Psychological Assessment Tests Research Articles

Development of a self-determined learning-based digital guide in the practicum subject of psychological assessment testing techniques

This study aims to develop a practicum guide in the form of a digital guide based on self-determined learning in the practical subject of psychological assessment of testing techniques for Guidance and Counseling department students. This study used the research and development method with the planning, production, and evaluation (PPE) module. The planning stage is the stage of conducting a needs analysis for making digital guides. The production stage is the stage of determining the material content of the module, making flowcharts, and storyboards, and making digital modules based on self-determined learning. Making the module starts with compiling the module material in Microsoft Word software, then the file is designed in the form of a digital guide. The digital module was completed and then carried out in the evaluation stage, thus, assessing the feasibility of the digital module by material experts and media experts. Digital modules are declared very feasible and can be used in practical lectures by material experts and media experts. It was concluded that the digital guide based on self-determined learning in the psychological assessment practicum course of testing techniques is declared very feasible to use. Keywords: Digital guide; psychological assessment; self-determined learning

Addressing the Elephant in the Room: Validity of Psychological Assessments Used with Children and Adolescents in India

Psychological assessment process involves administration, scoring, interpretation, and report writing. In addition to the human resource, time, and effort required for the training, the assessment process itself requires significant time and effort on the part of trained professionals. This automatically translates into the cost, which sometimes can be significant. Given the significantly limited number of trained psychologists who are in clinical practice in India compared to the extent of the population of the country, the amount of assessment work can take away precious time from the intervention services. On the other hand, a significant number of psychological assessment tests used in India are generally old with outdated norms, are poorly standardized, and are not keeping pace with the global development. Given these issues, mental health profession on the whole, as well as the clients/patients can question the validity of the psychological assessments or some specific assessments. This article tries to discuss some of the issues related to the validity of the psychological assessments in general and in specific domains, such as ability, achievement, and psychopathology. In addition to mentioned issues, the article also tries to suggest possible measures to overcome those limitations.

Ranking Model Applying Self-Organizing Maps and Factor Analysis

The present work aims to use Self-Organizing Maps (SOM) to group ranking results obtained by factor analysis. In this paper we propose the application of Factor Analysis at a stage prior to the application of the SOM, in order to use the factor scores of latent variables as input data for network training, as these scores carry practically all information regarding the variables of the lattice problem, losing only an insignificant portion of variability. Thus, the resulting map will present the cluster according to the efficiency shown in the Factor Analysis. The application refers to the performance evaluation of 50 employees of a company by means of scores on four psychological assessment tests (exams) and three indicators of sales results. The result of ranking these vendors according to performance was grouped into four homogeneous clusters.

Start ‘Em Early: Pastoral Power and the Confessional Culture of Leadership Development in the US University

We apply a critical perspective on leadership development discourses and practices to the case of student leadership development programs in the US universities and colleges. We leverage the first author’s personal experiences as a facilitator in such programs to focus on the manner in which they adapt and deploy a variety of commodified pop and positive psychology techniques—including prominently among them icebreakers and psychological assessment tests—that encourage participants to share personal and emotional insights about themselves as the necessary prerequisite for becoming leaders. We draw on Foucault’s notion of pastoral power to argue that these quasi-therapeutic practices help to produce and to normalize what we describe as a confessional culture of leadership development that prepares would-be student leaders to submit themselves to similarly or even more psychologically demanding regimes of governmentality in the workplace after they graduate. We conclude with a call for future research on the central role of such leadership development practices—and the institutions, industries, and actors that promote them—in folding together the ways that individuals seek to claim agency and to develop themselves as leaders with the ways that organizations function to constrain that agency and to govern them as willing but compliant subjects.

COVID-19 psychological impact in 3109 healthcare workers in Spain: The PSIMCOV group.

The current coronavirus disease (COVID-19) has a great impact worldwide. Healthcare workers play an essential role and are one of the most exposed groups. Information about the psychosocial impact on healthcare workers is limited. 3109 healthcare workers completed a national, internet-based, cross-sectional 45-item survey between 9 and 19 April 2020. The objective is to assess the psychological impact of the COVID-19 pandemic in Spanish healthcare workers. A Psychological Stress and Adaptation at work Score (PSAS) was defined combining four modified versions of validated psychological assessment tests (A) Healthcare Stressful Test, (B) Coping Strategies Inventory, (C) Font-Roja Questionnaire and (D) Trait Meta-Mood Scale. The highest psychosocial impact was perceived in Respiratory Medicine, the mean (S.D.) PSAS was 48.3 (13.6) and Geriatrics 47.6 (16.4). Higher distress levels were found in the geographical areas with the highest incidence of COVID-19 (>245.5 cases per 100 000 people), PSAS 46.8 (15.2); p < 0.001. The least stress respondents were asymptomatic workers PSAS, 41.3 (15.4); p < 0.001, as well as those above 60 years old, PSAS, 37.6 (16); p < 0.001. Workers who needed psychological therapy and did not receive it, were more stressed PSAS 52.5 (13.6) than those who did not need it PSAS 39.7 (13.9); p < 0.001. The psychological impact in healthcare workers in Spain during COVID-19 emergency has been studied. The stress perceived is parallel to the number of cases per 100 000 people. Psychotherapy could have a major role to mitigate the experimented stress level.

