Welcome to Psychological Welcome to Psychological Assessment!Assessment!

Things to do tonight…Things to do tonight…• Ice Breakers (you know you love ‘em!)Ice Breakers (you know you love ‘em!)• Get comfortable …Get comfortable …

– Then get up for the Living Likert exerciseThen get up for the Living Likert exercise• SyllabusSyllabus• DetailsDetails

– 16PF (online interpretations, only $14 for a basic 16PF (online interpretations, only $14 for a basic one and $30 bucks for a comprehensive report)one and $30 bucks for a comprehensive report)

• MMSEMMSE

ReferralsReferrals• Mental Status EvaluationMental Status Evaluation• Clinical interviewClinical interview• Diagnostic determinationDiagnostic determination• Competency evaluationCompetency evaluation• Forensic evaluationForensic evaluation

– Including custody evalsIncluding custody evals• Pretreatment eval. and recommendationsPretreatment eval. and recommendations• ReevaluationReevaluation• Educational placementEducational placement• Vocational recommendationsVocational recommendations

ExamplesExamples• Tina Panteleakos was referred by Dr. Freud Tina Panteleakos was referred by Dr. Freud

on April 6, 1911 to evaluate her suitability on April 6, 1911 to evaluate her suitability for psychoanalysis.for psychoanalysis.

• Joe and Jane Schmo were referred by Gloria Joe and Jane Schmo were referred by Gloria Liu on April 6, 2005 for full psychological Liu on April 6, 2005 for full psychological exams to assist with legal custody hearings.exams to assist with legal custody hearings.

• Joe Schmo was referred by the CIA on April Joe Schmo was referred by the CIA on April 6, 2005 to determine whether the nature of 6, 2005 to determine whether the nature of his psychological disabilities would interfere his psychological disabilities would interfere with his ability to keep and work with with his ability to keep and work with classified and confidential material.classified and confidential material.

Referrals for kidsReferrals for kids• Academic performance (a big one…also LDs)Academic performance (a big one…also LDs)

– Social FactorsSocial Factors• Peer groupPeer group• TeachersTeachers

– Conduct/behaviorConduct/behavior• Drug abuseDrug abuse• Sexual behaviors, aggression, etc.Sexual behaviors, aggression, etc.

– MotivationMotivation• Attention level, makes little effort, etc.Attention level, makes little effort, etc.

• Affects Affects – anger, fear, anxiety, depression, level of emotional anger, fear, anxiety, depression, level of emotional

constrictionconstriction• PhysicalPhysical

– Accident prone? Problems with fine or gross motor Accident prone? Problems with fine or gross motor coordination?coordination?

Think of example referrals you Think of example referrals you would make for childrenwould make for children

Mental Status ExaminationMental Status Examination• Remember the last time you had a Remember the last time you had a

physical medical exam?physical medical exam?– Doctors check your organs and orifices Doctors check your organs and orifices

Mental Status ExaminationMental Status Examination• Therapists check your head! …and fashion sense Therapists check your head! …and fashion sense

and moods and stuffand moods and stuff– Consciousness (are you in a coma?)Consciousness (are you in a coma?)– Orientation (date, place, person, things)Orientation (date, place, person, things)– Attention (distractible, selective attention, alert?)Attention (distractible, selective attention, alert?)– Concentration (is it difficult?)Concentration (is it difficult?)– Memory (forgetful, confused, needs reminders?)Memory (forgetful, confused, needs reminders?)– Information (do you know stuff?)Information (do you know stuff?)– Stream of thought (restricted? rapid?, coherent? Stream of thought (restricted? rapid?, coherent?

preoccupied? dissociated? cognitive slippage?)preoccupied? dissociated? cognitive slippage?)– Reasoning/Abstract thinking (concrete? generalized? Reasoning/Abstract thinking (concrete? generalized?

obscure?) obscure?) – Judgment (common sense? impressionable?)Judgment (common sense? impressionable?)– Insight (denies presence of problems, peripheral Insight (denies presence of problems, peripheral

understanding, self-aware)understanding, self-aware)

Generally speaking…Generally speaking…assess:assess:

• General Appearance and behaviorGeneral Appearance and behavior• Feeling (affect and mood)Feeling (affect and mood)• Perception (hallucinations?)Perception (hallucinations?)• ThinkingThinking

– Intellectual functioningIntellectual functioning– OrientationOrientation– Memory, Attention, and ConcentrationMemory, Attention, and Concentration– InsightInsight– JudgmentJudgment– Thought contentThought content