Psychological Assessment

Curriculum guideline

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Course
PSYC 4360
Discontinued
No
Course code
PSYC 4360
Descriptive
Psychological Assessment
Department
Psychology
Faculty
Humanities & Social Sciences
Credits
3.00
Start date
End term
Not Specified
PLAR
No
Semester length
15
Max class size
35
Course designation
None
Industry designation
None
Contact hours

Lecture: 4 hrs. per week

Method(s) of instruction
Lecture
Learning activities

The primary methods of instruction may include: 

  • Lecture
  • Group activities
  • Case study presentations
  • Audiovisual media
  • Guest lectures

 

Course description
This course provides students with an introduction to the fundamental principles guiding the psychological assessment process, across the range of current applications. The historical-cultural context and relevant ethical principles are considered. Psychological assessment is presented as an integrative and multi-method process which includes structured tests. Key issues of reliability, validity and utility are addressed. Applications in education and training, forensic, workplace, health care, clinical and counselling, and rehabilitation contexts are considered, with an overview of current assessment practices.
Course content
  1. Historical overview and implications of cultural context for psychological assessment
  2. Ethical principles
  3. Assessment as an integrative process
  4. Reliability, validity, utility considerations
  5. Test development
  6. Distributions, normative samples, standardization and the meaning of individual scores
  7. Statistics of particular importance to psychological testing
  8. Psychological assessment applications in:
    • Education and training
    • Neuropsychology
    • Clinical and Counselling: psychodiagnostics and psychological treatment
    • Forensics
    • The workplace
    • Healthcare
Learning outcomes

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

1. Describe and explain:

  • Historical and cultural contexts of and consequent implications for the assessment process.
  • Ethics, culture and best practices in psychological assessment.
  • Statistical concepts of particular importance to psychological assessment, including reliability, validity and utility.
  • Distributions, standardization, norm development and application to individual scores.
  • The process of test development and item analysis.

2. Interpret, calculate, or apply statistics of particular importance to psychological testing.

3. Articulate and apply relevant ethical principles.

4. Describe current practices in psychological assessment across a range of service-provision contexts: education and training, forensics, workplace, healthcare, clinical/counselling, neuropsychological.

Means of assessment

The course evaluation will be in accordance with the Douglas College Evaluation Policy. Evaluations will be based on the course objectives. The specific evaluation criteria will be provided by the instructor at the beginning of the semester.

An example of a possible evaluation scheme would be:

  • Integrative assessment report - 20%
  • Exams - 5 at 14% each - 70%
  • Written reflection assignments - 5%
  • Participation - 5%
  • Total - 100%
Textbook materials

Textbook(s) such as the following, the list to be updated periodically:

  • Gregory, R.J.  Psychological testing: History, principles and applications (Current ed.). Boston, MA: Pearson.  

  • Hogan, T.P.   Psychological testing: A practical introduction (Current ed.).  New York, NY: Wiley

 

Prerequisites

PSYC 1100 AND PSYC 1200 both with a C- or better AND PSYC 2300 with a C or better

AND

Admission to the Bachelor of Arts in Applied Psychology Program or the Bachelor of Arts in Applied Psychology Honours Program or Bachelor of Arts  in Applied Criminology or Bachelor of Arts in Applied Criminology-Honours or Psychology (Minor) Program or with permission of the instructor.