Psychological Testing

The United States Social Security Administration (SSA) administers two disability programs: Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI), for disabled individuals, and their dependent family members, who have worked and contributed to the Social Security trust funds, and Supplemental Security Income (SSSI), which is a means-tested program based on income and financial assets for adults aged 65 years or older and disabled adults and children. Both programs require that claimants have a disability and meet specific medical criteria in order to qualify for benefits. SSA establishes the presence of a medically-determined impairment in individuals with mental disorders other than intellectual disability through the use of standard diagnostic criteria, which include symptoms and signs. These impairments are established largely on reports of signs and symptoms of impairment and functional limitation. Psychological Testing in the Service of Disability Determination considers the use of psychological tests in evaluating disability claims submitted to the SSA. This report critically reviews selected psychological tests, including symptom validity tests, that could contribute to SSA disability determinations. The report discusses the possible uses of such tests and their contribution to disability determinations. Psychological Testing in the Service of Disability Determination discusses testing norms, qualifications for administration of tests, administration of tests, and reporting results. The recommendations of this report will help SSA improve the consistency and accuracy of disability determination in certain cases.

Foundations of Psychological Testing: A Practical Approach by Leslie A. Miller and Robert L. Lovler presents a clear introduction to the basics of psychological testing as well as psychometrics and statistics. Aligned with the 2014 Standards for Educational and Psychological Testing, this practical book includes discussion of foundational concepts and issues using real-life examples and situations that students will easily recognize, relate to, and find interesting. A variety of pedagogical tools furthers the conceptual understanding needed for effective use of tests and test scores. The Sixth Edition includes updated references and examples, new In Greater Depth boxes for deeper coverage of complex topics, and a streamlined organization for enhanced readability.

Psychological Testing: A Practical Approach to Design and Evaluation offers a fresh and innovative approach for graduate students and faculty in the fields of testing, measurement, psychometrics, research design, and related areas of study. Author Theresa J.B. Kline guides readers through the process of designing and evaluating a test, while ensuring that the test meets the highest professional standards. The author uses simple, clear examples throughout and fully details the required statistical analyses. Topics include—but are not limited to—design of item stems and responses; sampling strategies; classical and modern test theory; IRT program examples; reliability of tests and raters; validation using content, criterion-related, and factor analytic approaches; test and item bias; and professional and ethical issues in testing.

This book is an introductory text to the field of psychological testing primarily suitable for undergraduate students in psychology, education, business, and related fields. This book will also be of interest to graduate students who have not had a prior exposure to psychological testing and to professionals such as lawyers who need to consult a useful source. Psychological Testing is clearly written, well-organized, comprehensive, and replete with illustrative materials. In addition to the basic topics, the text covers in detail topics that are often neglected by other texts such as cross-cultural testing, the issue of faking tests, the impact of computers and the use of tests to assess positive behaviors such as creativity.

Psychological Testing: A Practical Introduction 4e offers students of psychology and allied disciplines a comprehensive survey of psychometric principles and tests in the major categories of applied assessment. Coverage includes test norms, reliability, validity, and test development, with an entirely new chapter on test fairness and bias. Chapters on assessment of cognitive ability, achievement, personality, clinical instruments, and attitudes provide up-to-date examples of the widely used tests in each category. Recognizing that active engagement maximizes learning, the text presents as an active learning device rather than a reference work. Extensive use of chapter objectives, key point and end-of-chapter summaries, practice problems, applied scenarios, internet-based resources, and statistics skills review enable students to engage more fully with the material for a deeper understanding. Written in a clear, reader-friendly style, the text approaches challenging topics by balancing technical rigor with relatable examples of contemporary applications.

Since publication in its first edition the Handbook of Psychological Testing has become the standard text for organisational and educational psychologists. It offers the only comprehensicve, modern and clear account of the whole of the field of psychometrics. It covers psychometric theory, the different kinds of psychological test, applied psychological testing, and the evaluation of the best published psychological tests. It is outstanding for its detailed and complete coverage of the field, its clarity (even for the non-mathematical) and its emphasis on the practical application of psychometric theory in psychology and education, as well as in vocational, occupational and clinical fields. For this second edition the Handbook has been extensively revised and updated to include the latest research and thinking in the field. Unlike other work in this area, it challenges the scientific rigour of conventional psychometrics and identifies groundbreaking new ways forward.

Psychological testing is more widespread today than ever. Test results are only valuable, however, when they contribute meaningful information that helps therapists better meet the needs of their clients. Psychological Testing That Matters describes an approach to inference making and synthesizing data that creates effective and individualized treatment plans. The treatment-centered approach describes how to reconcile the results of various tests, use test results to assess a patient's psychological capacities, make a diagnosis, and write an informative test report that can guide treatment. Book jacket.