60216 ADVANCED ASSESSMENT

Year	No.	Offer	Mode	Description			Cred. Pts
97	60216 	S1  	D 	ADVANCED ASSESSMENT       	1.00

Contents


STAFFING:

Examiner: G. SENIOR
Moderator: G. FOGARTY

PRE-REQUISITE(S)

69303/69209


RATIONALE:

Psychological assessment is a basic skill for all areas of applied psychology. The unit is designed to develop administration, scoring, and interpretation of some of the most widely used psychological tests.


SYNOPSIS:

The development of testing skills and the application of testing principles in the clinical setting will be taught through lectures, case studies, and practica. In particular, mastery will be developed in 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.


OBJECTIVES:

On successful completion of this unit students will be able
to:

  1. administer, score, and interpret the WAIS-R, WMS-R and MMPI-2
    in a variety of clinical settings;
  2. be able to apply testing and psychometric principles to
    psychological assessment.

TOPICS:

 Description                                                    Weighting(%)
  1. The unit is divided into halves. The first half, comprising the first seven weeks, concentrates on students acquiring mastery of the three 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 Neuropsychology and Forensic Psychology. Additional tests and testing principles specific to these applied areas will also be reviewed.

  2. Basic Testing and Psychometric Principles 30.00 - 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.
  3. The WAIS-R 15.00 - the evaluation of intellectual 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.
  4. 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.
  5. The MMPI-2 15.00 - 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.
  6. Assessment in Neuropsychology 15.00 The application of the tests (2-4) are examined in the neuropsychological setting. The emphasis is placed upon the evaluation of cognitive functioning and brain-behaviour relationships. Case studies 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.
  7. Assessment in Forensic Psychology 15.00 The application of the tests (2-4) are examined in the forensic setting. Case studies 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.


TEXT and MATERIALS to be PURCHASED:

Greene, R.L. 1991, The MMPI-2/MMPI. An Interpretive Manual, Sydney:
Allyn & Bacon.

Kaufman, A.S. 1990, Assessing Adolescent and Adult Intelligence,
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 edn, Allyn & Bacon: Sydney.


RECOMMENDED REFERENCE MATERIALS:

Doerr, H.O. & Carlin, A.S. 1991, Forensic Neuropsychology. Legal and
Scientific Basis
, New York: The Guilford Press.

Kamphaus, R.W. 1993, Clinical Assessment of Children's Intelligence, Sydney:
Allyn & Bacon.

Kamphaus, R.W.& Frick, P.J. 1996, Clinical Assessment of Child and Adolescent
Personality and Behaviour
, Sydney: Allyn & Bacon.

Lezak, M.D. 1996, Neuropsychological Assessment, 3rd edn, New York:
Oxford University Press.

Sattler, J.M. 1992, Assessment of Children, 3rd edn, 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.

Journals

Psychological Assessment
The Clinical Neuropsychologist
Journal of Clinical Psychology
Assessment
Archives of Clinical Neuropsychology


STUDENT WORKLOAD REQUIREMENTS:

	ACTIVITY				HOURS
Lectures                                      	45
Tutorials/Workshops                           	45
Private Study                                 	80

ASSESSMENT DETAILS:

No  *F/S Marks     Due        Description                              Wtg(%)    LBL
1   S              PASSIM    4 STATISTICS ASSIGNMENTS                  33.00     N
2   S              PASSIM    6 CASE REPORTS                            67.00     N

*F=Formative, S=Summative

OTHER REQUIREMENTS:

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.

This information is accurate as at 28/11/97