Psychology 637

PSYC 637: Personality Assessment

Prerequisites: Completion of PSYC 631 with a “B” or better, PSYC 663 or PSYC 685 (these may be taken concurrently), or permission of instructor.

Credit Hours: (3)

Students will gain experience in clinical observation, assessment interviews, and procedures regarding selection, administration, scoring, and interpretation of several of the widely used  methods of personality assessment, diagnosis, and treatment of mental health clients.  Ethical issues, including those that relate to assessing culturally diverse populations in counseling settings, are emphasized.

Detailed Description of Content of Course

1. History of Personality Assessment
2. Concepts and Definitions
3. Projective Approaches Rorschach, Draw-a-person, etc.
4. Empirical Approaches (MMPI-II, Personality Inventory for Children, Etc.), Bender-Gestalt
5. Psychological Report Writing
6. Behavioral and Psychosituational Assessment
7. Interviewing Techniques
8. Psychometric considerations: Reliability, Validity, Norms, Standardization
9. Assessment Technology: Clinical vs. Actuarial Prediction, Base Rates, Factors Affecting Clinical Accuracy, Process of Clinical Judgment, Etc.
10. Automated Personality Assessment: Computerized Administration, Scoring, Interpretation, Problems
11. Criticisms: Improper Usage, Ethical and Legal Concerns

Detailed Description of Conduct of Course

The course involved didactic instruction and supervised experience. A class discussion format is also used.

Goals and Objectives of the Course

1. To learn the basic theory of personality assessment
2. Student is expected to be able to administer, score, interpret and report the widely used psychological assessment instruments.
3. To develop skills in applied assessment on a clinical setting.

Assessment Measures

Graded assignments include in-class tests, psychological test administration and reports, a final examination, and class preparation and participation.

Other Course Information

None

Review and Approval

May 2010