Overview
In Week 1, you read "The Concerns of the Profession" in your psychological Testing and Assessment text. You also learned about the who, what, why, how, and where of psychological assessment. When test users (i.e., psychologists) select psychological tests as part of an assessment of a client, they must consider whether the intended purpose of the test matches the purpose for assessing the client. In addition, test users also consider whether the client they will assess is similar to the test's norm group or sample in terms of age, gender, race, geographic region, language, and other demographic characteristics. If the test's norm group or sample is not a good match for the client, then the results could be considered invalid. The publishers of psychological tests also have training requirements for test users. Test users should only use tests for which they have appropriate training and expertise. Pearson Assessments, a large-scale psychological test publisher, has established a level system for test user qualifications based upon the education, training, and expertise needed to purchase, administer, score, and interpret each test. Qualification levels range from qualification level A (no special qualification needed) to qualification level C (a doctorate degree in psychology, education, or a closely related field).
For this assignment, you will write a paper in which you:
Identify a test category that is relevant to your academic specialization or a related profession. The List of Tests by Type [DOCX]identifies the 11 categories you may choose from. They include:
(1) Intelligence/cognitive abilities.
(2) Achievement/aptitude.
- (3) Personality.
(4) Behavior.
(5) Adaptive behavior.
- (6) Neuropsychological.
- (7) Career/business/organization.
- (8) Autism.
- (9) Depression.
- (10) Preschool.
- (11) Behavior analytic skill assessments.
- Select three tests from a single category using the List of Tests by Type [DOCX].
- Note: If you have an interest in a particular test that is not on this list, then you may submit a request to your instructor to include it in your first assignment with two other tests on the list in the same category. Your instructor will review it and determine if you may proceed with including that test in your assignment or recommend that you select three tests from the list.
- Compare and contrast these three tests based on the following:
- The purpose for testing, the content, skills, or constructs assessed and evaluated based on one's area of specialization or a related profession.
- The normative sample, sampling procedures, and the intended population and evaluation based on the anticipated populations served by one’s specialization or related profession.
- The training required to administer, score, and interpret and evaluate based on one's anticipated assessment training or the training of a related profession.
Use the Capella library to search for articles that discuss the test.
Do bibliography mining Links to an external site.to find the original source of the test.
- Do cited reference searchingLinks to an external site. to find articles that use the test and their research or discuss the test
See the PSY7610 Search GuideLinks to an external site. for additional advice. An optional worksheet is also provided to you in the resources to facilitate your research and literature review.
Use RefWorks or another organization strategyLinks to an external site. to keep track of the articles you find. Even if you don’t use the articles for this assignment, you may use it in a future assignment in this course.
- Return to the Capella library to choose a database, for example, PsycINFO, PsycARTICLES, and ERIC (education research). Search for journal articles that are relevant to the elements for each test.
See the PSY7610 Library Research Guide Links to an external site.for search advice. An optional worksheet is also provided to you in the resources to facilitate your research and literature review.)
- The library has also prepared the Psyc Tests and Measures to help you find articles by test, find reviews of instruments, and cite reviews and database records.
- Visit the publisher's website for each test to obtain additional information.
- If the test is not owned by a publishing company, you will need to find this information in other sources, such as journal articles.
- Use the MMY database Links to an external site.in the Capella Library to locate and read a review for each test.