PSYC 5309 Introduction to Assessment (Fall, 2015) / 2
PSYC 5309: Introduction to Assessment
Instructor Name: Gerald E. Nissley, Jr., PsyD, LP Class Times: Tues. 6:00-8:30 p.m.
Office: Marshall Basement, Psychology & Sociology Suite Email:
Office Phone: 903-923-2095 Cell: 717-580-0786
Semester: Fall, 2015 Dates: August 24 – December 17, 2015
Room: Marshall 107Course Description: This course provides an overview of various approaches to assessment and procedures for evaluation. Special emphasis is given to counseling decision-making, and treatment planning. Theoretical and applied material will be integrated in order to provide the student with an understanding of the context of assessment and evaluation. Emphasis will be placed on equipping students to understand technical terms in professional journals, test manuals, and test reports.
Office Hours
Monday / 1-3pmTuesday / 11am-2pm; 5-6pm
Thursday / 11am-2pm
Friday / 9-10am
Other appointments can be made by arrangement, if needed.
Textbook Information
Whiston, S.C. (2013). Principles and applications of assessment in counseling (4th ed.). Belmont, CA: Brooks/Cole. [ISBN: 978-0-8400-2855-6]
Additional Readings/Resources
· Publication manual of the American Psychological Association (6th ed.), (2010). Washington, DC:
American Psychological Association.
· Purdue’s APA guide: http://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/560/01/
Course Objectives
This course should achieve the following objectives that provide the Master’s candidate an understanding of individual and group approaches to assessment and evaluation in a multicultural society, including all
of the following:
Course Objectives / CACREP STANDARDS / AssignmentsCORE / CMHC / MCFC / SC
1. / Understand historical perspectives concerning the nature and meaning of assessment.
a. Understands the historical perspectives concerning the nature and meaning of assessment. / G.7.a / Whiston (2013), Chapters 1 and 2; Powerpoints; Midterm Exam;
2. / Understand the basic concepts and terms necessary to interpret a variety of assessment tools used in counseling.
a. Discusses basic statistical concepts; scales of measurement, measures of central tendency, indices of variability, shapes and types of distributions, and correlations. / G.7.c / Whiston (2013), Chapter2; Powerpoints; Midterm Exam
b. Discusses the concepts of reliability and validity in test development. / G.7.d,e / Whiston (2013), Chapters 3 and 4; Powerpoints; Midterm Exam
c. Selects appropriate comprehensive assessment interventions to assist in diagnosis and treatment planning using criteria as identified by the DSM-5, with an awareness of cultural bias in implementation and interpretation of assessment protocols. / H.1 / Assessment Report
d. Demonstrates skill in conducting an intake interview, a mental status exam, a biospychosocial history, a mental health history, and a psychological assessment for treatment planning and case load management relative to the DSM-5 / H.2 / Assessment Report
3. / Understand broader factors which contribute to assessment and interpretation of assessment tools.
a. Understands the social and cultural factors related to the assessment and evaluation of individuals, groups, and specific populations. / G.7.f / Whiston (2013), Chapter 15; Powerpoint; Final Exam; Assessment Report; Psychological Assessment Interpretation Summaries
b. Understands ethical strategies for selecting, administering, and interpreting assessment and evaluation instruments and techniques in counseling. / G.7.g / Whiston (2013), Chapter 14; Powerpoints; Final Exam
c. Understands the relevance and potential biases of commonly used diagnostic tools with multicultural populations. / K.4 / In class activity; Feedback Role Play
4. / Be exposed to a variety of tests given by counseling professionals and others in related fields.
a. Understands the 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 observation. / G.7.b / Whiston (2013), Chapters6-11; Powerpoints; Midterm Exam; Final Exam
b. Understands various models and approaches to clinical evaluation and their appropriate uses, including diagnostic interviews, mental status examinations, symptom inventories, and psychoeducational and personality assessments. / G.2 / Whiston (2013), Chapters 12-13; Assessment report; Psychological Assessment Interpretation Summaries
c. Learns how to administer, score, and interpret the counseling assessment protocols, as well as understand statistical concepts and tests given by other professionals. / H.2 / H.1 / H.1, H.3 / Whiston (2013), Chapter 5; Assessment Report; Psychological Assessment Interpretation Summaries
This course fulfills the educational requirements for the LPC in Louisiana (as specified in La. Code Title 46 Part LX §703.6.a.vii.(b)), and in Texas (as specified in Tx. Administrative Code, Title 22, §681.83(a)(3)).