The Contribution of Students Psychological Assesment in Career Decision-Making Self-Efficacy (CDSE-SF)

This quantitative comparative research study examines Career Decision-Making Self-Efficacy Scale — Short Form (CDSE-SF-SF) between students who have taken psychologicalassessmenttestsandwhohavenevertakenapsychologicalassessment test, in junior high school students in Central Java Province. This study also measured the difference in Career Decision-Making Self-Efficacy based on gender and the origin of the residency area. Bandura’s Self-Efficacy Theory functions as a theoretical framework, while sampling uses cluster random sampling to obtain students who have taken psychological assessment tests (N = 167), and those who have never followed (N = 186) students. Data collection was carried out through a direct survey consisting of 25-questions Career Decision-Making Self-Efficacy Scale-Short Form (CDSE-SF-SF). T-test data analysis showed that there were significant differences between students who had taken IQ test, aptitude test and interests test with those who had never followed. The results is IQ test (t (353) = 2.744, p&gt;0.05), aptitude test (t (353) = 4.327, p&gt;0.05) and, interest test (t (353) = 4.991, p&gt;0.05). This implies that the factors of individualparticipationinpsychologicalassessmenttestscontributesignificantlytothe Career Decision-Making Self-Efficacy relationship. On the basis of these findings, it is recommended that career decision making must be improved in schools using career guidance and counseling strategies by involving other parties, one of which is the use of psychological assessment tests.

Detecting memory performance validity with DETECTS: A computerized performance validity test

ABSTRACTEvaluating performance validity is essential in neuropsychological and forensic assessments. Nonetheless, most psychological assessment tests are unable to detect performance validity and other methods must be used for this purpose. A new Performance Validity Test (DETECTS – Memory Performance Validity Test) was developed with several characteristics that enhance test utility. Moreover, precise response time measurement was added to DETECTS. Two groups of participants (normative and simulator group) completed DETECTS and three memory tests from the Wechsler Memory Scale III. Simulators achieved considerably lower scores (hits) and higher response times in DETECTS compared with the normative group. All participants in the normative group were classified correctly and no simulator was classified as having legitimate memory deficits. Thus, DETECTS seems to be a valuable computerized Performance Validity Test with reduced application time and effective cut-off scores as well as high sensitivity, specificity, and positive and negative predictive power values. Lastly, response time may be a very useful measure for detecting memory malingering.

Corporal Punishment: Parents Perception in District Malakand, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan

&#x0D; &#x0D; &#x0D; This paper shed light on parent’s psychological perception about children corporal punishment in District Malakand, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan. A total of 202 respondents (parents) were selected through simple random sampling procedure to portray information. Chi square χ2 and Gamma statistics were used to determine the level of association and strength and direction of relationship. Majority of the respondents i.e. 82.7% had opined that corporal punishment increases aggressiveness in children, it promotes depression (82.2%), fear and terror 153(75.7), eliminate confidence and damage IQ of children146 (72.3). Moreover, at bivariate level a positive (γ=.977) with significant relationship (P&lt;0.05) was discovered between corporal punishment increases aggressiveness with corporal punishment. A positive (γ=.972) with significant relationship (P&lt;0.05) was discovered between corporal punishment promotes depression with corporal punishment. Similarly, A positive (γ=.954) with significant relationship (P&lt;0.05) was discovered between corporal punishment stimulate nervousness with corporal punishment. A positive (γ=.944) with significant relationship (P&lt;0.05) was discovered between corporal punishment leads to fear and terror with corporal punishment. A positive (γ=.914) with significant relationship (P&lt;0.05) was discovered between corporal punishment eliminate confidence with corporal punishment. A positive (γ=.913) with significant relationship (P&lt;0.05) was discovered between corporal punishment damage IQ of children with corporal punishment. Apositive (γ=.915) with significant relationship (P&lt;0.05) was discovered between corporal punishment decline feelings of sympathy with corporal punishment. It is concluded from the study findings that corporal punishment results in emotional distress, lack of confidence, increase aggressiveness, fear and terror, depression, damage IQ of children etc. Regular periodic refreshers courses need to be arranged by the education department to emphasize the worse effects of corporal punishment and certain psychological assessment tests of children at school by medical officers to mitigate the social and psychological distress, as resulted from use of corporal punishment.&#x0D; &#x0D; &#x0D;

Aggression and Perception of Pain among Young Candidates to Professional Soccer Players

Aggression is a constant feature in an athlete’s life. This is because training and too many competitions require a proactive attitude to these demands, hence the importance to distinguish aggression and violence. The same demands that generate aggressiveness also cause pain and injury due to excessive training and competitions. The influences and guidance experienced in the early formation of an athlete’s career are related to other aspects of personality like aggression, perception of pain and effort developed during an athlete’s history and his interaction with the environment. This study evaluated 87 adolescent athletes from the base team of a large professional soccer club in the city of Sao Paulo through the application of psychological assessment tests. The results showed differences among different subgroups of adolescent athletes, as well as differences between these results and normative data described in the manuals of instruments used. When comparing the results from groups of the Brazilian sample of this research with the results of subjects included in the original German manual, the results show much higher average scores in the sporting context.

