**PLEASE DO NOT READ TEXTBOOKS AHEAD—IT CAN INVALIDATE TEST RESULTS. YOU WILL BE DISAPPOINTED IF YOUR RESULTS ARE INACCURRATE. COMPLIANCE WITH THE READING SCHEDULE FACILTATES FULL PARTICIPATION IN ALL CLASS ACTIVITIES.
TESTS AND MEASUREMENTS
CNS 525: 3 credit hours
Western Seminary – Portland Campus
Kay C. Bruce, Psy.D., Professor of Counseling
Daniel Lennen, Psy.D., and Lisa Achilles, M.A., Graders
Ways to Communicate:
Office Hours: Mondays through Thursdays Email address:
Office No. (503) 517-1875 Appointments scheduled by calling (503) 517-1976
Cell Phone No. (360) 910-2701
Note: Syllabus may be subject to change through first week of class
Syllabus – Spring Semester, 2015
COURSE SCHEDULE
The class meets on-campus in BH 201 on Mondays, January 5 through April 20, 2015, 9:40 am-12:40 pm.
COURSE DESCRIPTION
This course will provide an introduction to testing instruments that are available to the counselor for use in diagnostic and therapeutic interventions within a counseling setting. Prerequisite: CNS 524.
COURSE OBJECTIVES
Upon completion of this course the student is expected to:
1. Understand historical perspectives concerning the nature and meaning of assessment. Know basic concepts of standardized and non-standardized testing and other assessment techniques, including norm-referenced and criterion-referenced assessment, environmental assessment, performance assessment, individual and group test and inventory methods, psychological testing, and behavioral observations.
(Section II Standard G.7.a; and Standard G.7.b)
2. Understand statistical concepts, including scales of measurement, measures of central tendency, indices of variability, shapes and types of distributions, and correlations; reliability (i.e., theory of measurement error, models of reliability, and the use of reliability information); and validity (i.e., evidence of validity, types of validity, and the relationship between reliability and validity.)
(Section II Standard G.7.c; Standard G.7.d; and Standard G.7.e)
3. Know social and cultural factors related to the assessment and evaluation of individuals, groups, and specific populations. Demonstrate ability for appropriate selection of comprehensive assessment interventions to assist in diagnosis and treatment planning, with an awareness of cultural bias in the implementation and interpretation of assessment protocols.
(Section II Standard G.7.f; Section III Clinical Mental Health Counseling Standard H.1; and Section III Clinical Mental Health Counseling Standard K.4)
4. Utilize ethical strategies for selecting, administering, and interpreting assessment and evaluation instruments and techniques in counseling.
(Section II Standard G.7.g)
5. Understand various models and approaches to clinical evaluation and their appropriate uses, including diagnostic interviews, mental status examinations, symptom inventories, and psycho-educational and personality assessments.
(Section III Clinical Mental Health Counseling Standard G.2)
6. Identify standard screening and assessment instruments for substance use disorders and process addictions.
(Section III Clinical Mental Health Counseling Standard G.4)
TEXTBOOKS
Groth-Marnat, G. Handbook of Psychological Assessment, (5th ed.). (2009) ISBN 978-0-470-08358-1 Price: $114.09
Hays, D. G. Assessment in Counseling: A Guide to the Use of Psychological Assessment Procedures, 5th ed). (2013) ISBN 978-1-55620-318-3 Price $77.95
You are encouraged to purchase these titles through the Amazon.com associate program; the link is found on the Western website under “Current Students/Portland”: http://www.westernseminary.edu/CurrentStudents/PDX/index.htm.
ONLINE CLASSROOM
This class has an online classroom. Your first class assignment is to access this website during the first week of the semester and take a simple quiz confirming your participation in the course. You may also be asked to use the learning center to download handouts and submit assignments.
To access the site, go to http://www.westernseminary.edu/classrooms/. Click on ‘login’ (on the right above the calendar), use your student number for your username, and the password you received from the school. For a replacement password, click on ‘forgot your password’ or contact Jon Raibley: . The on-line classroom will go live no later than the first Monday of the semester.
RESPONSIBILITIES
1. Online Orientation (15 min.) (1 point)
2. Before the end of the first Friday of the semester, you need to log onto the web classroom, download the syllabus for the course, and complete the report indicating that you have read and understand the course requirements. By federal law, we now need to ensure that students participate in classes for the full length of the semester. So failure to complete the online orientation on time may result in a grade penalty and may impact your financial aid eligibility.
3. Attendance. (1 point per class, 14 points possible) (42 hours)
4. Reading. (1 point per completed reading assignment, 9 points possible) (Prep. time 15 hours)
Reading is for familiarity, with special emphasis on sections regarding measurement concepts, ethics, test construction, and testing with special populations.
