Students

PSY 978 – Psychological Assessment

2014 – S1 Day

General Information

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Unit convenor and teaching staff Unit convenor and teaching staff Unit Convenor
Lorna Peters
lorna.peters@mq.edu.au
Contact via lorna.peters@mq.edu.au
C3A 712
Teaching staff
Sharon Watt
sharon.watt@mq.edu.au
Contact via sharon.watt@mq.edu.au
Credit points Credit points
4
Prerequisites Prerequisites
Admission to MClinPsych or DClinPsych
Corequisites Corequisites
Co-badged status Co-badged status
Unit description Unit description
This unit covers the principles and methods of psychological assessment in the clinical context. The unit covers general topics related to psychological assessment including: clinical interviewing skills; selection of appropriate assessment techniques including selecting tests for treatment planning and outcome evaluation; administration, scoring, and interpretation of assessment devices; communication of information about assessments (report-writing and feedback to clients); and ethical principles relating to assessment. The assessment tools covered in the unit include tests of intelligence, personality, and psychopathology.

Important Academic Dates

Information about important academic dates including deadlines for withdrawing from units are available at https://www.mq.edu.au/study/calendar-of-dates

Learning Outcomes

On successful completion of this unit, you will be able to:

  • Administer, score, and interpret tests of intelligence, achievement and memory; measures of normal personality; and general measures of psychopathology
  • Report on the results of assessments in written and oral form and demonstrate knowledge of the ethical principles guiding use of assessment techniques
  • Justify the choice of assessment techniques on the basis of scientific evidence

Assessment Tasks

Name Weighting Due
Pass-out Exams for the WAIS-IV 0% To be advised
WISC-IV Scoring Task 20% To be advised
WISC-IV report 80% To be advised

Pass-out Exams for the WAIS-IV

Due: To be advised
Weighting: 0%

Before being given a final grade for the unit, students will be required to reach a satisfactory level of competence in administering the WAIS-IV. In order to assess level of competence, students will participate in “pass-out” exams. Students will be required to administer the WAIS-IV to a supervisor who will role-play as the examinee and also rate performance using a standard checklist, which will be made available to students via iLearn. The pass-out exam will last for 1 hour. All subtests will be tested in that time. Note that it is important that you practice administration of the tests to reach a satisfactory level of competence, but it is unwise and unethical to give the results of any practice administrations to the people you test – given the restricted nature of the tests, it is most sensible to practice on fellow classmates who role-play different scenarios. There is space in the Test Library for students to practice in small groups. Students who fail the pass-out exam on the first attempt will be provided with one additional opportunity to pass the exam. Failure of the second attempt may result in a Fail grade for the entire unit and this, in turn, will result in a delay in starting the Clinic placement or further placements.
On successful completion you will be able to:
  • Administer, score, and interpret tests of intelligence, achievement and memory; measures of normal personality; and general measures of psychopathology

WISC-IV Scoring Task

Due: To be advised
Weighting: 20%

You will be provided with WISC-IV scores for a hypothetical case. Your task will be to score the test according to the methods outlined during lectures.
On successful completion you will be able to:
  • Administer, score, and interpret tests of intelligence, achievement and memory; measures of normal personality; and general measures of psychopathology

WISC-IV report

Due: To be advised
Weighting: 80%

Your task will be to write a psychological report for the hypothetical case scored in the WISC-IV scoring task. You will be given further details of the case and the method for writing a psychological report during lectures.
On successful completion you will be able to:
  • Administer, score, and interpret tests of intelligence, achievement and memory; measures of normal personality; and general measures of psychopathology
  • Report on the results of assessments in written and oral form and demonstrate knowledge of the ethical principles guiding use of assessment techniques
  • Justify the choice of assessment techniques on the basis of scientific evidence

Delivery and Resources

There will be one 2-hour lecture per week, given on Monday 4-6pm in E5A 140 each week of the session, apart from week 13 (Public Holiday). The two-hour teaching session involves theoretical coverage of topics as well as practical skills training. Students will have access to the Department of Psychology Test Library (C3A 326).

Unit Schedule

 

The schedule of lectures is listed below. There may be slight variations in the schedule due to staff availability.

 

Week

Date

Topic

Lecturer

1

3 March

Introduction to the unit: Assessment in clinical practice & revision of basic psychometrics; Test library orientation

Lorna Peters

2

10 March

Assessment of Intelligence: WISC-IV – introduction and administration  

Sharon Watt

3

17 March

Assessment of Intelligence: WISC-IV scoring and interpretation

Sharon Watt

4

24 March

Assessment of Intelligence: WAIS-IV – introduction; pick up kits from the test library after this lecture

Sharon Watt

5

31 March

Assessment of Intelligence: WAIS-IV administration

Sharon Watt

6

7 April

 

Assessment of Intelligence: WAIS-IV scoring and interpretation

Sharon Watt

 

Midsession Break

7

28 April

Ethics of assessment; Report writing and client feedback

Lorna Peters

 

Saturday 3rd May

WAIS-IV Pass-out Exams

(Attend for one hour on either 3rd May or 10th May)

8

5 May

Assessment of Memory: WMS-IV

Sharon Watt

 

Saturday 10th May

 WAIS-IV Pass-out Exams

(Attend for one hour on either 3rd May or 10th May)

9

12 May

Assessment of Achievement: WIAT

Sharon Watt

10

19 May

Assessment of Personality: Self-report personality inventories: 16PF, NEO-PI, MMPI - Introduction

Lorna Peters

11

26 May

 

Assessment of Personality: Self-report personality inventories: 16PF, NEO-PI, MMPI – Scoring and Interpretation

Lorna Peters

12

2 June

 

Assessment of Psychopathology: Introduction to Structured diagnostic interviews and global measures of psychopathology

