Introduction to Assessment:
UNIT 1 INTRODUCTION TO ASSESSMENT: Definition, Description and
Differentiating Between
DEFINITION, DESCRIPTION AND Testing and Assessment
DIFFERENTIATING BETWEEN
TESTING AND ASSESSMENT
Structure
1.0 Introduction
1.1 Objectives
1.2 Meaning of Psychological Assessment
1.3 Purpose of Assessment
1.4 Principle of Assessment
1.5 Process of Assessment
1.6 Methods of Assessment
1.6.1 The Interview Method
1.6.2 Observation Method
1.6.3 Case Study Method
1.7 Meaning of Psychological Testing
1.7.1 Difference between Psychological Assessment and Psychological Testing
1.8 Purpose of Psychological Testing
1.9 Characteristics of a Good Psychological Test
1.10 Types of Psychological Tests
1.11 Let Us Sum Up
1.12 Unit End Questions
1.13 Glossary
1.14 Suggested Readings
1.0 INTRODUCTION
Assessment is the process of collecting information with regard to abilities,
interest, aptitude, personality, attitude and beliefs. It is an integral part of day to
day life, and is one of the important work of the counselor. Without assessment
the counselor can not reach any conclusion; so it is a basic step to get information
related to the client. For psychological assessment in counseling the counselor
uses various assessment techniques for which the most known is the standardized
tools named as psychological test to assess clients’ behaviour. Formal assessment
is planed and is based on certain predetermined criteria whereas some assessment
techniques are non standardized such as case study, interview, observation etc.
In this unit you’ll know the principles, purpose and methods of assessment, the
difference between psychological assessment and testing, and different types of
psychological tests.
5
,Introduction
1.1 OBJECTIVES
After going through this unit, you will be able to:
• Describe the meaning of psychological assessment;
• Differentiate between psychological assessment and psychological testing;
• Describe the purposes for which psychological assessment is used;
• List out the important principles of assessment;
• Describe the different methods of assessment;
• Select a good psychological test; and
• Describe the different types of psychological tests.
1.2 MEANING OF PSYCHOLOGICAL
ASSESSMENT
Let us first define the term assessment. It can be defined as “the use of standards
or systematic procedure for observing our behaviour.” Assessment describes the
status of a phenomenon at a particular time; it describes without value judgment
a situation that prevails; it attempts no explanation of underlying reasons and
makes no recommendations for action. It may deal with prevailing opinion,
knowledge, practice, or conditions. The definition of assessment for our purpose
can be the process of collecting information to be used as the basis for informed
decision by the assessor or by those to whom results are communicated.
Psychological assessment usually involves a more comprehensive assessment
of the individual. This process of assessment makes use of psychological tests or
other qualitative method. Therefore, it is a process of collecting information
which can be formal, informal, qualitative and quantitative.
Psychological assessment is a process that involves the integration of information
from multiple sources, such as tests related to ability, intelligence, interests or
attitudes, as well as information from personal interviews. Collateral information
is also collected about personal, occupational, or medical history, such as from
records or from interviews with parents, spouses, teachers, or previous therapists
or physicians. Moreover the psychological assessment is a structured interview
that gathers information from and/or tests a person to evaluate his or her mental
health. It is “an extremely complex process of solving problems (answering
questions) in which psychological tests are often used as one of the methods of
collecting relevant data” (Anastasi, 1990).
The psychological assessment gathers information about the individual to provide
him/her guidance and counseling. It is the first step in any guidance and
counseling situation. The process typically starts with a key complaint or
presenting problem—this is usually what prompts the person to seek help. A
complete psychological assessment should include: bio psychosocial history,
neurological assessment, psychological testing and physical examination.
Once it is completed, the assessment will help to establish either a tentative or
definitive diagnosis. With this information, the counselor can inform to the client
about the results, and psycho therapy/counseling can be given.
6
,Thus, a psychological assessment is the attempt of a skilled professional, usually Introduction to Assessment:
Definition, Description and
a psychologist, to use the techniques and tools of psychology to learn either Differentiating Between
general or specific facts about another person, either to inform others of how Testing and Assessment
they function now, or to predict their behaviour and functioning in the future.
