Class notes psychology

Psychology Assessment Guide Notes


1. Introduction to Psychological Assessment

 Definition: A structured process of gathering information to understand a person’s
cognitive, emotional, behavioral, and personality functioning.
 Purpose:
o Diagnosis
o Treatment planning
o Educational placement
o Legal decisions
o Research


2. Principles of Assessment

 Standardization: Uniform procedures in administration and scoring.
 Reliability: Consistency of a measure (e.g., test-retest, inter-rater, internal consistency).
 Validity: The extent to which a test measures what it claims to measure (e.g., content,
construct, criterion).
 Cultural Fairness: Avoiding bias in tests; considering sociocultural context.
 Ethics:
o Informed consent
o Confidentiality
o Competence
o Right to feedback

, 3. Types of Psychological Assessment

� A. Clinical Interviews

 Structured: Standardized questions (e.g., SCID for DSM diagnoses)
 Unstructured: Open-ended, flexible
 Semi-structured: Combines both


� B. Psychological Testing

 Cognitive Tests:
o IQ Tests: WAIS, WISC
o Neuropsychological tests: Wisconsin Card Sorting, Stroop Test
 Personality Tests:
o Objective: MMPI-2, Big Five Inventory
o Projective: Rorschach Inkblot, TAT
 Achievement & Aptitude Tests: WIAT, SAT, GRE


� C. Behavioral Assessment

 Direct observation
 Self-monitoring
 Functional Behavior Analysis (ABC model)


� D. Educational & Developmental Assessments

 Learning disabilities (e.g., dyslexia)
 Developmental milestones (e.g., Bayley Scales)