Kate Chard, Ph.D. Jan Wertz, M. S. 1-606-257-9338 1-606-271-0922 Office Hours Wed 9-11 By appointmentAttendance, punctuality, late assignments, and participationTextbooks
Groth-Marnat, G. (1995). Handbook of psychological assessment. New York: John Wiley & Sons. (Required)Graham, J.R. (1990). MMPI-2: Assessing personality and psychopathology. New York: Oxford University Press. (Recommended)
Reserve Readings
Throughout the semester, various articles will by provided by the instructor and will be placed in the Education Library on reserve.
Required Materials
Test protocols and other lab materials will need to be purchased from the Counseling Psychology Services clinic when needed for each practice test administration. The basic testing package will cost $44.40 and will include two copies of the MMPI-2, TAT, BDI, SCL-90-R, and Incomplete Sentences Blank. You will need to acquire this package from Jan Wertz. Other test materials may be purchased individually as needed.
Objectives
1. To gain understanding of concepts and approaches to personality and behavioral assessment, and issues concerning assessment. 2. To learn how to administer, score, interpret, and report findings from various selected personality and behavioral assessment measures. 3. To understand the benefits and limitations of assessment, including current legal and ethical issues. 4. To become familiar with the use of the DSM-IV. 5. To learn how to integrate information from various sources in order to more fully describe personality and behavioral patterns. 6. To understand the use of assessment data for intervention and treatment planning. 7. To learn how to report assessment information from a variety of perspectives.
Requirements
1. Assessment ReportsEach student will be asked to administer, score, interpret, and write three assessment reports, based on the results of a battery of personality/behavioral assessment measures. Assessment clients must be recruited by each student, with some opportunities made available through the Counseling Services Center. Because this is a training course, subjects are to be informed before being evaluated that no results can be provided to them or any agency. Cases will be evaluated in terms of scoring, interpretation, data integration, and report writing skills. Please turn in all protocols and an audiotape of the testing session, with the assessment report. The first report will be worth 10 points, the second and third reports will be worth 20 points each.2. Position PaperEach assessment should include at least 4 different measures (12 total). You will be asked to administer 2 of each of the following: MMPI-2, TAT, BDI, SCL-90-R, and Incomplete Sentences Blank (10 total). For the remaining two measures, you may also choose to administer the BAI, BHS, 16PF, CPI, Millon, or other measures based on instructor approval. These additional measures must be purchased separately from the clinic.
Each student will complete a 5-7 page position paper examining a current issue in personality assessment. In the paper the student should "take a stand" on one side of an issue and then argue for their belief. Each paper will be graded on content, organization, and APA style. This paper should include 10 references from appropriate professional journals. The instructor will provide possible paper topics. (20 points)3. Presentation
Each student will be asked to debate their position paper with another student who took an opposing view. Students will present their case and then will be given a chance to provide a rebuttal to the opposing side. Presentations will be graded on thoroughness, clarity of expressed ideas, organization, and style. (5 points)4. Final Exam
A final examination will be administered covering issues related to personality assessment, appropriate procedures in personality evaluation, and general information regarding personality measures. The test may include multiple choice, short-answer, and case study information. (25 points)Quality Assurance Contract
The Quality Assurance Contract (attached) is an honor code in the Department of Educational and Counseling Psychology. Each student should complete and hand in this contract with their position paper and case study reports. Implicit in this contract is the avoidance of cheating, i.e., on a test/exam or pretending to assess and individual, when in fact you or someone else not described in the report, completed the protocols. Plagiarism and cheating are serious offenses which carry with them the minimum penalty of an "E" in the course and maximum penalties of expulsion from the University. Therefore, students should take this contract seriously and realize that their academic future rests upon their honesty and integrity and their ability to uphold the contract.Test Security and Responsibility
Students enrolled in this course are responsible for all test materials loaned to them by the department or the instructor. The contents of the test kits should be complete when they are returned, and students are to adhere to the APA Ethical Principles of Psychologist and Code of Conduct guidelines concerning the use and protection of psychological test instruments and data.Grading
Letter grades will be assigned according to total accumulated points, on a straight scale (e.g. 90-100 = A, 80-89=B, etc.). An incomplete grade will be given only under exceptional circumstances and not just on the basis of work which has not been completed. Whether or not situations are exceptional will be determined by the instructor as situations arise.Successful completion of the this course is considered evidence that you are competent to administer and interpret personality tests. Therefore, if you do not achieve mastery of test administration, scoring and write up of reports, regardless of your point total, you will not receive a passing grade. If you do not achieve mastery, you may choose to administer tests and write the reports until you have adequately attained these skills.
Regular attendance, punctuality, and class participation are expected. More than one unexcused absence will result in the lowering of your final grade. Regular tardiness (more than 2) will also result in the lowering of your grade. You are expected to participate in class discussion (which involves listening and respecting each others ideas). Lack of participation or preparation will result in the lowering of your grade. Late assignments will be penalized 10% of the total point value for each day that they are past due. If you are having difficulty with an assignment, please see me as soon as possible.
EDP 642, Spring 1997
Class Schedule
Date Topic Readings 1/15 Introduction GM 1 1/20 Holiday 1/22 Concepts, Issues Models GM 2 1/27 Ethics and Legal Issues Readings 1/29 Interviewing GM 3 2/3 continued 2/5 Report Writing GM 14 2/10 continued 2/12 Objectives GM 8 2/17 continued 2/19 MMPI GM 6 2/24 continued 2/26 Behavioral Assessment GM 4 3/3 continued 3/5 Projectives 3/10 TAT GM 10 3/12 continued 3/17 Spring Break 3/19 Spring Break 3/24 Incomplete Sentences/ Figure Drawings GM 11 3/26 continued (1st report due) 3/31 Rorschach GM 9 4/2 DSM-IV Readings 4/7 Assessment of Specific Problems (2nd report due) 4/9 continued GM 12 4/14 Differential Diagnosis 4/16 Applying Assessments to Interventions GM 13 (3rd report due) 4/21 Open 4/23 Presentations 4/28 Presentations 4/30 Presentations 5/5 Final Exam 3:30 p.m.
Quality Assurance Contract To prepare myself for a professional career that will include writing and publishing, I understand that part of my education encompasses the ethics and mechanics of such writing activities. I understand that my work presented for each course should be an original manuscript consisting of my own writing and should not duplicate or substantially overlap any of my papers previously submitted to another class. I also understand that I should not quote or use the words of another person without referencing the person, nor should I borrow ideas from others without acknowledging their work. I also understand that the format of my written papers will be in compliance with the guidelines of the current APA Publication Manual, including writing mechanics, tables and figures, and language that is non sexist or racist or demeaning to others. For the paper submitted here, I do certify that the above statement is true and valid. Signed _______________________________ Name _________________________________ SSN __________________________________ E-mail ID ____________________________ Title of Paper _______________________ Instructor ___________________________(Constructed 11/13/97 13:45)