Maloney and Ward describe assessment as follows. It
1) Typically does not involve defined procedures or steps
2) Frequently uses tests
3) Contributes to some decision process to some problem, often by redefining
the problem, breaking the problem down into smaller pieces, or highlighting
some part(s) of the problem
4) Requires the examiner to consider, evaluate, and integrate the data
5) Produces results that can not be evaluated solely on psychometric grounds
6) Is less routine and inflexible, more individualised.
The point of assessment is often diagnosis or classification. These are the act of
placing a person in a strictly or loosely defined category of people. This allows
us to quickly understand what they are like in general, and to assess the presence
of other relevant characteristics based upon people similar to them.
Assessments can be both process and product oriented. Process-oriented
assessments do not necessarily produce a finished product; they are primarily
tools used to guide ongoing relationships to direct activities and plans. Of course,
assessments frequently overlap in their nature and purpose. Product-oriented
assessments are assessments that result in the creation of a report or document.
For example, a medical history is required when patients are hospitalized and
mental status examinations and their results concerning emotional and cognitive
functioning are documented.
1.3 PURPOSE OF ASSESSMENT
The purposes of assessment in guidance and counseling situation are as follows:
1) Self Understanding: The basic purpose of carrying out an assessment is
for gaining insight in helping the client understand themselves better, helping
them to know what they can do and cannot do including their strengths and
weaknesses.
2) To Diagnose Student’s Problem: To diagnose the client’s problem is another
purpose that assessment data fulfills .By using the data properly, we can
interpret causal factors. It also helps to identify various aspects such as family
background, physical health, academic performance etc
3) To Help in Career Planning and Education: Assessment done with the
help of various psychological tools guides the students in making choices
for their career and selection of subjects/courses.
4) To Help Predict the Future Performance: Counselors use assessment data
to estimate individual’s attitude, ability, personality, etc that have implication
for the success and adjustment which help to predict the future performance
of the individual. Moreover, the counselor can also motivate the client in a
direction where he /she can get more success. 7
, Introduction 5) To Evaluate the Outcome of Counseling: Assessment is done prior to
counselling as well as at the end of it. This gives the counselor valuable
insights for further intervention and to achieve the expected outcome.
1.4 PRINCIPLE OF ASSESSMENT
The principles of assessment have been given by Shertzer and Linden which
states that assessment should be Holistic, Ongoing, Balanced, Accurate and
Confidential. These are explained below.
1) Assessment should be Holistic: This principle involves multiple methods
in collecting information. The use of a combination of assessment techniques
increases the likelihood of applying positive intervention and consequently
the achievement of the desired goals. The principle of holistic assessment
follows a systematic process to arrive at an understanding of the individual.
To make the assessment process more systematic a counselor needs to keep
in mind three important factors i.e. What to assess, when to assess and in
which state of assessing is required.
Assessment should be within the context of life pattern of the individual,
i.e., supportive information regarding other aspects of the person need also
to be considered to better understand the problem. For example, a student
may experience difficulty in school due to limited academic preparation.
However, it may not be the only factor; other factor such as self esteem
which might not be evident, but could influence the academic achievement
of the students.
Assessment measures and procedures must be based on the demands of the
situation. The selection of the tool and procedure to be used will depend on
the demands of the presented situation. Therefore, first the basic data should
be collected and examined before obtaining information on the supporting
factors through administering different tests.
Special condition and situation for understanding client’s behaviour should
also be given due consideration in the process of assessment. In addition to
this the counselor should also keep in mind the capacity, motivation and
other aspects related to client’s behaviour while assessing. The counselor
should be alert to behaviour which is observable through nonverbal cues.
Nonverbal behaviour shows many hints which can be noted through body
posture, facial expressions, hand movements etc. of the client .
In holistic assessment it is necessary for the counselor to know the culture
and the social context of the client, as it can explain the nature and personality
of the client. Different characteristics of the client such as self reliance,
assertiveness, competiveness and adjustment with the group members can
be understood in the context of the client’s cultural context.
2) Assessment should be on Going: Ongoing assessment allows comparison
between the client’s initial present problems and the client’s current
functioning. It appraises the counselor of possible new and urgent needs
which may arise after the initial assessment, therefore psychological
assessment must take into account the dynamics nature of the human
behaviour which involves his/her needs, goals, abilities etc.
