Chapter 4: Methods for Assessment in Psychology

• Assessment methods in psychology

  • Interview
  • Self-assessment scales
  • Cognitive methods
  • Projective methods
• The field of psychology that examines the diverse properties of tests is referred to as psychometrics
• Assessment principles


  • Reliability
  • Validity
  • Objectivity
• Reliability


  A test produces consistent outcomes in a particular individual when administered twice with a small time interval
• Validity


  The degree to which a particular method measures the psychological property it is intended to measure
• Validity measures


  • Construct validity
  • Discriminant validity
  • Convergent validity
  • Cross-validity
• Objectivity of research method

  • Independence of results from researcher's intentions and personality
  • Analysis of all data obtained, not merely those related to the research hypothesis
  • Verification of data by other methods
  • Equal procedures for all participants
• Interview


  1. Introduction

  2. Main phase

  3. Conclusional phase
• Interview topics


  • Area of free facilitation (emotionally neutral)
  • Area of psychodynamic (emotionally significant, mostly traumatic)
• Ensuring psychological comfort in interview

  • Well-prepared interview
  • Calm atmosphere and trust with interviewee
  • Encourage openness
• Interview types


  • Unstructured
  • Semi-structured
  • Structured
• Clinical interview


  Identifies if an individual has personality traits associated with a particular mental disorder
• Self-assessment scales


  Questions or statements that allow participants to assess their personal states, experiences, beliefs, interests, convictions, attitudes, and other subjective factors
• Test


  Laboratory-based examination where individuals perform a task or demonstrate abilities
• Questionnaire


  Self-assessment form used for researching personal characteristics
• Scale


  • Quantitative evaluation of mental phenomena (e.g. value, frequency, symptoms, condition severity)
  • Construct being studied (e.g. cognitive process, personality trait, state)
• Measurement scales


  • Dichotomous scale
  • Likert scale
• Dichotomous scale


  Provides alternative response with two categories (e.g. yes/no)
• Likert scale


  Allows expressing degree of agreement/disagreement with a statement
• Psychological questionnaires


  • Measuring current states
  • Measuring personality traits
• Psychological assessment methods and measures employed in clinical research are essentially psychometric techniques
• Psychological research norms are updated every 20-30 years due to dynamic cultural and environmental influences on the human psyche
• Cognitive methods


  Investigation of cognitive functions - attention, memory, thinking, and perception
• Cognitive methods


  Investigation of the cognitive functions - attention, memory, thinking, and perception
• Cognitive methods


  • Serve to evaluate the characteristics of cognitive processes, including concentration and attention distribution, memory retention and reproduction, cognitive capacity (logic, speed, flexibility, criticality, etc.), and consistency of perception
  • Have high diagnostic value in assessment of the individual psyche and in relation to cognitive disorders accompanying various neuropsychiatric disorders
  • Constitute a large heterogeneous group of assessment tools that are highly effective for clinical and psychological screening needs
• Chappuis Labyrinth


  1. Subjects trace the exit path of a labyrinth from the centre to the exit without making contact with the walls

  2. Score determined based on execution time, mistake rate, and touching limit lines

  3. Specialist may assume primary attention characteristics (concentration, persistence, and switchability) have not been impacted pathologically

  4. Unified coefficient of success calculated reflecting the ability to cope with the task
• Luria Memory Test


  1. A set of ten monosyllabic or two-syllable words read to a person

  2. First part requires person to listen and repeat the words to assess auditory memorization rapidity

  3. Second part requires person to reproduce the words an hour later to assess auditory memory stability and long-term memory capabilities

  4. Results plotted on a graph depicting memory dynamics
• Poor dynamic results in Luria Memory Test may indicate organic brain diseases or emotional problems, even schizophrenia
• Insufficient sustained attention can produce fluctuations in Luria Memory Test results, indicating emotional passivity or lack of interest
• Attention


  A critical metric for assessing the properties of all cognitive processes
• Mini-Mental Status Exam (MMSE)

  1. Cognitive screening tool that provides a brief, objective measure of cognitive function

  2. Tests orientation to time and place, attention/concentration, short-term memory (recall), language skills, visuospatial abilities - visual and spatial relationships between objects, ability to understand and follow instructions

  3. Maximum score is 30, with 25 or higher classed as normal
• A high MMSE score does not necessarily mean that you don't have cognitive impairment, and a low score does not necessarily mean that you have dementia
• Verbal intelligence


  Studied through verbal stimuli
• Non-verbal intelligence


  Studied through graphic visual stimuli
• Raven's Progressive Matrices (RPM)


  1. Consists of 60 picture-based problems, divided into five series (A, B, C, D, and E) with 12 problems each

  2. Difficulty increases with each series

  3. Assesses capability of logical and abstract thinking and the G factor (individual's ability to solve mathematical and logical problems, as well as their general educational capacity)
• An extremely poor performance on the Raven test may indicate shortcomings in cognitive and intellectual development
• Projective methods


  Tests to examine unconscious emotional states, processes, and personality characteristics
• Rorschach test


  1. Participant provides subjective interpretation of inkblot pictures, including what they perceive, what it resembles, what it could represent, and what it brings to mind

  2. Associations recorded with accuracy per research protocol, taking into account latency time

  3. Examiner and participant discuss features of the inkblot that led to the response and what facilitated associations

  
• Projective methods


  • Efficient in evaluating creativity, cognitive style, and personal unconscious aspects (e.g., needs, motives, emotions, and attitudes)
  • Divided into different groups according to their purpose, stimulus, and research goal (constructive, associative, complementary, expressive)
• Anamnesis


  Patient's history in relation to the development of the disease, using both the patient's self-report and the report of others