Psychological Testing and Assessment

by Shum, David; O'Gorman, John; Myors, Brett

• ISBN13: 9780195550948
• ISBN10: 0195550943
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2006-03-02
• Publisher: Oxford University Press

Summary

Administering psychological tests and conducting psychological assessments are core skills for psychologists and, increasingly, for a range of professionals in health and business. Psychological Testing and Assessment, written especially for students, provides the latest theory, research and analysis of best practice in the field. Comprehensive yet concise, the book uses real-life examples drawn from the authors' extensive experiences in the field to focus attention on the process of psychological assessment.

Table of Contents

Boxes, Tables and Figures	ix
Preface	xii
PART 1 The Context of Psychological Testing and Assessment	1	(38)
Psychological Tests: What Are They and Why Do We Need Them?	3	(14)
Introduction	3	(1)
A brief history of psychological testing	4	(7)
Psychological tests: why do we need them?	11	(1)
Psychological tests: definitions, advantages, and limitations	12	(4)
Concluding remarks	16	(1)
Questions for consideration	16	(1)
Further reading	16	(1)
Psychological Testing and Assessment: Processes, Best Practice, and Ethics	17	(22)
Introduction	17	(1)
Psychological testing versus psychological assessment	18	(1)
Areas of application	19	(1)
Types of psychological tests	20	(1)
Processes and best practices in psychological testing	21	(10)
Ethics	31	(3)
Code of ethics of the Australian Psychological Society	34	(2)
Concluding remarks	36	(1)
Questions for consideration	36	(1)
Further reading	37	(2)
PART 2 Methodological and Technical Principles of Psychological Testing	39	(82)
Test Scores and Norms	41	(23)
Introduction	41	(1)
Interpreting test scores	42	(1)
Transforming scores for norm referencing	43	(2)
Standard scores and transformed scores based on them	45	(8)
Percentiles and transformed scores based on them	53	(3)
Relationships among the transformed scores	56	(1)
Norms	57	(4)
Concluding remarks	61	(1)
Questions for consideration	62	(1)
Exercises	62	(1)
Further reading	63	(1)
Reliability	64	(14)
Introduction	64	(1)
The meaning of reliability	65	(1)
The domain-sampling model	66	(2)
Calculating reliability coefficients	68	(4)
Extending the domain-sampling model	72	(1)
Some special issues	73	(2)
Concluding remarks	75	(1)
Questions for consideration	76	(1)
Exercises	76	(1)
Further reading	77	(1)
Validity	78	(19)
Introduction	78	(1)
The meaning of validity	79	(2)
Content validity	81	(1)
Predictive validity	81	(11)
Construct validity	92	(3)
Concluding remarks	95	(1)
Questions for consideration	95	(1)
Exercises	95	(1)
Further reading	96	(1)
Test Construction	97	(24)
Introduction	97	(1)
The rational approach	98	(2)
Specification of the attribute	100	(1)
Literature search	100	(1)
Choice of a measurement model	101	(6)
Item writing and editing	107	(1)
Item analysis and selection	108	(6)
Assessing reliability and validity	114	(1)
Norming the test	114	(2)
Publication	116	(1)
Concluding remarks	117	(1)
Questions for consideration	118	(1)
Exercises	118	(1)
Further reading	119	(2)
PART 3 Areas of Professional Application	121	(100)
Clinical and Mental Health Testing and Assessment	123	(23)
Introduction	123	(1)
Clarifying the referral question	124	(1)
Case history data	124	(1)
Clinical interview	125	(1)
The mental status examination	126	(2)
Psychological tests	128	(11)
Psychological report	139	(5)
Concluding remarks	144	(1)
Questions for consideration	145	(1)
Further reading	145	(1)
Organisational Testing and Assessment	146	(21)
Introduction	146	(1)
Performance appraisal	147	(6)
Theories of performance	153	(1)
Personnel selection	154	(7)
Selection as a social process	161	(2)
Some tests used in selection	163	(2)
Concluding remarks	165	(1)
Questions for consideration	166	(1)
Further reading	166	(1)
Neuropsychological Testing and Assessment	167	(22)
Introduction	167	(5)
What is clinical neuropsychology?	172	(1)
A brief history of neuropsychological assessment	173	(3)
What is neuropsychological assessment?	176	(1)
Purposes and procedures of neuropsychological assessment	176	(1)
Neuropsychological functions commonly assessed	177	(10)
Concluding remarks	187	(1)
Questions for consideration	188	(1)
Further reading	188	(1)
Forensic Psychological Testing and Assessment	189	(13)
Introduction	189	(1)
Forensic psychology and forensic psychological testing and assessment	190	(2)
Settings of forensic assessment	192	(1)
Differences between forensic and therapeutic assessment	192	(3)
Psychological tests and assessment techniques commonly used in forensic assessment	195	(4)
Limitations of forensic assessment	199	(1)
Concluding remarks	200	(1)
Questions for consideration	200	(1)
Further reading	201	(1)
Educational Testing and Assessment	202	(19)
Introduction	202	(1)
Role of assessment in education	203	(2)
Aptitude tests	205	(5)
General achievement tests	210	(2)
Applications of achievement and aptitude tests	212	(3)
Vocational interests	215	(3)
Strong vocational interest inventory	218	(2)
Concluding remarks	220	(1)
Questions for consideration	220	(1)
Further reading	220	(1)
PART 4 Prospects and Issues	221	(14)
The Future of Testing and Assessment	223	(12)
Introduction	223	(1)
Content developments	223	(1)
Technical and methodological developments	224	(9)
Contextual changes	233	(1)
Concluding remarks	233	(1)
Questions for consideration	234	(1)
Further reading	234	(1)
References	235	(14)
Answers to Exercises	249	(5)
Index	254