Parameters

Parameters of Psychological Evaluation

Psychological Evaluation is an important factor in assessing human behavior in clinical and research situations. This report addresses issues in the process, meaning, and usefulness of established instruments and methods.

Psychological Evaluation versus Psychometric Testing

There is difference between a psychological / psychosocial evaluation and psychometric testing. The major contrasts are as follows:

Psychological Evaluation is

Problem Oriented

Focused on the Individual in the Problem Situation

Based upon an understanding of

Human Behavior

Test Construction

Familiarity with Available Instruments

Psychometric Testing is

Measurement Oriented

Focused on Groups of People

Nature of Psychological Assessment and Evaluation

Psychological assessment consists of

	Interviews
	Observation
	Problem Solving Judgments
	Structured Interviews
	Psychometric Testing
	Classification
	Diagnosis
	Treatment Selection
	Treatment Evaluation

The focus is on

	Present Functioning or Characteristics
	Possible Causation Factors or Etiology
	Prognosis
	Recommended Treatment Approach

Model

Focus

Methods, and

Medication

Using Methods that are

Reliable

Valid

Descriptive

Predictive, and

Content

Psychological evaluation is based on

	Objective and Standardized Measures of a Sample of Behaviors
	Uniformity of Conditions and Procedures
	Measurement of Difficulty

Psychological Evaluation addresses such issues as

	Culture
	Moral Development
	Personality Development
	Psychosocial Development
	Social Skills
	Temperament

	Family Functioning
	Marital Adjustment
	Parenting Assessments
	Ability
	Aptitudes
	Career Development
	Leadership Potential
	Rehabilitation Needs
	Vocational Options
	Achievement
	Intelligence
	Learning Problems
	Thinking Processes
	Deception
	Diagnosis - Axis I and Axis II
	Malingering
	Medication Selection
	Neuropsychological Problems
	Treatment Progress
	Treatment Selection
	Medical
	Psychophysiological
	Diagnosis - Axis III

Requests for Psychological Evaluation

	Distributes Liability Issues
	Is Consistent with Usual and Customary Standards of Practice
	Includes Reflections On
	What Specific Questions Would You Like To Have Answered

How Is It That These Questions Can Not Be
Answered Through a Clinical Interview Alone

How Will The Answers Have A Significant Effect On
The Treatment Plan

Psychological Evaluation issues include

CONTROL

Psychological tests are tightly controlled for a variety of reasons. These reasons include the following:

Prevents General Familiarity with Test Contents that Would Invalidate the Test

Insures that the Test is used by Qualified Examiners who can control for

Selection

Administration

Scoring

Interpretation

Inter-Test Comparisons

Misconceptions of Evaluation and Assessment Methods

COMPUTERIZED ASSESSMENTS

While there are a number of advantages to computerized administration, the process must be controlled by a qualified professional. Some reported problems associated with computerized measurement includes:

Some use Incorrect Item Numbers for Some Scales

Inappropriate Procedures for Converting Raw Scores to T Scores

Problems with Interpretive Statements

Use of Automated Reports Instead of a Comprehensive Assessment

Fixated at a Rather Naive Level

Over-interpret Critical Items

Users Unskilled in Use of Test can commit acts of Malpractice

Moderate Validity

The Nature of Psychological Assessment

Depending on the clinical or research question, a valid psychological assessment consists of a fairly standard process. The The Human Studies Center and London Consult research process includes:

Psychological History and Evaluation

The history may be obtained from a variety of sources. The process may include:

	Conjoint interviews
	Family interviews
	Individual assessment
	Review of Records

The comprehensive assessment includes a:

	Mental Status Examination
	Psychosocial History
	Psychometric Evaluation

Psychometric Instruments

The Human Studies Center and London Consult uses a variety of instruments, depending on the nature of the question. No competent psychologist will ever use just one instrument. The findings must be cross-validated. The following is a list of commonly used [but not necessarily recommended] instruments, divided by type.

