Assessment Guide

Psychological assessment guides are created by psychology professionals to provide the public with accurate and authoritative information appropriate for their current needs. Information available to the public about psychological testing and assessment varies widely depending on the professional creating it, the purpose of the assessment, and the intended audience. When professionals effectively educate the public on the how, what, and why behind assessments and the strengths and limitations of commonly used instruments, potential clients are in a better position to be informed users of assessment products and services. The Assessment Guides developed in this course will be designed to provide the lay public with accurate and culturally relevant information to aid them in making informed decisions about psychological testing. Students will develop their Guides with the goal of educating readers to be informed participants in the assessment process.

There is no required template for the development of the Assessment Guide. It is encouraged to be creative while maintaining the professional appearance of the work. While based on scholarly information, the Guide should not read like a research paper. It is to be written like a brochure a professional might give a patient or client who is being referred for testing. The Guide must be reader-friendly (sixth- to ninth-grade reading level) and easy to navigate, and it must include a combination of text, images, and graphics to engage readers in the information provided. Throughout the Guide, provide useful examples and definitions as well as questions readers should ask their practitioners. To ensure accuracy, use only scholarly and peer-reviewed sources for the information in the development of the Guides.

Begin the guide with a general overview of assessment, reasons for assessment referrals, and the importance of the role of each individual in the process. Within each of the remaining sections, describe the types of assessments that their readers may encounter, the purposes of each type of assessment, the different skills and abilities the instruments measure, the most valid and reliable uses of the measures, and limitations of the measures. A brief section will be included to describe the assessment process, the types of professionals who conduct the assessments, and what to expect during the assessment meetings The Assessment Guide must include the following sections: Table of Contents (Portrait orientation must be used for the page layout of this section.) In this one-page section, list the following subsections and categories of assessments? • Introduction and Overview  • Tests of Intelligence • Tests of Achievement • Tests of Ability • Neuropsychological Testing • Personality Testing • Industrial, Occupational, and Career Assessment • Forensic Assessment • Special Topics (specify the student's choice from the "Special Topics" list) • References

Section 1: Introduction and Overview (Portrait or landscape orientation may be used for the page layout of this section.) Begin the Guide with a general overview of assessment. In this two-page section, students will briefly address the major aspects of the assessment process. Students are

encouraged to develop creative titles for these topics that effectively communicate the meanings to the intended audience. • Definition of a Test (e.g., What is a Test?) • Briefly define psychological assessment. • Types of Tests • Identify the major categories of psychological assessment. • Reliability and Validity • Briefly define the concepts of reliability and validity as they apply to psychological

assessment. • Role of testing and assessment in the diagnostic process • Briefly explain role of assessment in diagnosis. • Professionals Who Administer Tests • Briefly describe the types of professionals involved in various assessment

processes. • Culture and Testing • Briefly describe issues of cultural diversity as it applies to psychological

assessment. Categories of Assessment (Portrait or landscape orientation may be used for the page layout of this section.) For each of the following, students will create a two-page information sheet or pamphlet to be included in the Assessment Guide. For each category of assessment, students will include the required content listed in the PSY640 Content for Testing Pamphlets and Information Sheets. Be sure to reference the content requirements prior to completing each of the information sheets on the following categories of assessment. • Tests of Intelligence • Tests of Achievement • Tests of Ability • Neuropsychological Testing • Personality Testing • Industrial, Occupational, and Career Assessment • Forensic Assessment • Special Topics (Students will specify which topic they selected for this pamphlet or

information sheet. Additional instructions are noted below.)

Special Topics (Student’s Choice) In addition to the required seven categories of assessment listed above, students will develop an eighth information sheet or pamphlet that includes information targeted either at a specific population or about a specific issue related to psychological assessment not covered in one of the previous sections. Students may choose from one of the following categories: • Testing Adolescents • Testing Geriatric Patients • Testing First Generation Immigrants • Testing in Rural Communities • Testing English Language Learners • Testing Individuals Who Are (Select one: Deaf, Blind, Quadriplegic) • Testing Individuals Who Are Incarcerated • Testing for Competency to Stand Trial

References (Portrait orientation must be used for the page layout of this section.)

Include a separate reference section that is formatted according to APA style 7. The reference list must consist entirely of scholarly sources. For the purposes of this assignment, assessment manuals, chapters from graduate-level textbooks, chapters from professional books, and peer-reviewed journal articles may be used as resource material. A minimum of 16 unique scholarly sources published within the last 10 years must be used within the Assessment Guide. The bulleted list of credible professional and/or educational online resources required for each assessment area will not count toward these totals.

The Assessment Guide • Must be 18 pages in length (not including title and reference pages) and formatted

according to APA style 7. • Must include a separate title page with the following:

◦ Title of guide ◦ Student’s name ◦ Course name and number ◦ Instructor’s name ◦ Date submitted

• Must use at least 16 scholarly sources.Must document all sources in APA style7. • Must include a separate reference page that is formatted according to APA style 7

Must incorporate at least three different methods of presenting information (e.g., text, graphics, images, original cartoons).

Kumar, S., Kartikey, D., & Singh, T. (2021). Intelligence Tests for Different Age Groups and Intellectual Disability: A Brief Overview. Journal of Psychosocial Research, 16(1), 199–209. https://doi-org.proxy-library.ashford.edu/10.32381/ JPR.2021.16.01.18. (For the Tests of Intelligence attachment).

Zucchella, C., Federico, A., Martini, A., Tinazzi, M., Bartolo, M., & Tamburin, S. (2018). Neuropsychological testing. Practical Neurology (BMJ Publishing Group), 18(3), 227–237. (For the Neuropsychological testing attachment)

Archer, R. P., Wheeler, E. M. A., & Vauter, R. A. (2016). Empirically supported forensic assessment. Clinical Psychology: Science and Practice, 23(4), 348– 364. https://doi-org.proxy-library.ashford.edu/10.1111/cpsp.12171 (For the Forensic assessment attachment)

Fisher, D. M., Milane, C. R., Sullivan, S., & Tett, R. P. (2021). A Critical Examination of Content Validity Evidence and Personality Testing for Employee Selection. Public Personnel Management, 50(2), 232–257. https:// doi-org.proxy-library.ashford.edu/10.1177/0091026020935582 (Personality Testing)

Öz, H., & Özturan, T. (2018). Computer-Based and Paper-Based Testing: Does the Test Administration Mode Influence the Reliability and Validity of Achievement Tests? Journal of Language and Linguistic Studies, 14(1), 67– 85. (For the tests of Achievement)

Han, K., Colarelli, S. M., & Weed, N. C. (2019). Methodological and statistical advances in the consideration of cultural diversity in assessment: A critical review of group classification and measurement invariance testing. Psychological Assessment, 31(12), 1481–1496. https://doi-org.proxy- library.ashford.edu/10.1037/pas0000731 (issues of cultural diversity as it applies to psychological assessment)