1. Internet-Based
Psychological Testing
and Assessment
Kornelia Szabo, Semmelweis University
Source: Azy Barak and Tom Buchanan
Clinical Issues in Online Counselling

2. Purposes Of Online Assessment
• Psychological
evaluation
• Psychotherapeutic
diagnostics
• Self-exploration and
self-awareness

3. Psychological evaluation
• Continuously updated,
rich information about
assessment procedures
• Assess people very
efficiently
• Online testing procedures
are very similar to paper-
pencil testing
• Sometimes factor
structures and mean
scores was found to differ

4. Psychological evaluation
• Successful many
times; measures of:
• personality,
• career- and work
related measures,
• online behaviour,
• behaviour checklist,
• abilities and
• neuropsychological
assessment

5. Psychotherapeutic diagnostics
• Results may be linked to
relevant online information
resources
• Free from administer tests
• Receive the accurate
results very quickly
• Automated interpretation
(save time)
• Scores can be saved and
archived for future use
• Mental health-screening
device

6. Self-exploration and self-
awareness
• People may take such tests for:
– their own self-exploration and self-awareness,
– to know themselves better,
– to obtain answers to personal questions,
– to help themselves in making choices, or
– just for the sake of curiosity.
• A good example of the use of online testing for
self-awareness was provided by Cunningham et
al. (2000), who developed a brief Internet-based
self assessment procedure that provided
normative feedback (by gender and age group)
to respondents in regard to their drinking habits

7. Types And Methods Of Online
Psychological Testing
• Multiple-choice (1st ones
measured intellectual
abilities)
• These tests should be:
– Professionally developed
– Following clear scientific and
ethical guidelines
– Based on common,
empirically based
psychometric considerations

8. Types And Methods Of Online
Psychological Testing
• Online tests may be
highly technology-
enhanced (pictures,
sounds, videos)
• Open-ended questions
• Private and secure
(privacy issues, copyright
considerations)
• Password-protected
website

9. Nontesting Online
Assessment Procedures
• Efficient, variegated online communication
channels
• An Internet-based interview is particularly useful
when interviewee and interviewer are at a great
distance from each other
• Interviewing through the Net has, however, two
special advantages:
– (a) a conversation may easily be saved for further
evaluation;
– (b) the cost is very low.

10. Nontesting Online
Assessment Procedures
• Observing behaviour
(chat rooms,
disinhibition)
• Documents can be
easily transferred

11. Advantages Of Online Procedures For
Psychological Assessment
• Elasticity (absence of confinement related
to time and place)
• Accuracy of raw scoring and
standardization conversion
• Speed for scoring and obtaining results
• Data can be saved in pre-existing and
present software (e.g. Excel)
• Statistical analysis can be done relatively
simply

12. Advantages Of Online Procedures For
Psychological Assessment
• Test version can be
up to date (easier to
apply changes)
• Reduced inhibitions
• Might better reflect
the true personality
characteristics
• Contribute to the
validity of the
assessment

13. Disadvantages Of Online Assessment
Relative To Traditional Methods
• Diminished control over the testing
situation
• People might complete assessment
instruments under varying conditions
(location, physical/psychological
conditions)
• It might lead to greater ecological validity
• Cheating in test

14. Disadvantages Of Online Assessment
Relative To Traditional Methods
• Psychological effects
of different testing
situations
• Disclosing high levels
of personal
information
• People may reveal
more about
themselves in less
socially desirable
ways

15. Disadvantages Of Online Assessment
Relative To Traditional Methods
• Current lack of
regulation and quality
control
• Normative data
should not be used in
interpreting scores
obtained with online
clinical inventories

16. Ethical And Legal Issues
• Ensure test takers that the information is
accurate and will not have negative effect
on test-takers
• Test feedback might have immediate
negative feedback
• Local, national laws related to telehealth
provision
• Security

17. Summary
• Central advantage: flexibility (time & space)
• Quick and accurate scoring
• Anonymity
• Invisibility
• Human inhibitions diminish
• Many amateur tests
• Young area
• Raising public awareness and understanding of
online tests