This document discusses internet-based psychological testing and assessment. It outlines purposes such as psychological evaluation, diagnostics, and self-exploration. It describes the types of online tests including multiple choice, open-ended questions, and interviews. Advantages include flexibility, speed, and data storage while disadvantages include lack of control and differing testing conditions. Ethical issues like ensuring accuracy and following laws are also covered.

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