Psychological Interviewing

The course provides basic skills required in the psychological interviewing. 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.

Students should have a basic knowledge on personality theories and methodological methods of research.

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 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.

Workshop 1: Introductory classes

Basic skills - making contact, organizing the setting, first impression. Interviewing as a Relationship.

Workshop 1 Readings

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 2: The purpose of the interview. 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 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).

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: Making the right questions

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).

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 4: Interviewing techniques – active listening and related

Methods

Workshop 4 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 5: Interviewing techniques II

Efficiency of respect – working with psychological resistance

Workshop 5 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 6: Cultural competence: performing psychological assessment with culturally diverse individuals.

Workshop 6 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)

Workshop 7: Assessment methods - projective techniques; TAT; RISB. Questionnaires, MMPI

Workshop 7 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.

Groth-Marnat, G. (2005). Handbook of Psychological Assessment. 4th Edition. New Jersey: John Wiley & Sons Inc., p. 477-515 (Thematic Apperception Test) – fragments.

Workshop 8-10: Mastering of interviewing skills in practice

Workshop 11: Interpreting the interview from two perspectives:

- diagnostician activity evaluation

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

Workshop 11 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 12-14 Mastering of interviewing skills in practice.

Workshop 15: Delivering feedback and termination of a diagnostic process.

Workshop 15 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).

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.

- 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 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 an interview (role - playing) during classes. 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. Detailed guidelines and requirements for the assignment will be given during the workshop. Psychological assessment assignment should be handed in no later than the agreed deadline. 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

Two 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 20 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

Two home assignments = 2 x 10 points

Active participation = 20 points

MAX = 100 points

Needed to pass = 60 points

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.

Students must respect the principles of academic integrity. Cheating and plagiarism (including copying work from other students, internet or other sources) are serious violations that are punishable and instructors are required to report all cases to the administration.