics of human beings that pertain to behavior.

TYPES OF TESTS


*INDIVIDUAL TESTS – one is to one ;

* GROUP TESTS: can be administered to more than one person at a given time by a single examiner.

CATEGORIES OF TESTS :according to the type of behavior that they

measure ALL THREE (achievement, aptitude, intelligence) are highly interrelated- NO clear-cut
distinction
Different types of ability
 ACHIEVEMENT: refers to previous learning
 APTITUDE: potential for learning or acquiring a specific skill (given a certain amount of
training, education or experience)
 INTELLIGENCE: refers to a person’s general potential to solve problems, adapt to changing
circumstances, think abstractly and profit from experience individual.: measure TYPICAL
behaviors.

PERSONALITY TESTS: are related to the overt and covert DISPOSITIONS of the

TYPES OF PERSONALITY TESTS

 STRUCTURED PERSONALITY TESTS: provide a statement, usually of a “self-report” variety

and require the subject to choose between 2 or more alternative responses.
 PROJECTIVE PERSONALITY TESTS: UNstructured; either the stimulus (of the test) or the
response – or both-- are AMBIGUOUS. , SPONTANEOUS response is required of the test
takers
o assumes that a person’s interpretation of an ambiguous stimulus will reflect his or
her unique characteristics.

PSYCHOLOGICAL ASSESSMENT refers to all possible uses, applications and underlying concepts of
psychological and educational tests.

Ethical Issues in Assessment

 Referral Question
 Who is/are the client/s?
 Who’s taking the test?
 Who’s reading the results?
 Who’s paying for the test?
 Practice Integrity and be clear about your goals
 Elements of the Informed Consent
 Information
 Understanding
 Voluntariness
 Evaluator Competency
 Training and Education

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 PSYCHOLOGICAL ASSESSMENT

 Test Levels
 Level A
 Level B
 Level C
 Licensing
 Test purchase issues
 Assessment Tools
 Availability
 Appropriateness
 Are the tests aligned with your assessment goals?
 Tool Modifications
 Language Barriers and Translations
 Norms
 Examiner’s Obligations
 Data Collection Phase
 Testing Conditions
 Test environment
 Presence of a third-party
 Feedback
 Report Writing
 Proper Record Keeping