MEANING OF PSYCHOLOGICAL ASSESSMENT

Let us first define the term assessment. It can be defined as “the use of standards or
systematic procedure for observing our behaviour.” Assessment describes the status of a
phenomenon at a particular time; it describes without value judgment a situation that prevails;
it attempts no explanation of underlying reasons and makes no recommendations for action. It
may deal with prevailing opinion, knowledge, practice, or conditions. The definition of
assessment for our purpose can be the process of collecting information to be used as the
basis for informed decision by the assessor or by those to whom results are communicated.
Psychological assessment usually involves a more comprehensive assessment of the
individual.

This process of assessment makes use of psychological tests or other qualitative method.
Therefore, it is a process of collecting information which can be formal, informal, qualitative
and quantitative. Psychological assessment is a process that involves the integration of
information from multiple sources, such as tests related to ability, intelligence, interests or
attitudes, as well as information from personal interviews. Collateral information is also
collected about personal, occupational, or medical history, such as from records or from
interviews with parents, spouses, teachers, or previous therapists or physicians.

Moreover the psychological assessment is a structured interview that gathers information

from and/or tests a person to evaluate his or her mental health. It is “an extremely complex
process of solving problems (answering questions) in which psychological tests are often
used as one of the methods of collecting relevant data” (Anastasi, 1990). The psychological
assessment gathers information about the individual to provide him/her guidance and
counseling. It is the first step in any guidance and counseling situation. The process typically
starts with a key complaint or presenting problem—this is usually what prompts the person to
seek help.

A complete psychological assessment should include: bio psychosocial history, neurological

assessment, psychological testing and physical examination. Once it is completed, the
assessment will help to establish either a tentative or definitive diagnosis. With this
information, the counselor can inform to the client about the results, and psycho
therapy/counseling can be given.
PURPOSE OF ASSESSMENT

The purposes of assessment in guidance and counseling situation are as follows:

1) Self Understanding: The basic purpose of carrying out an assessment is for gaining insight
in helping the client understand themselves better, helping them to know what they can do
and cannot do including their strengths and weaknesses.

2) To Diagnose Student’s Problem: To diagnose the client’s problem is another purpose that
assessment data fulfills .By using the data properly, we can interpret causal factors. It also
helps to identify various aspects such as family background, physical health, academic
performance etc

3) To Help in Career Planning and Education: Assessment done with the help of various
psychological tools guides the students in making choices for their career and selection of
subjects/courses.

4) To Help Predict the Future Performance: Counselors use assessment data to estimate
individual’s attitude, ability, personality, etc that have implication for the success and
adjustment which help to predict the future performance of the individual. Moreover, the
counselor can also motivate the client in a direction where he /she can get more success.

PROCESS OF ASSESSMENT

Assessment is always a systematized and planned process involving a number of steps. These
are as follows: • Formulating goals • Identifying tools and techniques • Data collection •
Interpreting specific assessment data • Integrating data from different sources • Formulating
assessment information • Reformulating goal
METHODS OF ASSESSMENT

The counselor can make use of different methods of assessment. It depends on the
requirement of the case, e.g., if the client is suffering from mental or developmental problem,
the counselor may use case study method. The various methods of assessment are interview,
observation and case study. These are described below.

The Interview Method

The interview is probably the most commonly used assessment tool. Counselors use
interview method to help gather information about clients and clarify results of other
assessments. Assessors must be appropriately trained. Their skills and experience are
essential for the interviewee. Below are several aspects which must be kept in mind: Verbal
and face-to-face: what does the client tell you? How much information are they willing/able
to provide? Para-verbal: how does the client speak? At normal pace, tone, volume, inflection?
What is their command on language, how well do they choose their words? Do they pick up
on non-verbal cues for speech and turn taking? How organised is their speech? Situation: Is
the client cooperative? Is their participation voluntary? For what purpose is the interview
conducted? Where is the interview conducted?

There can be two types of interview: Structured and Unstructured. That is, the interview can
range from being totally unplanned i.e., unstructured to carefully designed i.e., completely
structured.

i) Structured Interview: The most structured interviews have characteristics such as

standardized questions, trained interviewers, specific question order, controlled
 length of time, and a standardized response evaluation format. A structured
interview will be more reliable and valid. It is designed to provide a diagnosis for
a client by detailed questioning of the client in a “yes/no” or
“definitely/somewhat/not at all” forced choice format. It is broken up into
different sections reflecting the diagnosis in question. Often Structured interviews
use closed questions, which require a simple pre-determined answer. Examples of
closed questions are “When did this problem begin? Was there any particular
stressor going on at that time? Can you tell me about how this problem started?”
Closed interviews are better suited for specific information gathering.

ii) Unstructured Interview: Interviews can also be less structured and allow the
client more control over the topic and direction of the interview. Unstructured
interviews are better suited for general information gathering. Unstructured
interviews often use open questions, which ask for more 12 Introduction
explanation and elaboration on the part of the client. Examples of open questions
are “What was happening in your life when this problem started? How did you
feel then? How did this all start?” Major functions of interview method are:
Description: Interview has been found to be particularly useful in providing
insight into the interactive quality of social life. The verbal interaction enables the
interviewer in understanding how people view the subject under investigation.
Exploration: In this the interviewer tries to explore some new variable for study as
it also helps in conceptual clarity. A review of the work done in the related area
also is taken into account. The advantage of interview method is that it allows
greater flexibility in the process of questioning. It facilitates the counselor in
obtaining the desired information.

