The document discusses various methods used in psychological assessment, including both objective measures like standardized tests and projective tests, as well as clinical interviews. It outlines the advantages and disadvantages of different assessment approaches and how assessments are used to better understand individuals and their behavior. The document also provides examples of specific assessment tools like the MMPI-2, TAT, and astrology.

2. According to Adams (1954, cited in Schultz & Schultz, 1994)

3. … that we get a good idea of what personality
is by listening to what we say when we use
"I". When you say I, you are, in effect,
summing up everything about yourself - your
likes and dislikes, fears and virtues, strengths
and weaknesses.

4. • Description: considers the ways in which we
should characterize and individual. Should we
described personality traits by comparing people
with one another or use strategy to study
individuals?
• Dynamics: How do people adjust their life
situations? How are they influenced by culture
and their own cognitive processes?
• Development: How does it reflect the influence
of biological factors and experience in childhood
and beyond?

6. Personality assessments help explain
behavior.
 Often,assessments are the only way of
understanding and explaining behavior.

7.  Psychological assessments involve the
observation, measurement and evaluation of
an individual's or organization's adaptive
functioning in the modern world.

8. • Prior to any treatment or remediation can begin,
it's important to understand the nature of the
problem or difficulty.
• A psychological assessment is the necessary
first step in determining the strengths and
weaknesses in an individual's functioning when
that functioning has been called into question,
either by displaying actions that are unexpected
or by not displaying actions that are expected, in
a given circumstance or environment.

9. • Developmental Focus
• Supervision, File Review, Expert Testimony
and Continuing Education Services
• Clinical and Case Consultation
• Academic and School Referrals
• Clinical and Professional Applications
• Forensic and Disability Applications
•
•
Family Law Issues

10. Assessment

11. • Earliest form of obtaining information from clients was
through clinical interviewing
• Modeled after question and answer format
• More structured and goal-oriented mental status
examination
– By Adolf Meyer 1902
• The difficulty with unstructured interviews is that they
are still considered questionable reliability, validity, cost
effectiveness
• Standardized psychological test were developed to
overcome these limitations.
• Groth-Marmath, G. Handbook of Psychological Assessment 4th ed.

12. Content vs process – W.Synder(1945) found out
that non-directive approach was most likely
create favorable changes and self-exploration
of clients. While the directive style using
persuation, interpretation and interview
judgment may resulted a defensive client and
resistant in expressing problems.

13. • Considerable amount of research was
stimulated by C. Rogers who emphasized
understanding the proper interpersonal
ingredients necessary for standard care.
• 1960s development and formulation of
behavioral assessment, primarily in the form
of goal-directed interviews that focused on
understanding current and past reinforcers
and stablishing workable target behavior.

14.  1950s – 1960s – child assessment was
conducted primarily through interview with
parents. Direct interviews with the child were
considered to be therapeutic purposes rather
than assessment. Differential diagnosis were
unusual: almost all children were referred
were diagnosed or undiagnosed as
“adjustment reactions”.

15.  Elaboration of the trend during 1960s, as well
as the increase emphasis on structured
interview.

16.  Both structured and unstructured interview
allows a clinicians to place results in a wider,
more meaningful context.
 Flexibility is inherent both unstructured and
structured interviews frequently the
strongest advantage over standardized tests.
 Allow clinician in establishing rapport and
client self-exploration

17.  Extreme disadvantage of with structured
interviews is the interviewers bias.
 Structured interviews have higher
psychometric properties than unstructured
format.

18. • General consideration – interviewer style is
strongly influenced by theoritical orientation
and practical considerations.
 Diagnostic interview – to develop a specific
diagnosis
 Behavioral interview – based on the assumption
that change occurs because of external
consequences
 Informal/Exploratory – person centered and do not
pursue formal diagnosis. Client’s coping style social
supports, family dynamics or the nature of disability

19. • History of the problem
– Description of the problem, initial onset, frequency, duration, attempts to
solve, treatments
• Family background
– Socioecomic level, parent occupation, emotional history, cultural
background, parent’s current health, family relationship, urban rural
upbringing
• Personal History
– Infancy, early and middle adulthood, medical history, toilet training,
life changes
• Miscellaneous
– Somatic concerns, self-concept (like/dislike) happiest/saddest
memory, fears

