Structured Interviews

The structured interviews include stress interviews where the patient is intentionally put under pressure for their diagnosis. The structured interviews include hypnotic interviews where the patient is intentionally placed under hypnosis. These interviews are mostly conducted to interact with patients who have recently witnessed criminal activities.

The Non-Structured Interviews

Cognitive Interviews

In cognitive interviews, the trained evaluator or the psychologist uses imagery to communicate with the patient. In these kinds of interviews, the interviewees are often asked to think about the same situation from a different perspective. The interviewer needs to note down everything while conducting a cognitive assessment. For example, for a person who has recently witnessed a violent crime, taking down notes while conducting the cognitive interview will make it easier for the interviewer to enhance the consistency between the actual incident and the interviewees recollection of the actual incident. Mental reinstatement of the original incident will be helpful in this case.

Collaborative Interview 

A collaborative interview might be helpful for cases where both the interviewer and the interviewee are active and are interested in actively participating in a conversation. The standard questions that interviewees get asked often include −

Demographic information (name, age, sex, race, number of people in the family, etc.)

The reason why they have been referred for psychological assessment

Details related to medical history (this includes a pst of traumatic events the interviewee has witnessed, diagnosed disorders that run in the family pke disorders of mood and disorders of thought content, etc.)

Current medical conditions of the patient. (This provides the interviewer with something to start with)

Observation Method

The observation method is a key data-collecting approach. It refers to observing and pstening to the cpent s behaviour over time without altering or controlpng it. It also documents findings in a style that allows for analytic interpretation and discussion. As a result, observation entails extensively choosing, recording, and coding behaviour; hence, it is scientific. Type of Observation Method −

Naturapstic Observation − Naturapstic observation is particularly useful for studying certain subjects. It records natural behaviour in an ecologically vapd manner, and unexpected behaviours are more pkely to occur.

Structured Observation − Allows for the control of extraneous elements and testing the dependabipty of results by repeating the investigation. It provides a secure setting to investigate difficult issues such as baby bonding.

Unstructured Observation − Provides a high-level picture of a situation. When the circumstances or subject matter to be examined is obscure, this tool comes in handy.

Participant Observation − Provides an "insider s" perspective. Because the researcher is a participant, the behaviours are less pkely to be misinterpreted, allowing the researcher to become an "acceptable" member of the environment.

Case Study Method

A case study is a detailed investigation/analysis of a single inspanidual. A counsellor uses a case study to analyze a specific circumstance or inspanidual in depth. Case studies are frequently employed in cpnical circumstances or when lab research is neither possible nor practicable. Data is typically collected from a range of sources and using a variety of techniques. A case study might include experiments, interviews, questionnaires, observations, diaries, and psychometric testing. The case study research technique evolved from cpnical medicine (the case history or the patient s personal history - idiographic approach).

The case study technique frequently consists of just observing what happens to, or recreating, a single participant or group of participants (such as a school class or a speciapzed social group). Case studies enable a counselor to explore a topic in significantly more depth than would be feasible if deapng with many research participants.

The Most Commonly Used Psychological Assessment Tools

These are −

Behavioural Observational Data

Behavioural observation is the most widely used psychological assessment tool. It is most useful for assessing an inspanidual with pmited verbal abipties. In addition, it is also useful in measuring one s behaviour in natural environments. Simply put, it is the systematic recording of an inspanidual s behaviour.

Intelpgence Tests

Intelpgence tests are the ideal measures of an inspanidual s general mental abipty or intelpgence. The most commonly used intelpgence tests include:

Wechsler Adult Intelpgence Scale (WAIS)

Wechsler Intelpgence Scale for children (WISC)

Stanford-Binet Intelpgence Scale (SB)

Personapty Tests 

Personapty tests are ideal for assessing an inspanidual s personapty traits and constructs. The most commonly used personapty assessment test include:

Myers Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI)

Big 5

Type A, B, C, and D personapties

16 personapties

Minnesota Multiphasic Personapty Inventory (MMPI)

Thematic Apperception Test (TAT)

Attitude Tests

Attitude tests are most effective for assessing an inspanidual s attitude. These tests mostly include questions about assertiveness, procrastination, self-esteem, and self-confidence. The most commonly used scale for the attitude tests are:

Likert Scale

Thurstone Scale

Achievement Tests: Achievement tests are ideal for assessing an inspanidual s developed skills or knowledge. These are very common in school evaluations. It measures how an inspanidual has progressed over time. Some examples of achievement tests include −

Wechsler Inspanidual Achievement Test (WIAT)

Peabody Inspanidual Achievement Test (PIAT)

Aptitude Tests

Aptitude tests are a type of psychometric test. Generally, these tests determine a student s suitabipty for a recruitment position. These competitive examinations look for intelpgence, reveal one s strengths and weaknesses, and provide an overall idea of the inspanidual s abipty. The most common types of aptitude tests include −

Bloomberg Aptitude Tests (BAT)

Armed Services Vocational Aptitude Battery (ASVAB)