COURSE NAME: Objective Personality Assessment

COURSE NUMBER: PP7371

COURSE NAME: Objective Personality Assessment

TERM: Summer I, 2010

INSTRUCTOR:

Christopher Rector, Ph.D.

PHONE:

(312) 777-7725

EMAIL:

FAX:

ALT PHONE:

REQUIRED TEXTS:

Title / MMPI-2: Assessing Personality and Psychopathology
Author(s) / Graham, John R.
Copyright / 2006
Publisher / Oxford
ISBN / 978-0-19-516806-8
Edition / 4th
Title / Psychometrics: An Introduction
Author(s) / Furr, Michael & Bacharach, Verne
Copyright / 2008
Publisher / Sage
ISBN / 978-1-4129-2760-4
Edition / 4th
Title / Essentials of PAI Assessment
Author(s) / Morey, Leslie
Copyright / 2003
Publisher / Wiley
ISBN / 0471084638
Edition / 1st
Title / MMPI – 2 Scoring Sheets and Profile Forms*
Author(s)
Copyright
Publisher
ISBN
Edition
Title / PAI Response forms and Profile Forms*
Author(s)
Copyright
Publisher
ISBN
Edition
Title / MCMI Response and Profile Forms*
Author(s)
Copyright
Publisher
ISBN
Edition

*Note – These forms are available for purchase from the library.

Also required:

American Psychological Association, Practice and Science Directorates (2000). Report of the Task Force on Test User Qualifications. Available online at http://www.apa.org/science/tuq.pdf.

American Psychological Association (1998). Rights and Responsibilities of Test Takers: Guidelines and Expectations. Washington, D.C.: APA. Available online at http://www.apa.org/science/ttrr.html.

American Psychological Association (2002). Ethical Principles of Psychologists and Code of Conduct (Pdf File), Retrieved from www.apa.org/ethics/.

Borsboom, D. & Mellenbergh, G. J. (2004). The Concept of Validity, Psychological Review, 111 (4), 1061-1071.

Chronbach, L. J. & Meehl, P. E. (1955). Construct Validity in Psychological Tests, Psychological Bulletin, 52, 281-302.

Henson, R. K. & Thompson, B. (2002). Characterizing Measurement Error in Scores Across Studies: Some Recommendations for Conducting “Reliability Generalization” Studies, Measurement and Evaluation in Counseling and Development, 35, 113-126.

Rouse, S. V. (2007) Using Reliability Generalization Methods to Explore Measurement Error: An Illustration Using the MMPI-2 PSY-5 Scales, Journal of Personality Assessment, 88(3), 264-275.

Any other special testing materials, etc? YES NO

If so, please provide complete information in regards to this instrument.

Name/Edition of Instrument: Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory-2

Publisher/Other Info: Published by the University of Minnesota Press and available through Pearson Assessments.

Name/Edition of Instrument: Personality Assessment Inventory (PAI)

Publisher/Other Info: Published and available through Psychological Assessment Resources Inc.

Name/Edition of Instrument: Millon Clinical Multiaxial Inventory – Third Edition

Publisher/Other Info: Published and available through Pearson Assessments.

Name/Edition of Instrument: Beck Depression Inventory – 2nd edition

Publisher/Other Info: Published and available through Harcourt Assessments

Name/Edition of Instrument: Beck Hopelessness Scale (BHS)

Publisher/Other Info: Published and available through Harcourt Assessments

Name/Edition of Instrument: Beck Anxiety Inventory (BAI)

Publisher/Other Info: Published and available through Harcourt Assessments

This Course Requires the Purchase of a Course Packet: YES NO

Argosy University, Chicago

COURSE SYLLABUS

PP8010 Objective Personality Assessment

Mondays, Wednesdays, 1230 pm – 0315 pm

Summer I 2010

Faculty Information

Faculty Name: Christopher Rector, Ph.D.

Contact Information:

Phone: 312-777-7725

E-Mail:

Office Hours: Room 1379; Tuesdays 0730 am – 1000 am, Fridays 0730 am – 0900 am, and by appointment.

Short Faculty Bio: Dr. Rector received his doctorate in Counseling Psychology from Loyola University Chicago. Dr. Rector also earned an M.A. in Counseling Psychology from Northwestern University, Evanston, Illinois, and he has extensive experience working in community mental health and hospital settings in a variety of capacities. Dr. Rector’s clinical areas of interest include trauma, crisis, domestic violence, bereavement/loss, and training/supervision.

Course Description: This course introduces the student to the major approaches and techniques for objective personality assessment in adults. Topics covered include general principles and issues in objective assessment, and techniques of personality assessment. The primary emphasis is on the MMPI-2, PAI, MCMI, and BDI.

