Problem:
As someone who has worked as a therapist for over a decade, one of the most significant differences I have noticed between the fields is the amount of knowledge and experience using psychological assessments. In order to make the necessary leap into competent, effective psychological testing, having a strong understanding of testing instruments available and the appropriate application for each is paramount. Anastasi and Urbina (1997) note that while the availability of testing instruments continues to expand through revisions and new developments, it is important to stay informed regarding the multiple uses each test can offer. Selecting the appropriate intelligence, academic, vocational, or personality test is critical to informed decision-making and reducing the potential for test misuse. The following discussion examines three commonly used assessments, their purposes, and situations in which each may be utilized. Need Assignment Help?
The Kaufman Assessment Battery for Children (K-ABC) is used to measure cognitive development in children aged 2 years 6 months through 12 years 5 months (Anastasi, n.d.). The assessment evaluates mental procession and achievement and includes measures of both sequential and simultaneous. It was standardized using data collected from the majority and minority populations to ensure applicability with a wide variety of users from diverse populations including children with handicaps, and cultural and linguistic minorities. Despite the large research sample size, Anastasi (n.d.) cautions users from attempting to utilize the K-ABC alone to assess, noting that it is a measure like others that should be utilized in conjunction with other measures for most appropriate results. As a clinical psychologist, the K-ABC would be appropriately used with a child whose parents or school has concerns related to academic performance, learning difficulties, or cognitive processing abilities in order to consider processing abilities and possible supports needed in the school. As a test that has been standardized on a diverse sample and includes nonverbal tasks that reduce the influence on language demands, it may be particularly useful if the family seeking the assessment was from a culturally or linguistically diverse background. Research shows that historically minorities score better on standardized testing measures that are nonverbal than those that are verbal (Lakin & Lohman, 2011). As a practitioner in a diverse community, with a child presenting to be assessed from a diverse background, this would be important to consider during test selection.
The Career Assessment Inventory (CAI) is an instrument that is not solely used in traditional psychological testing settings. It is not uncommon to see therapists from varying backgrounds including vocational, rehabilitation, and counseling use the inventory when presented with individuals that are facing uncertainty related to their career direction. The CAI is designed to assess an individual's work interests and compare those to various occupational groups in order to identify potential career paths (Rounds, 2003). The CAI was updated to the enhanced version in 1986 with revisions to the combined sex-occupational scales, increased testing items, and testing time. Despite the enhanced version offering an increase in the combined sex-occupational scales, research reflects concerns related to the validity of the inventory for the intended purpose, with concerns noted related to gender responses not reflecting their representative demographic. Another concern noted is related to the manual not indicating how accurately the test demonstrates accuracy in success related to career choice. As a psychologist, I would have reservations related to using the CAI as a primary tool for career exploration with my clients due to the concerns related to the validity of it measuring its intended purpose. I would prefer an assessment with stronger empirical support when making recommendations that could change the direction of an individual's life. There are other options available that would be preferable like the Strong-Campbell Interest Inventory or the Self-Directed Search that the article noted (Rounds, 2003). The final assessment type we will explore is used to assess Personality. The Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory, 2 (MMPI-2) was published in 1989 as a revision to the popular MMPI that was noted as one of the most frequently used personality inventories. The MMPI-2 included a large sample size of over 2500 participants, and included 15 content scales and 18 supplementary scales (Archer & Nichols, 1990). The inventory is designed to assess personality, psychopathology, and emotional and behavioral concerns that may be present. It looks at a wide variety of areas from standard depression, anxiety, substance, to shyness, social avoidance, gender roles, to work related items (Archer & Nichols, 1990). As a clinical psychologist, I would take the wide breadth of the inventory into consideration and utilize it if a patient presented with mood and personality concerns. There are standard batteries that are more targeted that are typically utilized for mood such as PHQ-9 and GAD-7, but having an assessment that can look more in depth at these areas, while also considering personality would be beneficial to conduct a more thorough assessment.
Ultimately, the three assessments covered vary in use but can all be utilized in conjunction with each other and other inventories to provide a more comprehensive view of individuals in order to develop the best possible treatment plans. When used appropriately, these assessments can help psychologists make informed decisions and develop effective treatment plans that are based on a comprehensive understanding of the individual.
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