Observation Method

Observation method is a fundamental technique of the data collection. It refers to watching

and listening to the behaviour of the client over time without manipulating and controlling it.
It also records findings in ways that allow some degree of analytic interpretation and
discussion. Thus, observation involves broadly selecting, recording and coding behaviour;
therefore, it is scientific. It tells us, How does the person act – nervous, calm, smug? What do
they do and not do? Do they make and maintain eye contact? How close to you do they sit?
Often, some of the most important information you can gather from the observation of
behaviour. Behavioural observations may be used clinically (such as to add to interview
information or to assess results of treatment).

Type of Observation Method: 1) Naturalistic observation 2) Structured observation 3)

Unstructured observation 4) Participative observation

1) Naturalistic observation: Naturalistic observation is particularly good for observing

specific subjects. It provides ecologically valid recordings of natural behaviour. Spontaneous
behaviours are more likely to happen.

2) Structured observation: Allows control of extraneous factors and the reliability of results
can be tested by repeating the study. It provides a safe environment to study contentious
concepts such as infant attachment.

3) Unstructured observation: Gives a broad overview of a situation. Useful where

situation/subject matter to be studied is unclear.

4) Participant observation: Gives an “insiders” view. Behaviors are less prone to

misinterpretation because researcher is a participant. It provides opportunity for the
researcher to become an “accepted” part of the environment.

QUANTITATIVE ASSESSMENT

Quantitative assessment in counselling refers to the use of structured, standardized tools and
methods to measure various psychological, emotional, cognitive, and behavioral variables in
a numerical form. These assessments provide objective data that can support diagnosis,
treatment planning, and outcome evaluation.

Key Features of Quantitative Assessment in Counselling

1. Standardization
o Tools are administered and scored in a consistent way.
o Norms are available for comparison with population data.
2. Objectivity
o Reduces counselor bias by relying on numerical data.
o Results are less open to interpretation than qualitative methods.
3. Reliability and Validity
 o Established psychometric properties ensure the tool is measuring what it
claims to measure (validity) and does so consistently (reliability).

Types of Quantitative Psychological Assessment

Psychological measures generally fall within one of several categories, including the
following:

 Intelligence & achievement tests—These tests are designed to measure certain

specific kinds of cognitive functioning (often referred to as IQ) in comparison to a
norming group. These tests, such as the WISC-IV and the WAIS, attempt to measure
such traits as general knowledge, verbal skill, memory, attention span, logical
reasoning, and visual/spatial perception. Several tests have been shown to predict
accurately certain kinds of performance, especially scholastic.
 Personality tests—Tests of personality aim to describe patterns of behavior, thoughts,
and feelings. They generally fall within two categories: objective and projective.
Objective measures, such as the MMPI, are based on restricted answers—such as
yes/no, true/false, or a rating scale—which allow for the computation of scores that can
be compared to a normative group. Projective tests, such as the Rorschach inkblot test,
allow for open-ended answers, often based on ambiguous stimuli. Other commonly
used personality assessment measures include the PAI and the NEO-PI-R.
 Neuropsychological tests—Neuropsychological tests consist of specifically designed
tasks used to measure psychological functions known to be linked to a
particular brain structure or pathway. They are typically used to assess impairment
after an injury or illness known to affect neurocognitive functioning, or when used in
research, to contrast neuropsychological abilities across experimental groups.
 Diagnostic Measurement Tools—Clinical psychologists are able to diagnose
psychological disorders and related disorders found in the DSM-5 and ICD-10. Many
assessment tests have been developed to complement the clinicians clinical observation
and other assessment activities. Some of these include the SCID-5, the most widely
used.
TYPES OF DIAGNOSTIC MEASUREMENT TOOLS

 Psychometric Tests
  Personality Inventories: MMPI-2, 16PF, Big Five Inventory
 Intelligence Tests: WAIS-IV, WISC-V
 Aptitude Tests: DAT (Differential Aptitude Test)

 Symptom Checklists

 Anxiety and Depression: BDI (Beck Depression Inventory), GAD-7, PHQ-9

 Stress: PSS (Perceived Stress Scale)

 Behavioral Assessments

 Frequency counts or rating scales (e.g., CBCL - Child Behavior Checklist)

 Self-Report Questionnaires

 Client-reported data on thoughts, feelings, and behaviors.

 Outcome Measures

 Tools like CORE-OM or Outcome Questionnaire (OQ-45) to track therapy progress.

 Clinical observation—Clinical psychologists are also trained to gather data by

observing behavior. The clinical interview is a vital part of the assessment, even when
using other formalized tools, which can employ either a structured or unstructured
format. Such assessment looks at certain areas, such as general appearance and
behavior, mood and affects, perception, comprehension, orientation, insight, memory,
and content of the communication. One psychiatric example of a formal interview is
the mental status examination, which is often used in psychiatry as a screening tool
for treatment or further testing.
 Benefits of Quantitative Assessment in Counselling

 Helps identify client issues with measurable indicators.

 Enables evidence-based decision making.
 Facilitates goal setting and tracking progress.
 Enhances communication with clients, other professionals, and institutions (e.g.,
schools, courts).
 Useful in research and program evaluation.

Limitations

 May not capture the complexity of human experience.

 Risk of over-reliance on numbers without contextual understanding.
 Cultural bias can affect validity across different populations.
 May induce test anxiety in some clients.