Face Validity Is a Scam and You Know It
The consistency/stability of a test over time
test-retest reliability
A test publisher only provides adult norm scores, but a counselor administers it to teens. How will this affect scoring?
Without appropriate norms for the population, the score(s) will be inaccurate/invalid.
Before selecting an assessment tool, what should counselors assess FIRST?
Client readiness for change
A brief, 9-item screening tool for depression often used in primary case settings
PHQ-9
A counselor administered an assessment to a client without explaining the test's purpose. What ethical obligation did they breach?
Informed consent
This type of validity evidence is evaluated by experts to determine whether test items represent the construct being measured.
Content validity
The T score of z = -8.23.
T= -32.3
You’re choosing between two depression screeners. One has strong evidence of reliability. The other is less reliable, but has strong evidence of cross-cultural validity. Which do you choose and why?
The one with stronger evidence of cross-cultural validity; validity takes precedence over reliability when assessing diverse populations
This assessment is commonly used to assess alcohol consumption, drinking behaviors, and alcohol-related problems, using scores interpreted as "zones" of risk.
AUDIT
What is the key ethical concern when a counselor uses a new assessment tool with a client?
Counselor competence to administer, score, and interpret the assessment.
A counselor translates a validated career interest inventory from English to Spanish for use with ESL students. This may compromise what type of validity?
Construct validity
You’re reviewing assessment data from last year's science achievement test and want to compare your students' scores to a national sample. What type of score are you using?
Norm-referenced
You are choosing an assessment to use in a rural setting with limited access to technology. What practical factor should influence your test selection?
Administration method
This measure assesses personality traits using a typology based on Jungian theory.
Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI)
Suppose an individual refuses to complete an assessment mandated by the Court. What must a counselor do according to ethical guidelines?
Respect the individual's decision and explain the potential consequences of refusal.
You're assessing convergent validity and note that your new depression inventory correlates with a validated, gold standard measure for depression at r=.31. How strong is this correlation?
Weak!
How would you interpret a score of T= 44 on the BSI dimension of anxiety?
Which psychometric property would be most important to consider when selecting a psychological assessment for a client from a diverse cultural background?
Validity! Is the assessment validated for use across cultural contexts.
Designed to be culture-reduced, this test measures nonverbal intelligence using visual patterns.
Raven’s Progressive Matrices
What is the term used to describe the possibility that a psychological test may favor one group over another, leading to inaccurate assessments?
Test bias
This statistical method is used to identify evidence of internal structure by identifying latent variables or constructs among items when the structure is unknown.
Exploratory factor analysis
This term describes a pattern where someone answers every item the same way (e.g., all "strongly agree").
Response bias
Which of the following are red flags when selecting a test?
1) The manual claims the assessment is reliable and valid, but includes no specifics about the type of reliability/validity or statistical evidence.
2) The standardization sample for the assessment is small (>100)
3) The test’s normative sample is not representative of the intended population
All of these are red flags!!!
This assessment measures individuals' tendencies towards both anxiety and avoidance in close relationships, with a specific focus on romantic relationships.
Experiences in Close Relationships-Revised (ECR-R)
What is one ethical issue with using AI-based or automated scoring systems in mental health assessment?
Algorithmic bias, or insufficient human oversight