LXIO: The Mood Detection Robopsych

Words and languages are the direct representations of our thoughts and perceptions. Accordingly, the only access to an individual’s thoughts and psyche is through the language that he/ she speaks or writes [1]. Psychological disorders and mood states such as depression and PTSD therefore, can be identified and predicted by continuously analyzing a patient’s discourse. In doing so, we utilize the method of predictive linguistics [2], which determines cognitive mood states by computationally modeling the notions of ‘mind axiology’ and ‘emotional states’. Our proposed system expresses cognitive states in terms of axiology, i.e., the system of positive and negative values associated with concepts that are universally accepted. Axiological notions provide more insights about the various cognitive states because a patient’s words are only intelligible if axiological elements like conception, perception, and intention are taken into consideration. The framework for our analytics engine consists of multiple modules responsible for coherently and systematically retrieving, parsing and processing a patient’s discourse. The backbone of this system relies on a learning algorithm that accounts for various valuation criteria such as time-based, intrinsic, consequent and contextual value analysis, while also building a nested network of mood states and their dependencies. By executing this mechanism and correlating our computational data to results calculated by a psychological assessment testing, we are better positioned to classify a patient’s mood states – e.g., as being depressive or not. This work will have implications in the area of cognition research and practical applications such as automated neurological and psychiatrical assessments, advanced human computer interaction (HCI), as well as others.

A prospective study of psychological predictors of lumbar surgery outcome.

Prospective design in which 102 patients were evaluated with a battery of psychological assessment tests 1-2 weeks before surgery, and outcome was assessed 6 months and 1 year after surgery. The study examined whether three aspects of psychological distress (depression, anxiety, and hostility) predict several surgical outcomes (employment status, subjective pain change ratings, and changes in functional abilities). Surgery for back pain has been shown to yield poor results in 15-45% of patients. Tools are needed to identify those "at risk" for poor outcome. Aspects of emotional distress, including anxiety, depression, and hostility, have been found to be relevant to various illness outcomes (e.g., cancer, heart disease), but their influence has not been prospectively evaluated for back pain surgical outcome. Study patients completed measures of distress before surgery, including the Spielberger Trait Anxiety Inventory, Zung Depression Scale, Modified Somatic Perception Questionnaire, and Cook-Medley Hostility Scale. At 1-year follow-up, patients completed pain change ratings, functional abilities measure (Dallas Pain Questionnaire), and questions about employment status. Multivariate regression analyses, controlling for significant demographic variables, found that failure to return to work was predicted by presurgical anxiety (P < 0.001) and depression (P < 0. 01); failure to report improvement in pain was predicted by presurgical somatic anxiety (P < 0.01) and depression (P < 0.058); and failure to report improved functional abilities was predicted by presurgical somatic anxiety (P < 0.01) and depression (P < 0.05). Hostility did not predict any outcome. Regression analyses found a strong predictor to be a combination of the Zung Depression Scale and Modified Somatic Perception Questionnaire, known as the Distress and Risk Assessment Method (DRAM). These results indicate that screening for presurgical distress is likely to identify those patients at risk for poor outcome. Studies to evaluate whether presurgical psychological treatment improves outcome are warranted.

Predicting outcome of chronic back pain using clinical predictors of psychopathology: A prospective analysis.

This study evaluated whether a comprehensive assessment of psychosocial measures is useful in characterizing those acute low back pain patients who subsequently develop chronic pain disability problems. A cohort of 324 patients was evaluated, with all patients being administered a standard battery psychological assessment tests. A structured telephone interview was conducted 6 months after the psychological assessment to evaluate return-to-work status. Analyses, conducted to differentiate between those patients who were back at work at 6 months versus those who were not because of the original back injury, revealed the importance of 3 measures: self-reported pain and disability, the presence of a personality disorder, and scores on Scale 3 of the Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory. These results demonstrate the presence of a psychosocial disability variable that is associated with those injured workers who are likely to develop chronic disability problems.

Predicting outcome of chronic back pain using clinical predictors of psychopathology: a prospective analysis.

This study evaluated whether a comprehensive assessment of psychosocial measures is useful in characterizing those acute low back pain patients who subsequently develop chronic pain disability problems. A cohort of 324 patients was evaluated, with all patients being administered a standard battery psychological assessment tests. A structured telephone interview was conducted 6 months after the psychological assessment to evaluate return-to-work status. Analyses, conducted to differentiate between those patients who were back at work at 6 months versus those who were not because of the original back injury, revealed the importance of 3 measures: self-reported pain and disability, the presence of a personality disorder, and scores on Scale 3 of the Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory. These results demonstrate the presence of a psychosocial disability variable that is associated with those injured workers who are likely to develop chronic disability problems.