Course Pre-requisites: None

Course Length: 7 weeks

Contact Hours: 45

Credit Value: 3.0

Course Objectives:

At the end of this course, the successful student will be able to:

1.  Correctly administer and score the MMPI-2, MCMI, PAI, BDI.

2.  Synthesize information derived from test scores with background data, behavioral observations, and interview data to arrive at clinically meaningful conclusions.

3.  Understand and apply ethical guidelines governing test administration.

4.  Produce reports that clearly communicate the conclusions of the assessments, the logical processes that lead to those conclusions, and the degree of certainty warranted by the test data.

5.  Select appropriate test instruments based upon their clinical, psychometric, and logistical suitability.

6.  Critically evaluate instruments based upon an understanding of psychometrics.

Instructional Format:

The course will consist of lecture, discussion, demonstration, and practice. These activities will be divided between the weekly lectures and a required TA section that will meet six times over the course of the semester. Students will score, and plot the MMPI-2, PAI, MMCI-III and Beck scales themselves (no collaboration with other students). and produce report papers based on the assigned testing samples provided by the instructor.

The field of psychological assessment does carry risks for client/patients, students, and those related to test security and supervision of graduate students. Because of these risks, failure to comply with all requirements - particularly with exclusionary criteria may result in serious consequences to the student. Other consequences, including failure of the course and/or referral to the Ethics Committee, may also apply. If you have questions regarding the appropriateness of testing a given participant, ask your supervisor and Argosy advisor. Do not test a participant about whom you are unsure unless you have checked it out!

Requirements:

1.  Attend and actively participate in all class sessions. Be prepared with appropriate materials and reading completed.

2.  Complete three reports based upon sample data provided by the instructor. This includes completing a taped mock clinical interview with a class peer for each of the three reports, including a typescript. A role-play outline will be provided to all students in order to conduct the role-play of a “mock” client. Comply with the exclusionary criteria outlined in the “instructional format” section.

3.  Complete the pre- and post Professional Development Assessment assignments. In each of these papers (APA style, 5 pages maximum), address the following:

-  What populations you are interested in from an assessment standpoint.

-  What are your professional assessment skills strengths?

-  What are your professional assessment skills improvement areas?

-  What your specific professional development plan is to address your improvement areas.

Grading

Grading will be based upon class participation; the accuracy with which tests and clinical interviews are scored and reported; the quality of the interpretations and reports based upon the sample data, performance on the exams, and completion of the problem sets. Class participation will be assessed informally unless it appears as though students are not completing the readings as assigned. If this should be the case, the instructor reserves the right to use response papers in lieu of informal assessment of students’ readiness to contribute to the class. In addition, regular attendance by each student is required to protect the learning environment of all of the students. Thus, anything less than full attendance may affect your grade in the course. Anything less than 80% attendance will result in a failing grade.

No late papers will be accepted without prior approval.

Grading Criteria

Attendance/participation / 10%
Professional Development Paper I / 5%
Report Assignments / 30%
·  MMPI/BDI report and typescript / 10%
·  MMPI/BDI/PAI report and typescript / 20%
Final Assessment Report and Typescript / 50%
Professional Development Paper II / 5%
Total Course Grade / 100%

Grading Scale Grading requirements

A / 100 – 93
A- / 92 – 90
B+ / 89 – 88
B / 87 – 83
B- / 82 – 80
C+ / 79 – 78
C / 77 - 73
C- / 72 – 70
D+ / 69 – 68
D / 67 – 63
D- / 62 – 60
F / 59 and below

Lecture and Assignment Schedule

All reading is to be done prior to the corresponding class date. All assignments are due at the beginning of the following class unless otherwise noted.

