Client: Keith Hecht
ASSESSMENT REPORT
Counselor: Mr. Luvz T. Counsel
Tests Administered
International Personality Item Pool (NEO-IPIP)
Beck Depression Inventory
Myers-Briggs Type Inventory
Thomas-Kilmann Conflict Mode Instrument
Strong Interest Inventory
Reasoning for Evaluation
Keith Hecht, a 32-year old white male, was self-referred for counseling after anxiety concerning
his future educational decisions began impeding other areas of his life. Keith is soon to complete
an MA in counseling from a respected university and has, for several years, planned to pursue a
doctoral degree upon completing his masters program. Seeking advice regarding his future path,
Keith recently spoke at length with a professional counselor who has a doctorate in psychology.
During the conversation, Keith broke down and realized he actually felt extremely uneasy about
embarking on a doctoral degree so soon. That meeting apparently sparked a high level of anxiety
in Keith that has continued to rise and gradually impede his life. He has come to a counselor
hoping to determine the cause of this sudden shift in his way of thinking and to mitigate the
anxiety he is experiencing.
Background
Keith has always been a high-achieving student with high aspirations. As the third child in a
close-knit Orthodox Jewish family that placed great value upon education, he feels strongly
about pursuing a meaningful professional career. He has made his family proud with his
accomplishments thus far and has spoken to them of his plans to pursue a doctoral degree upon
completing his masters program. Keith is a social leader, having been involved with schools and
camps in various capacities for years. He has an affinity for working with adolescents and has
dreamed of working professionally with them in the future. He is married with a daughter and
enjoys spending time with his family and many friends.
Impressions of Client
Keith is a healthy, average size young man who appears his stated age. During a brief initial
intake session he gave a positive impression and was pleasant to converse with. He did seem
moderately distressed and indeed reported that he has “not felt like himself” for weeks. He
mentioned having a difficult time discussing his anxiety with family, as he fears disappointing
them. Keith had good verbal skills, and though clearly distraught to some extent, seemed
committed to addressing his problem.
Test-Taking Behavior
Having nearly completed an MA in counseling himself, Keith was quite familiar with the value
of assessment and was particularly interested in the administration process. Though completely
cooperative and motivated throughout the process, he did express and exhibit some uneasiness
taking assessments. He explained that he fears the counselor placing too much emphasis on test
scores instead of his overall situation. Nevertheless, his concentration and attention seemed
above-average, as he remained focused for long periods of time on multiple instruments. On all
assessments, he worked at a good rate of speed, slowing down only to clarify more difficult
questions.
Assessment of Abilities
On the Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale, Keith achieved a verbal IQ score of 117, a
performance IQ score of 119, and a full IQ score of 118, placing him in the high average range
of intelligence. Keith has good reading and mathematical skills, and comes across as a bright
person. This is consistent with his reportedly high achievement throughout his education. He is
able to grasp situations quickly and takes an organized approach to solving problems.
Conversation with him reveals his strong vocabulary and high energy level.
Keith’s scores on the Career Ability Placement Survey were consistent with his scores on
the WAIS. All eight scores were above average, indicating his overall high ability level. From
the perspective of ability alone, Keith seems quite capable of pursuing a doctoral-level
education.
Assessment of Personality
Assessment of Keith’s personality highlighted his sociable nature and genuine interest in other
people. His results on the Myer-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI) of “ESFJ” are very consistent
with his general demeanor and attitude. Of note in particular is his high score on the “Judging”
category of 25, indicating his high degree of preference for planning and organization, which
may be spurring the high levels of anxiety he is currently experiencing vis-à-vis his future. His
scores on the Thomas-Kilmann Conflict Mode Instrument (TKI) revealed his highly
collaborative and accommodating nature, which seems to manifest itself in a healthy manner
conducive to good relationships. Keith seems to be a pleasant person with a close-knit family and
many friends. His outgoing and sincere personality make him well-liked and trusted. The anxiety
he is experiencing does not seem to stem from any significant pathological issue.
Interests and Values
The Strong Interest Inventory suggested that Keith’s strongest interests are in the social category;
teaching, social service, and religious activities are all of significant interest to him. Lowest
interests were in the realistic and investigative categories. The COPSystem values inventory
indicated that Keith values social concern and leadership. The brief intake session confirmed
these and also revealed Keith’s prioritizing of morality, family, and meaning above all else in
life.
Diagnosis
Axis I.
Axis II.
Axis III.
Axis IV.
Axis V.
V71.09 No Diagnosis
V71.09 No Diagnosis
None
Must make major decision soon whether to pursue a doctoral degree
Current 80
Areas of Potential Interest / Unexpected Scores
Most of Keith’s assessment scores were unalarming and consistent with his self-description in
the intake session. As mentioned, one score of note was his high score on the “Judging” category
of the MBTI. While still unalarming, his score does suggest a great need for organization and
planning which, when lacking, could perhaps cause him frustration and anxiety. His high score
of 8 on the “Accommodating” category of the TKI is also of note and may indicate a tendency to
want to please others, perhaps at the expense of his own feelings and/or potential contributions.
Recommendations
Keith is a hard-working and high-achieving student who has spent many years in the education
system, finally culminating in his approaching masters degree. While his dream of pursuing a
doctorate following his masters is commendable, it is understandable that the thought of
embarking on another arduous educational program might seem daunting at this point and
perhaps cause the anxiety he is feeling. Seemingly, he had not thought about the implications of
beginning such a program so soon until meeting with a professional counselor for advice.
The results of Keith’s personality and interest assessments indicate that a career in mental
health would likely suit him well. His intelligence and ability assessment scores reflect his
success thus far and intimate that he would indeed be capable of succeeding in a doctoral
program as well. However, further and more thorough evaluation is necessary to substantiate
this. Counseling is recommended to help him deal with his anxiety and better understand himself
and the hesitation he feels regarding his future plans. Perhaps exploring the possibility of
delaying entry into a doctoral program for a few years would be beneficial to him.
While a moderate amount of anxiety would seem normal in his case, the high level he
reports is somewhat alarming and needs to be addressed in therapy. Cognitive Behavioral
Therapy and/or relaxation techniques would likely be of benefit to him. Overall, Keith is a highly
motivated individual with many strengths; counseling has the potential to ease his anxiety and
help lead him on the path towards the realization of his potential.
Keith Hecht
Appraisal and Testing in Counseling
ED.861.612.95
5/8/11
Dr. Luvz T. Teach