Psychological Assessment lab

obligatory courses

The course provides basic skills required in the psychological assessment

domain. The course introduces students to selected assessment tools

such as different types of interviews and the contexts in which they are

used. The important part of the course’s program concerns ethical issues

and methodological standards obligatory in diagnostician’s practice.

During the lab workshop students will gain knowledge and

practical skills necessary to establish a diagnostic relationship and conduct

a diagnostic investigation with employment of free diagnostic methods –

psychological interview, observation and some projective techniques.

During the workshop students will learn and practice how to establish a

contract for the investigation, build diagnostic contact, deal with

psychological resistance, conduct a diagnostic interview and use chosen

projective tests, interpret gathered data and lastly how to deliver

diagnostic feedback.

The course provides basic skills required in the psychological

assessment domain. The course introduces students to selected

assessment tools such as different types of interviews and the contexts in

which they are used. The important part of the course’s program

concerns ethical issues and methodological standards obligatory in

diagnostician’s practice.

Workshop 1: Planning the psychological assessment in reference to its’ aim.

Diagnostician as a scientists: hypotheses – indicators – operationalization.

Workshop 1 Readings

Groth-Marnat, G. (2005). Handbook of Psychological Assessment. 4th Edition.

New Jersey: John Wiley & Sons Inc., p. 1-5, 37-48, 62-66 (Chapter 1

subsections: Introduction, Role of the Clinician and Chapter 2 subsections:

Types of Referral Settings, Selecting Psychological Tests).

Workshop 2: Contract and informed consent. Ethical issues related to

psychological assessment.

Workshop 2 Readings

Groth-Marnat, G. (2005). Handbook of psychological assessment. 4th Edition.

New Jersey: John Wiley & Sons., p. 48-56 (Ethical Practice of Assessment).

Seidman, I. (2006). Interviewing as Qualitative research. A Guide for

Researchers in Education and the Social Sciences. 3rd Edition. New York,

London: Teachers College Press., p. 60-77 (Informed Consent).

Workshop 3: Choosing the correct type of interview structuring for the

purpose of diagnosis. First interview: gathering factual information and

analyzing participants’ expectations towards diagnosis.

Workshop 3 Readings

Craig, R., J. (2005). Clinical and Diagnostic Interviewing. 2nd Edition. Lanham:

Jason Aronson, p. 21-29 (the clinical process of interviewing and the

therapist approach to the interview).

Workshop 4: Interviewing techniques – planning questions allowing for

acquiring strong and valid data

Workshop 4 Readings

Hargie, O., Dickson, D. (2004). Skilled Interpersonal Communication. Research,

Theory and Practice. Hove, England: Routledge.; p. 120-127 (Questioning).

Sommers-Flanagan, J., Sommers-Flanagan, R., (2009). Clinical Interviewing.

4th Edition. Hoboken, NJ: John Wiley & Sons Inc., p.83-97 (Directives:

Questions).

Workshop 5: Processes related to building contact. Observation and

recipathy.

Workshop 5 Readings

Hargie, O., Dickson, D. (2004). Skilled Interpersonal Communication. Research,

Theory and Practice. Hove, England: Routledge. p. 43-80 (Nonverbal

communication).

Seidman, I. (2006). Interviewing as Qualitative research. A Guide for

Researchers in Education and the Social Sciences. 3rd Edition. New York,

London: Teachers College Press., p. 95-111 (Interviewing as a

Relationship).

Workshop 6: Interviewing techniques – active listening and related methods

Workshop 6 Readings

Hargie, O., Dickson, D. (2004). Skilled Interpersonal Communication. Research,

Theory and Practice. Hove, England: Routledge. p. 156-167 (Reflecting),

p. 175-177; 192-194 (Listening).

Seidman, I. (2006). Interviewing as Qualitative research. A Guide for

Researchers in Education and the Social Sciences. 3rd Edition. New York,

London: Teachers College Press., p. 78-94 (Technique Isn’t Everything, But

It Is a Lot).

Sommers-Flanagan, J., Sommers-Flanagan, R., (2009). Clinical Interviewing.

4th Edition. Hoboken, NJ: John Wiley & Sons Inc., p.53-73 (Basic

Attending and Listening Skills).

Workshop 7: Efficiency of respect – working with psychological resistance

Workshop 7 Readings

Dorfman, W. I. (2008). Dealing With the Overtalkative client. In: M. Hersen &

V. B. Van Hasselt (Eds.). Basic Interviewing. A practical guide for counselors

and clinicians. New York: Psychology Press, p.165-180.

Gild, S., N. & Castillo, Y. (2010). Dealing with Defenses and defensiveness in

Interviews. In: D. L. Segal & M. Hersen (ed.), Diagnostic Interviewing. 4th

Edition. New York: Springer, p.89-101.

Workshop 8-9: Interpreting the interview in two steps:

- diagnostician activity evaluation

- analyzing obtained data in the light of the interview’s aim and the

peculiarity of

diagnostician’s activity

Workshop 8-9 Readings

Seidman, I. (2006). Interviewing as Qualitative research. A Guide for

Researchers in Education and the Social Sciences. Third Edition. New York,

London: Teachers College Press., p. 22-26 (Whose meaning is it? validity

and reliability) & 112-131 (Analyzing, Interpreting and Sharing Interview

Material).