Class / Topics / Readings / Assigned / Collected
1
5/10 / Introduction to personality assessment and psychometrics. Test validity and reliability. / F & B: Chapter 1 -- Psychometrics and the Importance of Psychological Measurement / Professional Development Paper I
2
5/12 / Beck Depression Inventory (BDI)
3
5/17 / MMPI-2: History, development, and scoring.
Validity scales, clinical scales, and code types. Validity and malingering in psychological assessment. / F & B: Chapter 2 – Scaling; Chapter 3 – Individual Differences and Correlations
Graham: Chapters 1-5.
F &B – 5 Reliability: Conceptual Basis
Henson and Thompson article
4
5/19 / MMPI-2 content scales and supplementary scales. / Graham: Chapter 6 and 8
F & B – Chap. 6 – Empirical Estimates of Reliability; Chap. 7 – Importance of Reliability
Rouse article / Professional Development Paper I due
5
5/24 / . Score interpretation- I. / Graham: Chapter 11
F& B – Chap. 8 – Validity: Conceptual Basis
Chronbach and Meehl article
6
5/26 / Score interpretation- II. / F& B – Chapter 9 – Validity Estimating and Evaluating Convergent and Discriminant Validity Evidence
Borsboom and Mellenbergh article / MMPI/BDI Report and Typescript
7
5/31 / No class (Memorial Day Holiday) / None
8
6/02 / Introduction to the PAI. / Morey: Chapters 1-3 and 8.
MCMI-III Manual / MMPI/BDI Report and Typescript due
9
6/07 / PAI interpretation part one. Assessment of suicide risk. / Morey: Chapters 4-7.
10
6/09 / PAI interpretation part two. Response Bias. / Morey: Chapters 9 and 10.
F&B – Chapter 10 – Response Biases / MMPI/BDI/PAI Report and Typescript
11
6/14 / The MCMI-III.
12
6/16 / MCMI- III, Part II / MMPI/BDI/PAI Report and Typescript due
13
6/21 / Integrated assessment of multiple inventory battery. / Final Integrated Paper
Professional Development Paper II
14
6/23 / Issues of diversity and representativeness of normative samples. Test Bias / Graham: Chapter 10, 12 and 13
F & B—Chapter 11 – Test Bias
14
6/28 / Ethics of assessment.
Forensic Assessment. / Graham: Chapter 9
APA materials
14
6/30 / Class Review and Wrap-up / Final Integrated Paper due
Professional Development Paper II due

Library Resources

Argosy University’s core online collection features more than 21,000 full-text journals, 23,000 electronic books and other content covering all academic subject areas including Business & Economics, Career & General Education, Computers, Engineering & Applied Science, Humanities, Science, Medicine & Allied Health, and Social & Behavior Sciences.All electronic resources can be accessed through the library’s website at www.auchicagolib.org. User IDs and passwords are distributed during orientation, but can also be obtained at the circulation desk, calling 312-777-7653, or by e-mail at .

In addition to online resources, Argosy University’s onsite collections contain a wealth of subject-specific research materials searchable in the Library Online Catalog. Catalog searching is easily limited to individual campus collections.Alternatively, students can search combined collections of all Argosy University Libraries. Students are encouraged to seek research and reference assistance from campus librarians.

Information Literacy: Argosy University’s Information Literacy Tutorial was developed to teach fundamental and transferable research skills, including selecting sources appropriate for academic-level research, searching periodical indexes and search engines, and evaluating and citing information. In the tutorial, students study concepts and practice them through interactions. At the conclusion of each module, they can test their comprehension and receive immediate feedback. Each module takes less than 20 minutes to complete. Please view the tutorial at http://library.argosyu.edu/infolit/

Academic Policies

Academic Dishonesty/Plagiarism: In an effort to foster a spirit of honesty and integrity during the learning process, Argosy University requires that the submission of all course assignments represent the original work produced by that student. All sources must be documented through normal scholarly references/citations and all work must be submitted using the Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association, 5th Edition (2001). Washington DC: American Psychological Association (APA) format. Please refer to Appendix A in the Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association, 5th Edition for thesis and paper format. Students are encouraged to purchase this manual (required in some courses) and become familiar with its content as well as consult the Argosy University catalog for further information regarding academic dishonesty and plagiarism.

Special Policies Related to Assessment

In Assessment courses, it is permissible to discuss test results with peers to get consultation on scoring and interpretation. It is not permissible to share reports with peers, to “template” them or use each other’s wording, other than those templates provided by instructors. It is not permissible to copy paragraphs from sample reports on the website, other than those paragraphs that are in the report templates for that purpose. It is never permissible to copy interpretive statements from scoring and interpretation software, or descriptive or interpretive statements from test manuals or other texts except where the author has given explicit permission to do so. Violation of any of these rules will result in a failing grade for the course.

It is never permissible to photocopy test materials, including stimuli, manuals, and record forms for your use. (Instructors may provide copied forms for instructional purposes if the word “Sample” is overlaid or watermarked on the form, or if they present subject responses for discussion, scoring by students, or other instructional purposes. Students must purchase and use original record forms for class assignments.)

Scholarly writing: The faculty at Argosy University is dedicated to providing a learning environment that supports scholarly and ethical writing, free from academic dishonesty and plagiarism. This includes the proper and appropriate referencing of all sources. You may be asked to submit your course assignments through “Turnitin,” (www.turnitin.com), an online resource established to help educators develop writing/research skills and detect potential cases of academic dishonesty. Turnitin compares submitted papers to billions of pages of content and provides a comparison report to your instructor. This comparison detects papers that share common information and duplicative language.

Americans with Disabilities Act Policy

It is the policy of Argosy University to make reasonable accommodations for qualified students with disabilities, in accordance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). If a student with disabilities needs accommodations, the student must notify the Director of Student Services. Procedures for documenting student disability and the development of reasonable accommodations will be provided to the student upon request.