Year No. Offer Mode Description Cred. Pts 96 60216 S1 D ADVANCED ASSESSMENT 1.00
Psychological assessment is a basic skill for all areas of applied psychology. The unit is designed to develop mastery in the administration, scoring, and interpretation of some of the most widely used psychological tests - the Wechsler Adult Intelligence Sale-Regised (WAIS-R), the Wechsler Memory Scale-Revised (WMS-R), the Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory-Second Edition (MMPI-2), and the Wide Range Achievement Test-Revised (WRAT-R). This unit is closely associated with 60211 Psychological Professional Skills and it is strongly recommended that 60216 be taken concurrently with 60211. Units in Abnormal Psychology and Neuropsychology are also advised.
The development of testing skills and the application of testing principles in the clinical setting will be taught through lectures, case studies, and practica.
On successful completion of this unit students will be able to:
Description Weighting(%)
- The unit is divided into halves. The first half, comprising the first seven weeks, concentrates on students acquiring mastery of the four core tests in tutorials and general psychometric and testing principles in lectures. The second half of the course focuses on the application of these tasks in the areas of Clinical Psychology, Clinical Neuropsychology, and Forensic Psychology. Additional tests and testing principles specific to these applied areas will also be reviewed.
- Basic Testing and Psychometric Principles 15.00 - topics include the uses of confidence intervals, standard error of measurement, standard error of estimate, and standard error of prediction; estimation of predicted true scores; application of factor analysis and factor scores; abnormality vs. significance; and evaluation of appropriate normative data.
- The WAIS-R 15.00 - the evaluation of intellectural functioning. The application of basic principles to WAIS-R interpretation. Age-education norms. Continuous age norming. Relationship of the WAIS-R to other tests of intellectual functioning. Factor and other analytic systems of interpretation. Impact of demographc variables upon IQ estimation. Estimating premorbid level of intellectual functioning. Pattern analysis and intersubtest scatter.
- The WMS-R 10.00 - the evaluation of memory. The application of basic principles to WMS-R interpretation. Index patterns and differences. Relationship of the WMS-R to other tests of memory functioning. Factor analysis studies.
- The MMPI-2 10.00 - the evaluation of psychosocial functioning and personality. Examination of the basic, content, and supplementary scales. Codetype analysis and interpretation. Relationship of the MMPI-2 to the MMPI, Clinical Analysis Questionnaire, and the 16PF. The role of projective tests.
- WRAT-R 5.00 - the evaluation of educational achievement. The WRAT-R is used as an example of a relatively brief estimate of grade level for reading, spelling, and arithmetic. The role of the WRAT-R will be discussed with reference to other brief measures of educational achievement. While some of the more substantial educational batteries will be discussed, these topics are not designed to instruct students in child or school-based assessment procedures.
- Assessment in Clinical Psychology 5.00 The application of the tests (2-5) are examined in the clinical psychology setting. Case studies and practical work will emphasise the role of these tests and examine other tests that are commonly employed by professionals in this area. Issues in the type of report writing specific to clinical psychology will be discussed.
- Assessment in Neuropsychology 5.00 The application of the tests (2-5) are examined in the neuropsychological setting. The emphasis is placed upon the evaluation of cognitive functioning and brain-behaviour relationships. Case studies and practical work reinforce the role of the core tests and the role of other testing is examined. The use of hypothesis-testing and testing-of- the-limits are a particular focus. Report writing for the neuropsychological setting will be reviewed.
- Assessment in Forensic Psychology 5.00 The application of the tests (2-5) are examined in the forensic setting. Case studies and practical work will emphasise the role of psychological assessment in the legal setting. Specific topics covered include the evaluation of malingering, report writing, legal issues, and functioning as an expert witness.
Greene, R.L., (1991) "The MMPI-2/MMPI. An Interpretive
Manual", Sydney: Allyn & Bacon.
Vanderploeg, R.D., (1994) "Clinician's Guide to
Neuropsychological Assessment", Lawrence Erlbaum: New Jersey.
Optional text:
Meyer, R.G., (1996) "The Clinician's Handbook" (4th edition),
Allyn & Bacon: Sydney.
Kamphaus, R.W., (1993) "Clinical Assessment of
Children's Intelligence", Sydney: Allyn & Bacon.
Lezak, M.D., (1996) "Neuropsychological Assessment",
3rd Edition, New York: Oxford University Press.
Sattler, J.M., (1992) "Assessment of Children", 3rd
Edition, San Diego: Jerome M Sattler, Publisher, Inc.
Shapiro, D.L., (1991) "Forensic Psychological Assessment.
An Integrative Approach", Sydney: Allyn & Bacon.
Spreen, O., & Strauss, E., (1991) "A Compendium of
Neuropsychological tests. Administration, Norms, and
Commentary", New York: Oxford University Press.
Doerr, H.O., & Carlin, A.S., (1991), "Forensic
Neuropsychology. Legal and Scientific Basis", New York:
The Guilford Press.
Journals
Psychological Assessment
The Clinical Neuropsychologist
Journal of Clinical Psychology
ACTIVITY HOURS Lectures 45 Tutorials/Workshops 45 Private Study 80
No *F/S Marks Due Description Wtg(%) LBL 1 S MID-SEM STATISTICS EXAMINATION 30.00 N 2 S PASSIM 6 REPORTS 70.00 N
In accordance with University policy and Guidelines,
i an Examiner may grant an extension of the due date of an
assignment in extenuating circumstances;
ii no assignments will be accepted for assessment purposes
after assignments or model solutions have been released
except in extenuating circumstances;
iii assignments submitted after the due date without any
extenuating circumstances will attract a penalty of at
most 20% of the assignment mark for each working day
late;
iv students who submit an assignment after the due date and
wish to claim extenuating circumstances, must provide
documentary evidence with the assignment explaining
the circumstances;
v the unit examiner shall consider a claim for extenuating
circumstances and decide on the outcome;
vi the decision of the Dean shall be final in any dispute
that may arise in the implementation of these guidelines.