Lorna Peters

13

9 June

 

NO LECTURE – PUBLIC HOLIDAY

Policies and Procedures

Macquarie University policies and procedures are accessible from Policy Central. Students should be aware of the following policies in particular with regard to Learning and Teaching:

Academic Honesty Policy http://mq.edu.au/policy/docs/academic_honesty/policy.html

Assessment Policy  http://mq.edu.au/policy/docs/assessment/policy.html

Grading Policy http://mq.edu.au/policy/docs/grading/policy.html

Grade Appeal Policy http://mq.edu.au/policy/docs/gradeappeal/policy.html

Grievance Management Policy http://mq.edu.au/policy/docs/grievance_management/policy.html

Disruption to Studies Policy http://www.mq.edu.au/policy/docs/disruption_studies/policy.html The Disruption to Studies Policy is effective from March 3 2014 and replaces the Special Consideration Policy.

In addition, a number of other policies can be found in the Learning and Teaching Category of Policy Central.

Student Code of Conduct

Macquarie University students have a responsibility to be familiar with the Student Code of Conduct: https://students.mq.edu.au/support/student_conduct/

Student Support

Macquarie University provides a range of support services for students. For details, visit http://students.mq.edu.au/support/

Learning Skills

Learning Skills (mq.edu.au/learningskills) provides academic writing resources and study strategies to improve your marks and take control of your study.

Student Services and Support

Students with a disability are encouraged to contact the Disability Service who can provide appropriate help with any issues that arise during their studies.

Student Enquiries

For all student enquiries, visit Student Connect at ask.mq.edu.au

IT Help

For help with University computer systems and technology, visit http://informatics.mq.edu.au/help/. 

When using the University's IT, you must adhere to the Acceptable Use Policy. The policy applies to all who connect to the MQ network including students.

Graduate Capabilities

PG - Discipline Knowledge and Skills

Our postgraduates will be able to demonstrate a significantly enhanced depth and breadth of knowledge, scholarly understanding, and specific subject content knowledge in their chosen fields.

This graduate capability is supported by:

Learning outcomes

  • Administer, score, and interpret tests of intelligence, achievement and memory; measures of normal personality; and general measures of psychopathology
  • Report on the results of assessments in written and oral form and demonstrate knowledge of the ethical principles guiding use of assessment techniques
  • Justify the choice of assessment techniques on the basis of scientific evidence

Assessment tasks

  • Pass-out Exams for the WAIS-IV
  • WISC-IV Scoring Task
  • WISC-IV report

PG - Critical, Analytical and Integrative Thinking

Our postgraduates will be capable of utilising and reflecting on prior knowledge and experience, of applying higher level critical thinking skills, and of integrating and synthesising learning and knowledge from a range of sources and environments. A characteristic of this form of thinking is the generation of new, professionally oriented knowledge through personal or group-based critique of practice and theory.

This graduate capability is supported by:

Learning outcomes

  • Administer, score, and interpret tests of intelligence, achievement and memory; measures of normal personality; and general measures of psychopathology
  • Report on the results of assessments in written and oral form and demonstrate knowledge of the ethical principles guiding use of assessment techniques
  • Justify the choice of assessment techniques on the basis of scientific evidence

Assessment tasks

  • WISC-IV Scoring Task
  • WISC-IV report

PG - Research and Problem Solving Capability

Our postgraduates will be capable of systematic enquiry; able to use research skills to create new knowledge that can be applied to real world issues, or contribute to a field of study or practice to enhance society. They will be capable of creative questioning, problem finding and problem solving.

This graduate capability is supported by:

Learning outcomes

  • Administer, score, and interpret tests of intelligence, achievement and memory; measures of normal personality; and general measures of psychopathology
  • Report on the results of assessments in written and oral form and demonstrate knowledge of the ethical principles guiding use of assessment techniques
  • Justify the choice of assessment techniques on the basis of scientific evidence

Assessment tasks

  • WISC-IV Scoring Task
  • WISC-IV report

PG - Effective Communication

Our postgraduates will be able to communicate effectively and convey their views to different social, cultural, and professional audiences. They will be able to use a variety of technologically supported media to communicate with empathy using a range of written, spoken or visual formats.

This graduate capability is supported by:

Learning outcome

  • Report on the results of assessments in written and oral form and demonstrate knowledge of the ethical principles guiding use of assessment techniques

Assessment task

  • WISC-IV report

PG - Engaged and Responsible, Active and Ethical Citizens

Our postgraduates will be ethically aware and capable of confident transformative action in relation to their professional responsibilities and the wider community. They will have a sense of connectedness with others and country and have a sense of mutual obligation. They will be able to appreciate the impact of their professional roles for social justice and inclusion related to national and global issues

This graduate capability is supported by:

Learning outcomes

  • Administer, score, and interpret tests of intelligence, achievement and memory; measures of normal personality; and general measures of psychopathology
  • Report on the results of assessments in written and oral form and demonstrate knowledge of the ethical principles guiding use of assessment techniques

PG - Capable of Professional and Personal Judgment and Initiative

Our postgraduates will demonstrate a high standard of discernment and common sense in their professional and personal judgment. They will have the ability to make informed choices and decisions that reflect both the nature of their professional work and their personal perspectives.

This graduate capability is supported by:

Learning outcomes

  • Administer, score, and interpret tests of intelligence, achievement and memory; measures of normal personality; and general measures of psychopathology
  • Report on the results of assessments in written and oral form and demonstrate knowledge of the ethical principles guiding use of assessment techniques
  • Justify the choice of assessment techniques on the basis of scientific evidence

Assessment tasks

  • Pass-out Exams for the WAIS-IV
  • WISC-IV Scoring Task
  • WISC-IV report