8
UNIT 1 INTRODUCTION TO ASSESSMENT: Definition, Description and
Differentiating Between
DEFINITION, DESCRIPTION AND Testing and Assessment
DIFFERENTIATING BETWEEN
TESTING AND ASSESSMENT
Structure
1.0 Introduction
1.1 Objectives
1.2 Meaning of Psychological Assessment
1.3 Purpose of Assessment
1.4 Principle of Assessment
1.5 Process of Assessment
1.6 Methods of Assessment
1.6.1 The Interview Method
1.6.2 Observation Method
1.6.3 Case Study Method
1.7 Meaning of Psychological Testing
1.7.1 Difference between Psychological Assessment and Psychological Testing
1.8 Purpose of Psychological Testing
1.9 Characteristics of a Good Psychological Test
1.10 Types of Psychological Tests
1.11 Let Us Sum Up
1.12 Unit End Questions
1.13 Glossary
1.14 Suggested Readings
1.0 INTRODUCTION
Assessment is the process of collecting information with regard to abilities,
interest, aptitude, personality, attitude and beliefs. It is an integral part of day to
day life, and is one of the important work of the counselor. Without assessment
the counselor can not reach any conclusion; so it is a basic step to get information
related to the client. For psychological assessment in counseling the counselor
uses various assessment techniques for which the most known is the standardized
tools named as psychological test to assess clients’ behaviour. Formal assessment
is planed and is based on certain predetermined criteria whereas some assessment
techniques are non standardized such as case study, interview, observation etc.
In this unit you’ll know the principles, purpose and methods of assessment, the
difference between psychological assessment and testing, and different types of
psychological tests.
5
,Introduction
1.1 OBJECTIVES
After going through this unit, you will be able to:
• Describe the meaning of psychological assessment;
• Differentiate between psychological assessment and psychological testing;
• Describe the purposes for which psychological assessment is used;
• List out the important principles of assessment;
• Describe the different methods of assessment;
• Select a good psychological test; and
• Describe the different types of psychological tests.
1.2 MEANING OF PSYCHOLOGICAL
ASSESSMENT
Let us first define the term assessment. It can be defined as “the use of standards
or systematic procedure for observing our behaviour.” Assessment describes the
status of a phenomenon at a particular time; it describes without value judgment
a situation that prevails; it attempts no explanation of underlying reasons and
makes no recommendations for action. It may deal with prevailing opinion,
knowledge, practice, or conditions. The definition of assessment for our purpose
can be the process of collecting information to be used as the basis for informed
decision by the assessor or by those to whom results are communicated.
Psychological assessment usually involves a more comprehensive assessment
of the individual. This process of assessment makes use of psychological tests or
other qualitative method. Therefore, it is a process of collecting information
which can be formal, informal, qualitative and quantitative.
Psychological assessment is a process that involves the integration of information
from multiple sources, such as tests related to ability, intelligence, interests or
attitudes, as well as information from personal interviews. Collateral information
is also collected about personal, occupational, or medical history, such as from
records or from interviews with parents, spouses, teachers, or previous therapists
or physicians. Moreover the psychological assessment is a structured interview
that gathers information from and/or tests a person to evaluate his or her mental
health. It is “an extremely complex process of solving problems (answering
questions) in which psychological tests are often used as one of the methods of
collecting relevant data” (Anastasi, 1990).
The psychological assessment gathers information about the individual to provide
him/her guidance and counseling. It is the first step in any guidance and
counseling situation. The process typically starts with a key complaint or
presenting problem—this is usually what prompts the person to seek help. A
complete psychological assessment should include: bio psychosocial history,
neurological assessment, psychological testing and physical examination.
Once it is completed, the assessment will help to establish either a tentative or
definitive diagnosis. With this information, the counselor can inform to the client
about the results, and psycho therapy/counseling can be given.
6
,Thus, a psychological assessment is the attempt of a skilled professional, usually Introduction to Assessment:
Definition, Description and
a psychologist, to use the techniques and tools of psychology to learn either Differentiating Between
general or specific facts about another person, either to inform others of how Testing and Assessment
they function now, or to predict their behaviour and functioning in the future.