Statement of Philosophy for Graduate Education
The nature of graduate education is to foster an environment with the student as an active participant in the learning process as leader, scholar and practitioner. As a result, more time is spent on the review of literature of the discipline with much of that reading being completed outside class. The activities of the course are more writing intensive and applied in nature. In turn, this includes an increased expectation of independent learning, which requires students to search for outsideresources to bring to class to inform discussion and professional development.
This course will provide students with an understanding of intellectual, academic achievement, personality, psychopathology tests, career-based, and other appraisal methods used in the counseling field. Students will develop skills for selection, administration, and interpretation of assessment tools used to evaluate client issues and functioning. For counselors in today’s professional context, a thorough assessment that yields valid and reliable data regarding clients’ presentation is imperative for effective case conceptualization, treatment planning, intervention, and progress monitoring.
For students enrolled infive-week summer seminar courses, knowledge is compacted and presented in an adult-learning, accelerated format. It is necessary for much of the student work to be completed outside of the weekly seminar and class learning teams also meet in extended sessions to complete the course goals and objectives.
Students in both summer seminar and traditional semester courses will receive supplemental course instruction and faculty facilitation with online tools within the ETBU web-based course management system (Blackboard).
Attendance Policy
Students are expected to attend class as scheduled and demonstrate diligence in preparing assignments. The class time will be devoted to lecture, discussions, and activities to practice and discuss a specific topic. To be eligible to earn the daily class grades you must be present. To avoid penalties for late assignments if there is a family emergency or when you are too ill to come to class, call my office before class and leave a message concerning the reason for your absence. If you must be absent, you are obligated to get notes and handouts from someone in the class. You must be prepared for the class when you return to class; your being absent is not a legitimate excuse for being unprepared. Students must attend at least 75% of the classes to receive credit for the course; thus, if you miss 3 or more classes, you will automatically fail the course.
Cell Phone Policy
Make sure that you turn off your cell phone before you enter the classroom. In cases of emergency or if on-call, please set your phone to vibrate.
Students with Disabilities
Your instructor is committed to helping students with special needs to succeed in this class. A student with a disability may request appropriate accommodations for this course by contacting the Office of Academic Success and Graduate Services, Marshall Hall, Room 301, and providing the required documentation. If accommodations are approved by the Disability Accommodations Committee, the Office of Academic Success and Graduate Services will notify you and your professor of the approved accommodations. You must then discuss these accommodations with your professor.
Assignments
Assignments are to be handed in on time. If you have any difficulty finding resources or material, contact me immediately. DO NOT WAIT. If you have difficulty because of situations beyond your control, please see me immediately. Do not let a situation or illness keep you from your task. If you have a problem completing an assignment by the due date, you must let me know in advance. Late assignments will not be accepted unless cleared in advance. My office phone is (903) 923-2095, cell phone is (717) 580-0786 and e-mail is .
Academic Honesty
I have no tolerance for cheating, plagiarism, or other forms of academic dishonesty. Incidents of such will be handled according to ETBU policy (sanctions may include failure on test or assignment to dismissal from the course). If you have any questions regarding what constitutes academic dishonesty, please see me before you hand in your work.
In all assignments, you are expected to work alone unless specifically instructed otherwise. For example, during exams you are expected to work without any assistance from anyone. Additionally, work for all courses should be original to that course – work should not be admitted in multiple courses, as that constitutes self-plagiarism.
Plagiarism consists of more than turning in someone else's work as your own. If you use someone else's paragraphs, sentences, or even partial sentences or phrases without quotation marks, you have deliberately or inadvertently plagiarized. Others' ideas should always be referenced and should be in your words, not theirs, unless their exact wording is important. In the latter case, use quotation marks. “Copy and paste” from websites is unacceptable. If in doubt, check with me ahead of time. You will avoid needless complications and penalties. My experience over the years with literature searches and article summaries is that most plagiarism is inadvertent. Yet unintentional plagiarism is still a serious violation of academic integrity and will result in your receiving a lowered or failing grade.