Workshop 10: Case conceptualization. Delivering feedback and termination

of a diagnostic process.

Workshop 10 Readings

Carey, M. P., Flasher, L. V., Maisto, S. A. & Turkat I. D. (1984). The A priori

Approach to Psychological Assessment. Professional Psychology: Research

and Practice, 15, 515-527

Groth-Marnat, G. (2005). Handbook of Psychological Assessment. 4th Edition.

New Jersey: John Wiley & Sons Inc., p. 621-671 (Chapter 15 Psychological

Report).

Workshop 11: RISB – carrying out and interpretation

Workshop 11 Readings

Sherry, A., Dahlen,E. & Holaday, M. (2004). The Use of Sentence Completion

Test with Adults. In: M. J. Hilsenroth, D. L. Segal & M. Hersen (ed.),

Comprehensive handbook of psychological assessment: Personality

assessment. Volume 2. New Jersey: John Wiley and Sons, p. 372-382.

Workshop 12: TAT – carrying out and interpretation

Workshop 12 Readings

Groth-Marnat, G. (2005). Handbook of Psychological Assessment. 4th Edition.

New Jersey: John Wiley & Sons Inc., p. 477-515 (Thematic Apperception

Test).

Workshop 13: Cultural competence: performing psychological assessment

with culturally diverse individuals.

Workshop 13 Readings

American Psychiatric Association. (2013). Diagnostic and statistical manual of

mental disorders DSM-5 (5th ed.). Washington, DC: Author; Chapter:

Cultural Formulation Interview (CFI) in Section III: Emerging Measures and

Models.

Groth-Marnat, G. (2005). Handbook of Psychological Assessment. 4th Edition.

New Jersey: John Wiley & Sons Inc., p. 56-61 (Chapter 2 subsection: Test

Bias and Use with Minority Groups)

Additional literature:

Braun, F. K., Fine, E. S., Greif, D. C & Devenny, J. M. (2010). Guidelines for

Multicultural Assessment: An Asian Indian American Case Study. Journal of

Multicultural Counselling and Development, 38, 130-141.

Workshop 14: Final mastering of interviewing skills

Workshop 14 Readings

no reading required

Skills:

- Student is able to critically reflect on diagnostic methods and the

conditions of their use, including potentials and limitations of the

employment of different methods such as interviews or projective

tests.

- Student is able to use the gained knowledge about psychological

diagnosis in practice and thus plan and conduct a diagnostic

investigation with employment of free diagnostic methods.

- Student is able to carry out basic diagnostic tasks – establish a

contract for the diagnosis, conduct a diagnostic assessment, analyze

gathered data, make case conceptualization and deliver diagnostic

feedback.

- Students has a necessary skills to build and maintain genuine

diagnostic contact: students is able to use active listening techniques,

deal with psychological resistance and use nonverbal cues and

accurately react to them.

Knowledge:

- Student understands diagnostic investigation as a process of decisionmaking

(creating and testing hypotheses) and understands how

different cognitive and emotional phenomena influence this process;

- Student knows the methodological and ethical standards of using

qualitative assessment tools (interviews, projective tests)

- Student knows and understands the meaning of professional

psychological competencies.

Values:

- Student is aware of the different socio-cultural contexts of

maintaining the process of psychological assessment and the impact

of final diagnosis on the participants wellbeing;

- Student understands the social role of diagnostician and its

implications.

During the module students will work individually on psychological

assessment assignment. Students' task will be first to conduct and analyze

a 20-minute interview with a colleague from the group aimed at

understanding a particular aspect of colleague’s life. Than students will be

asked to evaluate their diagnostic activity during the interview (e.g.

determine the best and worst part of their activity, indicate moments of

empathic response, proper use of paraphrases and open questions, and

improve the errors committed during the interview), analyze obtained

data and finally prepare feedback and deliver it to the colleague. Detailed

guidelines and requirements for the assignment will be given during the

workshop. Psychological assessment assignment should be handed in no

later than on Workshop 14 in print. Handing in assignment after the

deadline will lower the grade. For every day of a delay, you will receive

two points less. Assignments handed in more than two weeks after the

deadline will not be checked and graded, what is equal with failing the

workshop.

Max points for this assignment is 60

Three additional pieces of homework will be given during the course. Each

homework is 10 points

Positively evaluated, active participation during the classes (that is

preparation, asking questions, critical thinking, participation in conducted

exercises and discussions) is rewarded with additional 10 points.

Students are supposed to prepare the readings home and workshops will

include discussions to which preparation is needed. Please read the

literature for each class. If the class does not read the literature well

enough to participate in class discussions, the tutor has right to perform

unannounced tests of knowledge from the readings. Points from the

unannounced tests will be included into participation points.

Main assignment = 60 points

Three home assignments =3 x 10 points

Active participation = 10 points

MAX = 100 points

Needed to pass = 60 points

Attendance rules

Not more than 2 excused or unexcused absences allowed. An excused

absence means that the student has a documented excuse substantiated

by for instance a medical note. In case of the third absence it can only be

an excused one and it results in an additional assignment. Having more

than 3 absences means failing the class.