20.  Clarification statements  Use of concrete examples
 Verbatim playback  therapeutic double binds
 Probing  Random probing
 Confrontation  Self-disclosure
 Active listening  Feedback
 Understanding  Summary statement
 Reflection

21. • Initial phase – organize the physical characteristics :
room, lighting, seating
• Introduction
• State the purpose of interview
• Explain how the information derived from the
interview be used
• Describe the confidential nature of the
information
• Explain the role of activities you would like the
client to engage in e.g. Instruments, length of
time, or formalized written contract
• Fee arrangements must be clarified

22.  Direct
 Indirect
 Objective tests
 Free response measures (projective tests)

23.  Objective personality tests are usually self-
report inventories.Self-report
inventories are paper-and-pen tests that
require people to answer questions about
their typical behavior. Commonly used
objective tests include the MMPI-2, the 16PF,
and the NEO Personality Inventory.

24.  The MMPI-2
 The Minnesota Multiphasic Personality
Inventory (MMPI) was developed in the
1940s and revised in the 1980s. The revised
version is called the MMPI-2. The MMPI-2
contains a list of 567 questions. People taking
the test must answer these questions
with true, false, or cannot say.

25.  The 16PF
 The Sixteen Personality Factor
Questionnaire (16PF) is a test that assesses
sixteen basic dimensions of personality. It
consists of a list of 187 questions.

26.  Projective personality tests require subjects
to respond to ambiguous stimuli, such as
pictures and phrases, that can be interpreted
in many different ways. Projective tests are
based on the projective hypothesis, which is
the idea that people interpret ambiguous
stimuli in ways that reveal their concerns,
needs, conflicts, desires, and feelings.

27. • The Rorschach test consists of a series of ten
inkblots. Psychologists ask subjects to look at
the inkblots and describe what they see, and the
psychologists then use complex scoring systems
to interpret the subjects’ responses. Scores are
based on various characteristics of responses,
such as the originality of the response and the
area of the blot described in the response. The
Rorschach gives information about the person’s
personality traits and the situational stresses the
subject may be experiencing.

28. • Self-report inventories are useful because
they allow clincians to get precise answers to
standardized questions. In other words, all
subjects who take a test answer the same
questions, and all subjects have to select
answers from the same range of options.
Inventories are also objective, which means
that different people scoring the same test
would score them in the same way. However,
these scores might be interpreted differently
by different people.

29. • Self-report inventories often contain transparent
questions, which means subjects can figure out
what a psychologist wants to measure.
Therefore, subjects can lie intentionally and fake
personality traits they don’t really have.
• The social desirability bias can affect responses
on self-report inventories. In other words, when
filling out an inventory, people might state what
they wish were true, rather than what is true.
• People sometimes don’t understand the
questions on the test.
• People sometimes don’t remember aspects of
the experience they are asked about.

30.  (TAT) consists of a series of pictures
containing a variety of characters and scenes.
Psychologists ask subjects to make up stories
about each picture and look for themes that
run through the subjects’ responses. For
example, a person with a high need for
achievement may consistently come up with
stories that have achievement-related
themes.

31. Advantages and Disadvantages of Projective Tests
• Projective tests are useful because they allow
psychologists to assess unconscious aspects of
personality. Projective tests are also not transparent:
subjects cannot figure out how their responses will be
interpreted. Therefore, subjects cannot easily fake
personality traits on a projective test.
• A serious disadvantage of projective tests is that they
have questionable reliability and validity. Despite this
flaw, many researchers and clinicians find that such
tests give them useful information.

32. Numerology
- Pythagoras
- Various operations are performed with numbers and the results are
predictive of personality and future events
Phrenology
– Franz Gall & Johan Spurzheim (c. 1800)
Bumps on the head are associated with organs of
the brain which are in turn associated with
personality characteristics

33. • Ancient Greeks & Romans
– Aristotle (384-322 BC) & Plato (427-347 BC)
• Nutritive soul (plants)
• Sensitive soul (all animals)
• Rational soul (human beings)
– Hippocrates (460-377 BC), modified by Galen
• (200 BC)
• Four humours
– Sanguine
– Melancholic
– Choleric
– Phlegmatic

34. • Graphology
– Analysis of personality from handwriting
– Examine handwriting as physical manifestation of
unconscious processes
– No data to support
• Techniques are reducible to impressions from such
things as pressure exerted on the page, spacing of
words and letters, size, slant, speed, and consistency
of writing.
• Content plays a role, too, though they won’t admit it.