Maloney and Ward describe assessment as follows. It
1) Typically does not involve defined procedures or steps
2) Frequently uses tests
3) Contributes to some decision process to some problem, often by redefining
the problem, breaking the problem down into smaller pieces, or highlighting
some part(s) of the problem
4) Requires the examiner to consider, evaluate, and integrate the data
5) Produces results that can not be evaluated solely on psychometric grounds
6) Is less routine and inflexible, more individualised.
The point of assessment is often diagnosis or classification. These are the act of
placing a person in a strictly or loosely defined category of people. This allows
us to quickly understand what they are like in general, and to assess the presence
of other relevant characteristics based upon people similar to them.
Assessments can be both process and product oriented. Process-oriented
assessments do not necessarily produce a finished product; they are primarily
tools used to guide ongoing relationships to direct activities and plans. Of course,
assessments frequently overlap in their nature and purpose. Product-oriented
assessments are assessments that result in the creation of a report or document.
For example, a medical history is required when patients are hospitalized and
mental status examinations and their results concerning emotional and cognitive
functioning are documented.
1.3 PURPOSE OF ASSESSMENT
The purposes of assessment in guidance and counseling situation are as follows:
1) Self Understanding: The basic purpose of carrying out an assessment is
for gaining insight in helping the client understand themselves better, helping
them to know what they can do and cannot do including their strengths and
weaknesses.
2) To Diagnose Student’s Problem: To diagnose the client’s problem is another
purpose that assessment data fulfills .By using the data properly, we can
interpret causal factors. It also helps to identify various aspects such as family
background, physical health, academic performance etc
3) To Help in Career Planning and Education: Assessment done with the
help of various psychological tools guides the students in making choices
for their career and selection of subjects/courses.
4) To Help Predict the Future Performance: Counselors use assessment data
to estimate individual’s attitude, ability, personality, etc that have implication
for the success and adjustment which help to predict the future performance
of the individual. Moreover, the counselor can also motivate the client in a
direction where he /she can get more success. 7
, Introduction 5) To Evaluate the Outcome of Counseling: Assessment is done prior to
counselling as well as at the end of it. This gives the counselor valuable
insights for further intervention and to achieve the expected outcome.
1.4 PRINCIPLE OF ASSESSMENT
The principles of assessment have been given by Shertzer and Linden which
states that assessment should be Holistic, Ongoing, Balanced, Accurate and
Confidential. These are explained below.
1) Assessment should be Holistic: This principle involves multiple methods
in collecting information. The use of a combination of assessment techniques
increases the likelihood of applying positive intervention and consequently
the achievement of the desired goals. The principle of holistic assessment
follows a systematic process to arrive at an understanding of the individual.
To make the assessment process more systematic a counselor needs to keep
in mind three important factors i.e. What to assess, when to assess and in
which state of assessing is required.
Assessment should be within the context of life pattern of the individual,
i.e., supportive information regarding other aspects of the person need also
to be considered to better understand the problem. For example, a student
may experience difficulty in school due to limited academic preparation.
However, it may not be the only factor; other factor such as self esteem
which might not be evident, but could influence the academic achievement
of the students.
Assessment measures and procedures must be based on the demands of the
situation. The selection of the tool and procedure to be used will depend on
the demands of the presented situation. Therefore, first the basic data should
be collected and examined before obtaining information on the supporting
factors through administering different tests.
Special condition and situation for understanding client’s behaviour should
also be given due consideration in the process of assessment. In addition to
this the counselor should also keep in mind the capacity, motivation and
other aspects related to client’s behaviour while assessing. The counselor
should be alert to behaviour which is observable through nonverbal cues.
Nonverbal behaviour shows many hints which can be noted through body
posture, facial expressions, hand movements etc. of the client .
In holistic assessment it is necessary for the counselor to know the culture
and the social context of the client, as it can explain the nature and personality
of the client. Different characteristics of the client such as self reliance,
assertiveness, competiveness and adjustment with the group members can
be understood in the context of the client’s cultural context.
2) Assessment should be on Going: Ongoing assessment allows comparison
between the client’s initial present problems and the client’s current
functioning. It appraises the counselor of possible new and urgent needs
which may arise after the initial assessment, therefore psychological
assessment must take into account the dynamics nature of the human
behaviour which involves his/her needs, goals, abilities etc.
8