Most students wish to avoid academic dishonesty. Please read ETBU’s policies on academic honesty. If at any time you have questions about whether a particular work strategy is acceptable, please feel free to ask me. It’s perfectly acceptable to be uncertain, and better to ask than to commit academic dishonesty. Again, check with me if you have questions.
Grading Scale
A = 90%-100% B = 80%-89% C = 70%-79%
(900-1000) (800-899) (700-799)
D = 60%-69% F = < 59%
(600-699) (599 and lower)
Course Assignments and Percentage of Grade
Based on the work of Sue and Sue (2003), multicultural competence can be broken down into three primary categories: awareness, knowledge, and skills. This is a good way to conceptualize competency for other skills as well. In this course, you will be asked to demonstrate growing competency in each of the three areas as you develop your competency in assessment.
AWARENESS
Class Participation and Attendance (100 points)
Due to the compressed content of the course, much of the material will be presented, examined and discussed during the allotted class time. Attendance and class participation in “in-class” activities and discussions are important components of learning outcomes.
KNOWLEDGE
Midterm Comprehensive Exam (100 points)
The Midterm exam will include a comprehensive review of the course concepts covered up to the point of the
exam in both objective probing and scenario-based formats.
Comprehensive Final Exam (100 points)
The Final Exam will include a comprehensive review of the course concepts in both objective probing and scenario-based formats.
SKILLS
Assessment Report (300 points)
Students will conduct an assessment of an individual in their community during the term. The test battery will include a clinical interview, mental status exam, observations, a measure of personality (e.g., MCMI-3, MMPI-2), and two measures of psychopathology (e.g., BDI-II, BAI).
Students will choose an individual with whom they have casual association. Students are not permitted to select a family member, close friend, or current client. Students will not give feedback to the assessment individual. Students who do not follow these directions will fail this assignment. Students will write an Assessment Report including the aforementioned components of the battery. Details on the format for this report will be provided.
Psychological Assessment Interpretation Summaries (300 points)
Each student will be given the test data from four psychological tests (e.g., adult/child intelligence, psychopathology, academic achievement, and personality) to interpret and to write summaries of the results. Students will be graded on the accuracy and completeness of their interpretations. Students will also provide treatment recommendations stemming from the conclusions drawn from their assessment. Format for these papers will be provided.
Psychological Assessment Feedback Role Play (100 points)
Based on one of the four aforementioned summaries of the test data students will demonstrate how they would provide feedback to a client in a role play scenario. The role play will be done in front of fellow students so that students have an opportunity to observe one another’s feedback style. Students will be graded on completeness and accuracy of their explanation, as well as their professionalism and empathy towards the client.
Course Supplementary Reading Suggestions
American Educational Research Association, American Psychological Association, & National Council on Measurement in Education, (1999). Standards for educational and psychological testing. Washington, D.C.: Author.
Aiken, L.R. (1999). Personality assessment: Methods and practice (3rd ed.). Kirkland, WA: Hogrefe & Huber.
Anastasi, A. (1988). Psychological testing (6th ed.). New York: Macmillan.
Antony, M.M., & Barlow, D.H. (Eds). (2002). Handbook of assessment and treatment planning for psychological disorders. New York: Guilford.
Bornstein, R. F. (1996). Face validity in psychological assessment: Implications for a unified model of validity. American Psychologist, 51(9), 983-984.
Bornstein, R. F., Rossner, S. C., Hill, E. L., & Stepanian, M. L. (1994). Face validity and fakability of objective and projective measures of dependency. Journal of Personality Assessment, 63(1), 363-386.
Butcher, J.N., & Williams, C.L. (2000). Essentials of MMPI-2 and MMPI-A interpretation (2nd ed.). Minneapolis, MN: University of Minnesota.
Code of Ethics of the American Counseling Association - http://www.counseling.org/Resources/CodeOfEthics/TP/Home/CT2.aspx
Cohen, R.J., & Swerdlik, M.E. (2010). Psychological testing and assessment: An introduction to tests & measurement (7th ed.). New York: McGraw-Hill.
Costa, P.T., Jr., & McCrae, R.R. (1997). Stability and change in personality assessment: The revised NEO personality inventory in the year 2000. Journal of Personality Assessment, 68(1), 86-94.