35. Astrology
– Based on the idea that the position of the sun,
moon, stars, planets and other heavenly
bodies at some point in time influence the
personality characteristics of the perso

36. Animal Year
Rabbit 1927, 1939, 1951, 1963,
1975, 1987, 1999
Dragon 1928, 1940, 1952, 1964,
1976, 1988, 2000
Snake 1929, 1941, 1953, 1965,
1977, 1989, 2001
Horse 1930, 1942, 1954, 1966,
1978, 1990, 2002
Sheep 1931, 1943, 1955, 1967,
1979, 1991, 2003
Monkey 1932, 1944, 1956, 1968,
1980, 1992, 2004
Cock/chicken 1933, 1945, 1957, 1969,
1981, 1993, 2005

37. Animal Year Personality characteristics
Rabbit 1927, 1939, 1951, 1963, Luckiest of all signs. Individuals are
1975, 1987, 1999 talented and articulate. Affectionate yet
shy, they seek peace throughout their
lives. Should marry a Sheep or a Boar.
Opposite is the Cock.
Dragon 1928, 1940, 1952, These individuals are eccentric and their
1964, lives are complex. They have a very
1976, 1988, 2000 passionate nature and abundant health.
They should marry a Rat or a
Monkey late in life. They should avoid
the Dog.

38. Snake 1929, 1941, These individuals are wise and intense with
1953, 1965, a tendency towards physical beauty. They
1977, 1989, are vain and high-tempered. The Boar is
2001 their enemy. The Cock or the Ox are their
best signs.
Horse 1930, 1942, These individuals are popular and
1954, 1966, attractive to the opposite sex. They are
1978, 1990, often ostentatious and impatient. They
2002 need to be around people. They should
marry a Dog or a Tiger early in life but
should never marry a Rat.
Sheep 1931, 1943, These individuals are elegant and creative,
1955, 1967, yet are timid and prefer anonymity. They
1979, 1991, are most compatible with Bears and
2003 Rabbits but not the Ox.

39. Monkey 1932, 1944, 1956, 1968, These individuals are very intelligent and are
1980, 1992, 2004 able to influence people.
Enthusiastic achievers, they are easily
discouraged and confused. They
should avoid Tigers and seek out Dragons or
Rats as mates.
Cock 1933, 1945, 1957, 1969, These individuals have pioneer spirits. They
1981, 1993, 2005 are devoted to work and quest after
knowledge. They can be selfish and
eccentric. Rabbits are troubles while Snakes
and Ox are fine

40. Constellation Planet Dates Personality Characteristics
Capricorn Saturn 12/21-1/20 Ambition, caution, work
Aquarius Uranus 1/21-2/19 Humane, unconventional, high and low
spirits
Pisces Neptune 2/20-3/20 Inspiration, easily influenced, dreaming
Aries Mars 3/21-4/20 Impulsiveness, adventure, disputes
Taurus Venus 4/21-5/21 Endurance, obstinate, labor
Gemini Mercury 5/22-6/21 Skill, versatility, good relationships
Cancer Moon 6/22-7/23 Appreciates home life, imagination,
indecision
Leo Sun 7/24-8/23 Generality, pride, desire for power
Virgo Mercury 8/24-9/23 Analytical, studious, modest
Libra Venus 9/24-10/23 Justice, artistic sense, sensitivity
Scorpio Mars 10/24-11/22 Critical sense, secrecy, fights
Sagittarius Jupiter 11/23-12/20 Idealism, open-mindedness, mobility

41. Autobiography
• Family background/ Genogram (describe emotional lines)
– Socioecomic level, parent occupation, emotional history, cultural
background, parent’s current health, family relationship, urban rural
upbringing
• Personal History
– Infancy, early and middle adulthood, medical history, toilet
training, life changes
• Miscellaneous
– Somatic concerns, self-concept (like/dislike) happiest/saddest
memory, fears