Psychological Assessment: Interviews, Observation, Tests

Recommended Prerequisites

It is recommended that students have basic knowledge in Statistics and Developmental Psychology.

Teaching Methods

Theoretical classes: expositive method supported by the presentation of slides; interrogative methods; oral or written reflection from the presentation of audiovisual materials.

Practical classes: active methodologies based on concrete materials, such as interview scripts, observation grids and intelligence tests; viewing the application of psychological assessment tools on video; training of application skills and scoring of test results through exercises conducted in small groups; field work - application and scoring of tests.

Learning Outcomes

1. Understand the program/project of Psychologic Assessment (PA) as a specific and distinctive element of the scientific and professional activity of psychologists.

2. Identify essential technical, psychometric and ethical/deontological issues related to the adaptation, validation and use of PA methods/techniques/instruments.

3. Understand objectives, theoretical and practical assumptions, advantages and specific limits of each of the PA methodologies and techniques referred in this curricular unit (interview, direct observation and psychological tests).

4. Develop basic knowledge and skills in assessment interviews and direct observation.

5. Acquire basic knowledge for the use of intelligence tests, including the respective psychometric basis.

6. Train skills in the application and scoring of intelligence tests, with special focus on instruments standardized for the Portuguese population.

Work Placement(s)

No

Syllabus

1. Psychological Assessment (PA): definitions; objectives, process phases, guidelines. The hypotesis testing model. Psychological characteristics or dimensions that are the object of assessment.

2. History of Psychological Assessment. Psychological Assessment in Portugal. Contexts of Psychological Assessment.

3. Models of Psychological Assessment (e.g., psychoanalytical, cognitive-behavioral, existential, psychometric).

4. Methods of Psychological Assessment:

4.1 Interviews (SCICA, PCL-R);

4.2 Direct observation (TOF, DOF, GATSB);

4.3 Testing:

4.3.1 The use of tests to assess intelligence;

4.3.2 Study of tests and scales of intelligence standardized for the Portuguese population: Battery of Reasoning Tests  (BPR); Raven's Coloured Progressive Matrices; Wechsler's Intelligence Scales - WPPSI-R; WISC-III and WAIS-III. 

Head Lecturer(s)

Maria João Rama Seabra Santos

Assessment Methods

Assessment
Mini Tests: 5.0%
Laboratory work or Field work: 10.0%
Resolution Problems: 35.0%
Exam: 50.0%

Bibliography

Cohen, R.J., & Swerdlik, M.E. (2018). Psychological testing and assessment: An introduction to tests and measurement (9th ed.). McGraw-Hill.

Geisinger, K. F. (Ed.-in-Chief), Bracken, B. A., et al. (Ass. Eds.)  (2013). APA handbook of testing and assessment in Psychology (3 volumes). APA.

Groth-Marnat, G., & Wright, J. (2016).  Handbook of psychological assessment (6th ed.). John Wiley.

Morrison, J. (2016). The first interview (4th ed.). Guilford.

Saklofske, D. H., Reynolds, C. R., & Schwean, V. L. (Eds.) (2013). The Oxford handbook of child psychological assessment. OUP.

Salkind, N. J. (2013). Tests & measurement for people who (think they) hate tests & measurement (2nd ed.). Sage.

Sattler, J. (2008). Assessment of children: Cognitive foundations (5th ed.). Jerome Sattler, Publisher.

Suhr, J. A. (2015). Psychological assessment: A problem solving approach. Guilford.

Yoder, P. J., Lloyd, B. P., & Symons, F. J. (2018). Observational measurement of behavior (2^nd. ed.). Paul Brookes Pub.