5. Assessment Instruments. (1 point per completed assigned test, 1 point for test scoring, and 1 point for test interpretation, 33 points possible) (Prep. time 19 hours)
Late penalty 1 point per test per week
6. Quiz. (4 points possible) (Prep. time 2.5 hours)
7. Research Presentation. (10 points possible) (Prep. time 20 hours)
Late penalty 2 points per week
Each student will select an assessment instrument to present to class members. The presentation will include a sample of the test and a handout reviewing the salient features of the test, clinical usefulness, where the test may be purchased, and psychometric properties of the test. A bibliography should be attached to the handout listing recent (published within the last 5 years) journal articles.
8. Notebook. (5 points possible) Late penalty 2 points per week
The student shall submit a notebook, appropriately divided and labeled by assessment name, containing the required scored tests, class handouts, and class notes. (Prep. time 4 hours)
9. Self-Analysis Paper. (13 points possible) Late penalty 5 points per week
Students shall write a self-analysis based on test results obtained from course work. All significant test results should be incorporated into the analysis. It should be written in the third person, as a professional report, utilizing the following outline from the Groth-Marnat textbook: (Prep. time 25 hours)
a. Date of Report
b. Name of Subject
c. Age, Date of Birth, Sex, Ethnicity of Subject
d. Referral Question
e. Evaluation Procedures
f. Behavioral Observations
g. Background Information
h. Test Results
i. Impressions and Interpretations
j. Diagnosis
k. Summary and Recommendations
10. Final Exam. (10 points possible) (Prep. time 7 hours) Late penalty 2 points per day
11. Final Course Evaluation (15 min.) (1 point)
Before the end of the last Friday of the semester, you need to log onto the learning center and complete the final course evaluation. By federal law, we now need to ensure that students participate in classes for the full length of the class. So failure to complete the final course evaluation on time will result in a grade penalty and may impact your financial aid eligibility.
GRADING
A+ / A / A- / B+ / B / B- / C+ / C / C- / D+ / D / D-99-100% / 95-98% / 93-94% / 91-92% / 88-90% / 86-87% / 84-85% / 81-83% / 79-80% / 77-78% / 74-76% / 70-73%
Required Assignments / Points / Estimated Time to Complete
1. Online Orientation / 1 / .25 hours
2. On-campus Attendance / 14 / 42 hours
3. Reading / 9 / 15 hours
4. Assessments / 33 / 19 hours
5. Quiz / 4 / 2.5 hours
6. Research Presentation / 10 / 20 hours
7. Notebook / 5 / 4 hours
8. Self-Analysis Paper / 13 / 25 hours
9. Final Exam / 10 / 7 hours
10. Final Course Evaluation / 1 / .25 hours
Totals / 100 / 135 hrs.
COURSE SCHEDULE
Week 1 Introduction to Course, Measurement Concepts, Ethical Considerations
1/05/15
Week 2 KBIT-2
1/12/15 Hays Ch. 3 pp. 41-57; Hays Ch. 5 pp. 87-104; Hays Ch. 7 pp. 121-130
Week 3 Martin Luther King holiday – No class
Week 4 Intro to Cognitive Assessment (WAIS-IV, SB5, GAMA, KBIT-2)
1/26/15 Hays Ch. 6 pp. 105-118; Hays Ch. 9-10 pp. 167-202
Week 5 Achievement (WRAT-4), Neuropsychological and Memory Assessment (WMS-IV,
2/02/15 Trail Making Test)
Week 6 Personality Inventories (NEO-PI-3, MIPS)
2/09/15 Groth-Marnat, 5th Ed. Ch. 12 pp. 485-518
Week 7 Personality Inventories (16PF, MBTI)
2/16/15 Hays Ch. 12 pp. 225-253
Week 8 Personality Inventories & Projective Tests (CPI, RISB, HTP, TAT)
2/23/15 Hays Ch. 13 pp. 255-279
Week 9 Assessment of Interpersonal Relationships (T-JTA, MSI-R)
3/02/15 Hays Ch. 14 pp. 281-296
Week 10 Mental Health Assessment (MMSE, SAD PERSONS, MAST, BDI-II, EDI-2,
ASIQ, SCL-90-R)
3/09/15 Hays Ch. 8 pp. 141-163
Week 11 Mental Health Assessment (Quiz over MMPI-2 scales) .
