Wednesday, September 29, 2010

Categories of Psychological Tests - Know the Test Concepts

Categories of Psychological Tests

IQ [achievement tests]
IQ tests are measures of intelligence, while achievement tests are measures of the use and level of development of use of the ability. IQ/cognitive tests and achievement tests are common norm-referenced tests. In these types of tests, a series of tasks is presented to the person being evaluated, and the person's responses are graded according to carefully prescribed guidelines. After the test is completed, the results can be compiled and compared to the responses of a norm group, usually comprised of people at the same age or grade level as the person being evaluated.

IQ tests which contain a series of tasks typically divide the tasks into verbal (relying on the use of language) and performance, or non-verbal (relying on eye-hand types of tasks, or use of symbols or objects). Exp: of verbal IQ test tasks are vocabulary and information such answering general knowledge questions and Non-verbal examples are timed completion of puzzles (object assembly), making designs out of coloured blocks.

Neuropsychological test
These tests consist of specifically designed tasks used to measure a psychological function known to be linked to a particular brain structure or pathway. They are typically used to assess impairment after an injury or illness known to affect neurocognitive functioning, or when used in research, to contrast neuropsychological abilities across experimental groups.


Personality test
Measures of personality are often described as either objective tests or projective tests. Some projective tests are used less often today because they are more time consuming to administer.
  • Objective Test : Have a restricted response format, such as allowing for true or false answers or rating using an ordinal scale. Prominent examples of objective personality tests include the Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory, Millon Clinical Multiaxial Inventory-III, Child Behavior Checklist, and the Beck Depression Inventory. Objective personality tests can be designed for use in business for potential employees and Five Factor Model of normal personality test.
  • Projective Test : allow for a freer type of response. An example of this would be the Rorschach test, in which a person states what each of ten ink blots might be. The terms "objective test" and "projective test" have recently come under criticism in the Journal of Personality Assessment. The more descriptive "rating scale or self-report measures" and "free response measures" are suggested, rather than the terms "objective tests" and "projective tests," respectively. As improved sampling and statistical methods developed, much controversy regarding the utility and validity of projective testing has occurred. The use of clinical judgement rather than norms and statistics to evaluate people's characteristics has convinced many that projetives are deficient and unreliable [the results are too dissimilar each time a test is given to the same person].
Sexological testing
The number of tests specifically meant for the field of sexology is quite limited. The field of sexology provides different psychological evaluation devices in order to examine the various aspects of the discomfort, problem or dysfunction, regardless of whether they are individual or relational ones.

Although most psychological tests are "rating scale" or "free response" measures, psychological assessment may also involve the observation of people as they complete activities. This type of assessment is usually conducted with families in a laboratory, home or with children in a classroom. The purpose may be clinical, such as to establish a pre-intervention baseline of a child's hyperactive or aggressive classroom behaviors or to observe the nature of a parent-child interaction in order to understand a relational disorder. Direct observation procedures are also used in research, for Exp to study the relationship between intrapsychic variables and specific target behaviors, or to explore sequences of behavioral interaction.

Test Administration
Generally tests should be presented in a standard manner laid out in the instructions that come with the measure. In some instances computer assisted testing can help in the process of presenting material and managing timings etc.
Categories of Psychological Tests - Know the Test Concepts

Tuesday, September 28, 2010

Clinical Psychology Short Description (video)

Clinical Psychology Short Description
Clinical psychology is an integration of science, theory and clinical knowledge for the purpose of understanding, preventing, and relieving psychologically based distress/dysfunction and to promote subjective well-being and personal development. In many countries, clinical psychology is a regulated "mental health profession" and clinical psychology was focused on psychological assessment, with little attention given to treatment. For complete description about "Clinical Psychology" visit http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Clinical_psychology

Clinical psychologists considered experts in providing psychotherapy, and generally train within four primary theoretical orientations psychodynamic, humanistic, behavior therapy or cognitive behavioral, and systems/family therapy.

Clinical Psychology Assessment
There exist many literally of various assessment tools, although only a few have been shown to have both high validity (test actually measures what it claims to measure) and reliability (consistency). These measures generally fall within one of several categories, including :

Intelligence and Achievement Tests
These tests are designed to measure certain specific kinds of cognitive functioning in comparison to a norming-group. These tests, such as the WISC-IV, attempt to measure such traits as general knowledge, verbal skill, memory, attention span, logical reasoning, and visual/spatial perception. Several tests have been shown to predict accurately certain kinds of performance, especially scholastic.

Personality tests
Tests of personality aim to describe patterns of behavior, thoughts, and feelings. They generally fall within two categories: objective and projective. Objective measures, such as the MMPI, are based on restricted answers such as yes or no, true/false [play psychology test], or a rating scale which allow for computation of scores that can be compared to a normative group. Projective tests, such as the Rorschach inkblot test, allow for open-ended answers, often based on ambiguous stimuli, presumably revealing non-conscious psychological dynamics.

Neuropsychological tests
Neuropsychological tests consist of specifically designed tasks used to measure psychological functions known to be linked to a particular brain structure or pathway. They are typically used to assess impairment after an injury or illness known to affect neurocognitive functioning, or when used in research, to contrast neuropsychological abilities across experimental groups.

Clinical observation
Clinical psychologists are also trained to gather data by observing behavior. The clinical interview is a vital part of assessment, even when using other formalized tools, which can employ either a structured or unstructured format. Such assessment looks at certain areas, such as general appearance and behavior, mood and affect, perception, comprehension, orientation, insight, memory, and content of communication. One psychiatric example of a formal interview is the mental status examination, which is often used in psychiatry as a screening tool for treatment or further testing.

Clinical Psychologist Video


Clinical Psychology Short Description (video)