Personality Assessment

Comprehensive Objective

	Beck Depression Scales
	Jessness Inventory
	Personal Problems Checklist
	Reynolds Adolescent Depression Scale

	Adjective Checklist
	Children's Apperception Test
	Children's Apperception Test [Human]
	Draw a Person
	House Tree Person
	Rorschach Inkblot
	Rotter Incomplete Sentence Blank
	School Apperception Test
	Sentence Completion Test.
	Somatic Apperception Test
	Thematic Apperception Test

	Bender Visual Motor Gestalt
	Peabody Individual Achievement Test
	Peabody Picture Vocabulary Test
	Quick Test
	Test of Non-verbal Intelligence II
	Trail Making Test

	Kaufman Assessment Battery for Children
	Raven's Progressive Matrices
	Raven's Colored Progressive Matrices
	Stanford Binet Intelligence Scale
	Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scales-Revised
	Wechsler Intelligence Scales for Children - III Revised
	Wechsler Preschool and Primary Scale of Intelligence

	Bender Developmental Test of Visual Motor Integration
	Bender Visual Motor Gestalt Test
	Benton Items.
	Category Test
	Denman Neuropsychological Memory Scale
	Developmental Test for Visual Motor Integration
	Graham Kendal Memory for Design
	Illinois Test of Psycholinguistic Abilities
	Luria - Nebraska Neuropsychological Screening Test
	Neuropsychological Status Examination
	Peabody Individual Achievement Test
	Peabody Picture Vocabulary Test
	Quick Test
	Trail Making Test
	Visual Motor Integration Test
	Wisconsin Card Sort

	Halstead - Reitan Battery
	Luria - Nebraska Neuropsychological Test

	Burke Behavior Rating Scales
	Child Behavior Checklist - Achenbach
	Denver Developmental Profile II
	Developmental Test for Visual Motor Integration.
	Gesell Developmental and Neuropsychological Examination
	Vineland Adaptive Behavior Scales
	Yale Child Study Center Revised Developmental Scales

	Skills Survey
	Parent Perception of Child Profile
	Uniform Child Custody Evaluation System
	Custody Quotient
	Custody Aspect

	Aspect
	Bricklin Perceptual Scales
	Parent Awareness Skills Survey
	Parent Perception of Child Profile
	Parent Quotient
	Parental Stress Index
	Uniform Child Custody Evaluation System

	Structured Clinical Interviews [SCID]
	Structured Clinical Interview II [SCID-II]
	Diagnostic Interview for Children & Adolescents [DICA-IV]

	Children's Hypnotic Susceptibility Scales
	Harvard Group Hypnotic Susceptibility Scales
	Stanford Hypnotic Susceptibility Scales
	Stanford Hypnotic Susceptibility Scales for Children

	Arthritis Self Efficacy Scale
	Beck Depression Inventory
	Brief Symptom Inventory
	Chronic Pain Assessment Tool
	Cognitive Error Questionnaire
	Comprehensive Assessment & Referral Evaluation
	Comprehensive Pain Questionnaire
	Coping Strategies Questionnaire
	Descriptor Differential Sale of Pain Inventory
	Disability Index Questionnaire
	EORTC QLQ-C30
	Expectations of Medications
	Fact-G Scale
	Fear Avoidance Belief Questionnaire
	Functional Limitations Battery & Scales
	Functional Status Questionnaire
	General Health Rating Index
	Hamilton Anxiety Rating Scale Interview Guide
	Hamilton Depression Rating Scale Interview Guide
	Health & Perceived Quality
	Illness Behavior Questionnaire
	London Behavioral Medicine Assessment Forms
	London Behavioral Medicine Structured Interviews
	Lung Cancer Symptom Scale (LCSS)
	Mc Garth Log
	Mc Gill Pain Questionnaire
	McMaster Health Profile
	Measuring Health Status in Arthritis
	Medical Outcomes Survey Pain Index
	Medical Profile Questionnaire
	Mental Health Battery, Well Being
	Mental Health Questionnaire
	Modified Somatic Perception Questionnaire
	Multidimensional Pain Inventory
	Neuropathy Pain Scale
	Pain Belief & Perception Questionnaire
	Pain Coping Inventory
	Pain Information & Belief Questionnaire
	Quality of Life Checklist
	Quality of Life Questionnaire
	Questionnaire About Physical Limitations
	Questions for Graded Classification of Chronic Pain
	Revised Functional Limitations Battery
	Revised Physical Abilities Battery