3/16/15 Groth-Marnat, 5th Ed. Ch. 15 pp. 559-604; Hays Ch. 15 pp. 299-309
Week 12 Spring Break – No class
Week 13 MCMI-III, Report Writing & Communication of Test Results
3/30/15
Week 14 Spiritual Assessment (SWBS)
4/06/15 Self-analysis and Notebook due
Take Home Exam distributed
Week 15 Assessment of Multicultural & Special Populations
4/13/15 Hays Ch. 4 pp. 59-84
Take Home Exam due
Week 16 Tests for Children and Adolescents
4/20/15 Reading Report due
COURSE POLICIES
You may have additional course policies that you would like to include here (e.g., writing/format requirements), but please make sure that you include at least the following paragraphs:
Attendance and Late Assignments: Students are expected to attend all class meetings. Students who miss class are responsible for missed work. Absences and tardiness may impact a student’s grade. Students who anticipate an absence should discuss it in advance with the instructor. Students who miss more than 20% of the seat time for the class will not pass the course, without a request for and the completion of additional assignments. Assignments submitted after the due date and time will result in a reduction of the student’s letter grade for that assignment.
Copyright Violation and Plagiarism: Research in secondary sources for the written project is permitted and welcomed. However, any appropriation of either ideas or wording taken from other sources, whether print or electronic, must be properly footnoted. Failure to do so constitutes plagiarism which can result in substantial grade reduction or failure. Any unauthorized copying or use of copyrighted materials, including downloaded files of various kinds, can result in criminal charges and fines. For a fuller explanation of these issues or WS's copyright policy, see the Copyright Issues and Cheating" section of the Student Handbook: http://www.westernseminary.edu/academic/handbook-copyright.
Incompletes/Extensions: The final deadline for submitting all course work is the last day of the semester as noted in the Academic Calendar and in the class schedule. In the case of serious illness, family emergency, or similar extenuating circumstances, the student may request an extension. A 1-3 week extension is typical in all except the most extreme cases, and some penalty for late work may apply. Under no circumstances will the student be given more than 5 weeks to complete all required coursework except by petition and approval of the Administrative Committee. (Extensions longer than 5 weeks are rare and should only be requested under extreme circumstances.)
If students face a personal emergency that requires requesting an extension going beyond the end of the semester, it may affect their ability to receive financial aid in the next semester, and they may face the possibility that their next semester’s course registrations will be cancelled. Please contact the Financial Aid Office for assistance.
Audit/Enrichment Students: Enrichment students are encouraged, but not obligated, to participate in assignments and class discussions. Professors are not obligated to grade participation for these students, but may opt to do so depending on class size.
Statement on WiFi Services: Our community at Western Seminary is defined by our membership in the body of Christ. As we share common resources, we wish to do so with respect and consideration for others. Our IT department has created a strong and secure wireless internet network at each of our campus locations to enhance the student learning environment. Some of the considerations in developing our wifi networks have included providing excellent security (better than you’ll find at the local coffee shop) and doing so within a budget that does not significantly impact tuition costs. Keeping costs low means that we don’t have an endless supply of bandwidth. We ask that you use the wifi network for academic purposes and avoid downloading large files or streaming video. Please be mindful that your internet use (both in class and on campus) can distract others or prevent them from accessing resources they need for their studies. We appreciate your participation in promoting thoughtful, considerate internet use on campus.
The Availability of Disability Services at Western Seminary: Western Seminary is committed to responding to the needs of students with disabilities as outlined in both the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 and the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990. Western students are assisted individually as their needs dictate. It is the responsibility of students with disabilities to identify themselves and the nature of the disability. Any student who has a disability should contact the seminary’s Disability (Section 504) Coordinator, Ashley Mitchell, at 503-517-1819/1-877-517-1800, ext. 1819. Her office is at the Portland campus. Students at the northern California campuses may contact Director of Student Services – San Jose or Director of Student Services – Sacramento, or they may contact Ms Mitchell directly. Appropriate forms will be provided and must be submitted to the Disability Coordinator’s office.
Confidentiality: Consistent with a God-controlled life, students are expected to conform to the highest standards of conduct and professionalism, both on and off campus. Students are routinely evaluated by counseling faculty incorporating information from classroom interaction, clinical placement, and incidental social contact. In addition to state reporting laws with regard to child abuse, vulnerable adult abuse, or harm to self or other, information regarding student integrity and character may also be shared among faculty or with the Office of Student Development to promote continued academic and professional growth.
Reading Report
READINGS AND ASSIGNMENTS ARE DUE at the start of CLASS ON DATE LISTED
1/12/15 ___ Hays Ch. 3 pp. 41-57; Hays Ch. 5 pp. 87-104; Hays Ch. 7 pp. 121-130
MMPI-2 due
1/26/15 ___ Hays Ch. 6 pp. 105-118; Hays Ch. 9-10 pp. 167-202
MIPS & NEO-PI-3 due
2/02/15 MCMI-III due