Psychological Assessment – Lecture Session
Mr. Renz Louis Montano, MSc, RPm, RPsy
March 28, 2024
Testing vs. Assessment
Testing
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A test score or series of test scores
Individual or by group
Highly objective
The tester is NOT key to the process
Technician-like skills
Assessment
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Logical problem-solving approach that
brings to bear many sources of data
designed to shed light on a referral
question
Highly individualized
Has some degree of subjectivity
The assessor is key to the process of
selecting tests and/or other tools of
evaluation as well as in drawing
conclusions
Requires an educated selection of tools of
evaluation, skill in evaluation, and
thoughtful organization and integration of
data
Mental Status Examination
Used to screen for intellectual, emotional, and neurological deficits
Appearance
Thought content
Orientation
Though processes – slow, quick, loose assoc.
Memory
Sensorium
Intellectual resources
Psychomotor Activity
Insight
Consciousness
Judgment
Affect
Mood
Norm-referenced
● Evaluating the test score in relation to other scores on the same test
● Focuses on how an individual performed relative to other people who took the test
Criterion-referenced (a.k.a. Mastery tests)
● A way of deriving meaning from test scores by evaluating an individuals score with reference to a
set standard
16 Personality Factors Questionnaire
Factor
Left Meaning (-)
Right Meaning (+)
A - Warmth
Impersonal, Distant
Outgoing, Warm
B - Reasoning
Low Ability
High Ability
C - Emotional Stability
Reactive, Emotionally
Changeable
Emotionally Stable, Adaptive
Mature
E - Dominance
Deferential, Cooperative
Dominant, Forceful
F - Liveliness
Serious, Restrained
Lively, Spontaneous
G - Rule-Consciousness
Non-conforming
Dutiful
H- Social Boldness
Shy, Timid
Socially Bold, Thick-Skinned
I - Sensitivity
Objective, Unsentimental
Sensitive, Sentimental
L - Vigilance
Trusting, Nonsuspecting
Vigilant, Skeptical
M - Abstractedness
Practical, Grounded
Imaginative, Ideal-Oriented
N - Private
Open, Genuine
Private, Nondisclosing
O - Apprehension
Unworried, Complacent
Apprehensive, Self-Doubting
Q1 - Openness to Change
Traditional
Experimenting
Q2 - Self-Reliance
Group-Oriented
Solitary
Q3 - Perfectionism
Unexacting, Flexible
Organized, Self-Disciplined
Q4 - Tension
Patient
Tensed, High Energy
The Five Personality Domains
Openness to Experience
Fantasy
Receptivity to the inner world of imagination
Aesthetics
Appreciation of art and beauty
Feelings
Openness to inner feelings and emotions
Actions
Openness to new experiences on a practical level
Ideas
Intellectual curiosity
Values
Readiness to re-examine own values and those of authority figures
Conscientiousness
Competence
Order
Dutifulness
Belief in own self-efficacy
Personal organization
Importance of fulfilling moral obligations
Achievement Striving
Need for personal achievement and sense of direction
Self-discipline
Capacity to begin tasks and follow through to completion despite boredom
or distractions
Deliberation
Tendency to think things through before acting or speaking
Extraversion
Warmth
Interest in an friendliness towards others
Gregariousness
Preference for the company of others
Assertiveness
Forcefulness of expression
Activity
Pace of living
Excitement seeking
Need for environmental stimulation
Positive emotions
Tendency to experience positive emotions
Agreeableness
Trust
Straightforwardness
Belief in the sincerity and good intentions of others
Frankness
Altruism
Active concern for the welfare of others
Compliance
Response to interpersonal conflict
Modesty
Tender mindedness
Tendency to play down own achievements and be humble
Sympathy for others
Neuroticism
Anxiety
Level of free floating anxiety
Angry Hostility
Tendency to experience anger
Depression
Self-consciousness
Tendency to experience feelings of guilt, sadness and loneliness
Shyness or social anxiety
Impulsiveness
Tendency to act on cravings and urges
Vulnerability
General susceptibility to stress
Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI)
● Dichotomies:
○ Extraversion – Introversion
○ Sensing – Intuition
○ Thinking – Feeling
○ Judging – Perceiving
Extraversion – Introversion
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Extraversion (E)
Toward the outer world
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Introversion (I)
Directed toward the inner world
Initiating
● Acts as social facilitator at social
gatherings
Receiving
● Prefer to be introduced
Expressive
● Easily tell others their thoughts and
feelings
Contained
● Share thoughts and feelings with select
few
Gregarious
● Enjoy being with others
Intimate
● Limited cycle
Active
Reflective
● Reading/writing
Enthusiastic
● Lively
Quiet
Sensing – Intuition
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Sensing (S)
