Ethics
The 3 levels of assessment and necessary qualifications
Level A) no special qualifications
Level B) a masters degree in related field, formal training, certification in relevant area of assessment.
Level C) a doctorate or masters with formal training and interpretation of assessment, license or certification in formal assessment, supervision.
The three measures of central tendency
Mode - Most frequent score
Median - Evenly divides scores into two halves; 50% of scores fall above; 50% fall below
Mean - Arithmetic average of the scores
During an initial interview, the counsellor should strive to
Gather information about concerns, pertinent details about the current situation, and relevant background information.
Balance gathering information with building a therapeutic relationship
The principle difference between the WAIS-IV, WISC-V, and WPPSI-IV
age ranges
Name 3 types of assessment included in forensics
Forensic Assessment includes: Diagnostic assessment, Parenting assessment, Malingering assessment, Fitness to stand trial, Criminal responsibility, etc.
Name 3 client rights in assessment
The right to be assessed with assessments that meet current professional standards
The right to basic information about the instrument and how the results will be used
The right to know the consequence of not taking the test/to withdraw consent
The right to understand how results will be disseminated
The right to receive an explanation of the results
The difference between norm vs. criterion-referenced instruments
Norm-Referenced Instrument - Individual’s score is compared to performance of others who have taken the same instrument (norming group)
Criterion-Referenced Instrument- Individual’s performance is compared to specific criterion or standard
Name 3 risk factors of violence
Historical- previous violence, young age at first incident, relationship instability, employment problems, substance use, early maladjustment
Psychological- Impulsivity, adolescent depression, conduct disorder, substance use, psychopathy, feelings correlated to suicidal ideation, recent loss, feeling of isolation and social withdrawal
Cognitive- Lack of insight, negative attitudes
Environmental- Role modelling of violent behaviour (home, school, community), abuse, insufficient adult supervision, social disorganization or over-crowdedness in community, access to weapons, lack of social support, peer rejection
A standard score of 96 on the WAIS-IV, indicates:
Average intelligence
A high ACE-Q score may be a predictor for (name 3)
Disease conditions (e.g., heart disease), smoking, severe obesity, inactivity, depressed mood, suicide attempts.
The Prevalence (and risk) of alcoholism, illicit drug use, sexual promiscuity, and sexually transmitted disease also increased.
Name 3 counsellor responsibilities in assessment
Validity of interpretation - Consider your qualifications, be knowledgeable of the instrument’s manual and research, clear about reasons for use
Instrument security and protection of copyrights
The clinician is always ultimately responsible- this includes scoring and interpretation done by a computer
The difference between reliability and validity
Reliability - results are consistent
Validity - results satisfy objectives
Name 3 specific concerns to address during initial assessment
Concerns to address include, Suicide Risk Depression, Potential Violence, Child Abuse, Substance Abuse, Mental Status
Achievement tests are often administered as
part of a psychoeducational assessment
Name 2 main projective techniques, as discussed in class
Associations (ink blots, word associations)- Rorschach Technique
Completions (sentences, cartoons)- Rotter Incomplete Sentence Blank
The 4 broad steps of assessment in counselling
1. Assessing the client problem(s)
2. Conceptualizing and defining the problem(s)
3. Selecting and implementing effective tx(s)
4. Evaluating the counseling
The difference between a positive and negative correlation
Positive correlation (r > 0) - variables move proportional to one another. If one variable increases the other increases. If one variables decreases, the other decreases too.
Negative correlation (r < 0) - variables moves opposing each other. If one variable increases the other decreases and vice versa.
Name 3 ways to gather more information about a client's concerns
Inquire about frequency/intensity through scaling questions, try to gather multiple perspectives, make behaviour more objective by gathering specific examples, learn about coping skills, etc.
The primary difference between achievement vs. aptitude test
Achievement tests provide information about what individuals have learned or knowledge they have acquired.
Aptitude tests predict future performance or ability to learn new tasks (e.g., SAT for college admission)
In the Strong Interest Inventory, the RIASEC model stands for
Realistic, Investigative, Artistic, Social, Enterprise, Conventional
The reduction of barriers in assessment/in a classroom setting
Accommodations can be made during assessment, however, they need to be noted in the report.
In a normal distribution, what is the mean and standard deviation for Standard Scores and T-Scores
Standard Scores = mean 100 and SD 15
T-Scores = mean 50 and SD 10
Name 5 common areas in an assessment report
Identifying Information, Reason for Referral, Background Information, Behavioral Observations, Assessment Results and Interpretations, Diagnostic Impressions & Summary
The domain on the WISC-V that best measures crystallized knowledge
Verbal Comprehension
Name 3 validity scales (and what they measure) on the MMPI
F Scale – Infrequency Scale – faking or attempting to exaggerate symptoms
L Scale – Lie Scale – trying to look good
K Scale – Correction Scale – defensiveness or guardedness
Inconsistency – Variable responses to similar items