Understanding Psychological Assessment

Jan J.F. ter Laak has more than 45 years of experience in psychological assessment. He has been involved in teaching at the Utrecht University for more than 25 years now. He was the Consulting Editor of the European Journal of Psychological Assessment and the Secretary General of the European Association of Psychological Assessment. He has been the Co-author and consultant for the Dutch Differentiation Test, and two questionnaires for Socio Emotional Development and Ethnic Identity in 11 to 15 year olds. His recent most publications is DevelopmentalTasks: Towards a Cultural Analysis of HumanDevelopment edited along with Peter G. Heymans and Andrei I. Podol’skij, published by Springer (2010). Meenakshi Gokhale is a faculty at Sir Parashurambhau College, Pune. She has previously worked with Jnana Prabodhini’s Institute of Psychology, Pune as a Research Assistant for close to 10 years. She has been a part of the development team for two indigenous aptitude test batteries called “I AM – Intelligence and Aptitude Measurement” and “SWAYAM – Studies and Work Related Aptitudes in Youth: Advance Measurement,” which have been used by Jnana Prabodhini’s Institute of Psychology for aptitude testing and career guidance for more than 10 years now.   She has published research articles on assessment in various journals, and presented papers in many national and international conferences. Devasena Desai is a Consultant Psychologist with a private practice. She has diversified her interests into being a counselor, researcher, trainer for parenting programs, marriage, and corporate workshops. She is the consultant for research at the scientific department of research (SRD) at Kaivalyadhama Institute of Yoga, Lonavala. She has published research articles on parenting and working on leisure among children. She runs a successful women’s enrichment group in Pune, and has traveled to several countries such as Germany, The Netherlands, England, and USA for discussing and lecturing students on various topics. She is also associated with Chennai Counselors Forum, Chennai as the Principal Investigator for their Research Team.

Preface
How to Read the Book
I: WHAT IS ASSESSMENT? TESTING, TEST SCORING, AND TEST THEORY
What is Psychological Assessment?
Test Theory and Assessment
History of Psychological Assessment
Clinical versus Statistical Prediction: A Controversy of the Past?
II: ASSESSMENT PROCESS, AND THE DIAGNOSTIC CONCEPTS OF RELIABILITY AND VALIDITY
Assessment in the Fields of Psychology
Assessment, Reliability, and Validity
III: ASSESSMENT AND ANALYSIS OF THE CLIENT′S PERSONALITY, INTELLIGENCE, COGNITION AND SOCIAL CONTEXT
The Client′s Personality
The Client′s Intelligence, Cognition, Aptitude, and Achievement
Assessment of the Physical and Social Context of the Client
IV: JUDGING THE QUALITY OF ASSESSMENT
Quality of Psychological Assessment of the Client
References and Consulted Literature
Index