Focus on what can be perceived by the
senses
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Intuiting (N)
Perceiving patterns and relationships
Concrete
● Literal perceptions
Abstract
● Focus on abstract meanings
Realistic
● Prefer what is useful, has benefits
Imaginative
● Value possibilities
Practical
● Applies ideas
Conceptual
● Knowledge > Application
Experiential
● Hands-on experience
Theoretical
● See relevance beyond what is tangible
Traditional
Original
Thinking – Feeling
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Thinking (T)
Logical analysis, objectivity
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Feeling (F)
Base conclusions on personal values
Logical
● Data is the best way to make decisions
Empathetic
● Focus on values and relationships
Reasonable
● Objective
Compassionate
● Consider needs of others over data
Questioning
● Ask questions to understand
Accommodating
● Value harmony
Critical
● Use impersonal critiquing of ideas,
situations and procedures to arrive at truth
Accepting
● Kindness and tolerance
Tough
● Firm on decisions
Tender
● Use tender persuasion to gain other’s
agreement
Judging – Perceiving
Judging (J)
● Decisive
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Perceiving (P)
Flexible and spontaneous
Early Starting
● Plan for a deadline early. Dislike last
minute
Pressure Prompted
● Work best when pressured by approaching
deadlines
Scheduled
● Established methods, predictable
Spontaneous
● Variety and freedom
Methodical
● Organize and develop plans
Emergent
● Start a task without plans
Systematic
● Orderly
Casual
● Come what may
Planful
● Future-oriented
Open-ended
● Flexible plans
Personality Assessment Inventory (PAI) – Leslie Morey (1991, 2007)
344 - item personality test that assesses a
respondent’s personality and psychopathology
● Somatic concerns
● Anxiety (general)
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Schizophrenia
Borderline features
Antisocial features
Alcohol problems
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Anxiety related disorders (more specific)
Depression
Mania
Paranoia
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Drug problems
Validity scales: Inconsistency, infrequency,
positive impression, negative impression
Basic Personality Inventory (BPI) – Douglas N. Jackson (1989, 1996)
The BPI is a personality assessment intended
for use with clinical and normal populations to
identify sources of maladjustment and personal
strengths
● Can be completed in half the time of other
measures of psychopathology (240 items)
● Hypochondriasis
● Depression
● Denial
● Interpersonal Problems
● Alienation
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Persecutory ideas
Anxiety
Thinking disorder
Impulse expression
Social introversion
Self depreciation
Deviation
Edwards Personal Preference Schedule (EPPS)
Needs
Variable / Need
Description
Achievement
To do one’s best, to be successful, to accomplish tasks which require skills
and effort, to be recognized, to an authority figure, to do a difficult job well,
to solve problems
Deference
To get suggestions from others, to find out what others think, to follow
instructions and to do what is expected, to praise others, to conform, to let
other make decision
Order
To be organized, to make plans before starting a task, to keep things neat and
in order, to have things arranged so that they will run smoothly without
change
Exhibition
To say witty and clever things, to talk about personal achievements, to be the
center of attention, to be noticed and praised by others, to talk about personal
experiences
Autonomy
To be independent, to feel free to do what one wants, to do things that are
unconventional, to criticize those who are in an authority position. To make
own decision
Affilian
To be loyal to friends, to do things for friends, to form new friendship, to
share things with friends, to form strong attachments, to participate in
friendly groups
Intraception
To analyze one’s motives and feelings, to observe others, to understand
others, to analyze the behavior of others
Succorance
To see encouragement and help from others, to receive a great deal of
affection and sympathy from others, to be helped by others
Dominance
To be a leader, to argue for one’s opinion, to make group decisions
Abasement
To feel guilty when one does something wrong, to accept blame. To feel the
need for confession of errors
Nurturance
To help and assist friends, to treat others with kindness and sympathy, to be
generous, to forgive others, to show affection to other people
Change
Endurance
A need to seek new experiences and avoid routine
A need to follow through on tasks and complete assignments
Heterosexuality
A need to be associated with and attractive to members of the opposite sex
Aggression
To attack contrary points of view, to criticize others publicly, to make fun of
others, to get revenge for insults