Name: Udoye Marycynthia Chinaza

Reg. no: U17/MSS/PSY/091

Department: Psychology

Level: 400 level

Assignment: Observation, Interview and testing in Clinical Asessment

Observation in Clinical Assessment

This allows the therapist to evaluate how the patient uses movement during a task

and how their mental. Cognitive, communicative and behavioral abilities affect

task performances

Clinical observation is one of the broadest categories in psychological assessment.

Observational method consists of a set of data collection procedures with a

predefined set of behavioral categories. These behaviors are external, motor events

observed in natural, analogue, or test situations; observations may sometimes

require the use of sophisticated equipments like tachistoscopes, polyreactigraphs or

psychophysiological instruments that allow response amplification.

This is subjective as the clinician would draw conclusion based on what his/her

perception and not according to laid-down rules.

There are types of Clinical observation methods to be;

1) Non-participant

2) Participant but expert

3) Participant and/or relatives.

These have been classified based on

1) The observer: participant versus non-participant

2) The target or observed events: overt event (motor response or stimuli

parameter) versus subject’s attribute or molar characteristics of the observed

situation.

3) The situation in which observations take place: natural versus artificial or

standardized situations (or even with equipment amplifying the target)

4) The protocol: coding system versus open description of the continuum of

behavior.

Advantages of clinical observation

1) It helps the clinician to detect areas of investigation about the client

2) By observing the overt actions of client, a clinician is able to make

deduction on how best to go about the therapy and create strong rapport

3) It can be used to make diagnosis

4) Therapy option is more/less decided through observation.

Disadvantages

1) It is subjective and so can be prone to bias

2) Diagnosis that do not relate with the diagnostic manual can be made.

Interview in Clinical assessment

A clinical interview is a dialogue between psychologist and patient that is designed

to help the psychologist diagnose and plan treatment for the patient. It is often

called a conversation with a purpose.

A clinical interview has a purpose; to assess and diagnose client. In clinical

interview, the roles are defined; the psychologist and the client. A clinical

interview occurs within a defined time frame; on appointments. An interview can

be structured or unstructured.

Types of clinical interview

1) The intake interview: this happens the first time a client is seen by a

clinician. Here, the clinician asks for reference, purpose of the appointment

and physical/mental history as well as what they would like to get out of

their time with you.

2) A mental status exam/ diagnostic interview: it is a clinical interview that

looks at more than just the answers to your questions. Here, the client’s
 behavior, appearance, attitude and movements are looked at. All of these

things would give a good view of what their mental health is like.

3) Social history/case study: this is expected by a social worker but where there

are no social workers the clinician takes it. Age, family, number of children

E.t.c. are recorded.

Points to note when conducting a clinical interview

1) Offer a safe space for discussion

2) Be non-judgmental

3) Ask open-minded questions

4) Hearing verbal messages

5) Perceiving non-verbal messages

6) Responding

7) Give room for occasional silence.

Advantages of clinical interview

1) It helps in establishing rapport with the client

2) It helps in establishing a tentative clinical diagnosis

3) It helps in determining the causes/etiology of the disorders

4) It helps in making selection of appropriate therapeutic methods.

Disadvantages
 1) It is subjective and so can be subjected to clinician’s bias

2) Since diagnosis are made from the conclusions drawn from the clinician, the

bias in play would mean giving patient diagnosis that do not satisfy the

diagnostic criteria assigned to them.

Testing in Clinical Assessment

Psychological testing refers to the administration of psychological tests. A

psychological test is an objective and standardized measure of a sample of

behavior.

A psychological test is an instrument designed to measure unobserved constructs,

also known as latent variables. Psychological tests can strongly resemble

questionnaires, which are also designed to measure unobserved constructs, but

differ in that psychological tests ask for a respondent’s maximum performance

whereas a questionnaire asks for the respondent’s typical performance.

Testing is objective as it uses normative, laid-down rules of scoring. It is thus not

subjective to the clinician’s bias. They are administered by the test administrator

and computated thereafter. Some psychological tests would require a license before

administration. E.g. MMPI. This is to ensure the administrator is knowledgeable on

scoring norms and fit to administer the test. They are also very expensive. A good

test should be reliable, valid, normative and standardized.

Tests can be categorized into;

1) Neuropsychological tests

2) Aptitude tests

3) Interest tests

4) Biographical information blank (BIB)

5) Intelligence tests

6) Personality tests. E.T.C.

We also have tests groups into;

1) Objective tests: allowing for true/false answers and having a restricted

response format. E.g. MMPI, Beck’s depression inventory, Multiaxial

Inventory-III. E.T.C.

2) Projective tests: allows for free type of response. E.g. Roscharch inkblot test.

Aims of testing in clinical assessment

1) It is used to assess a variety of mental abilities

2) It is used to measure personality and aptitudes of the client

3) It can be used to diagnose psychopathology. E.g. personality disorder,

depression.

Advantages of Testing
 1) Easy detection of client’s weakness and strength as it easier to get

information through a test than clinical interview.

2) The information from tests is more scientifically consistent than the

information from a clinical interview.

3) It is harder to get away with lying on a test than in clinical interview.

4) It assesses psychological constructs such as ability, cognitive and emotional

functioning or personality.

5) It is objective and not prone to clinician’s bias

Problems of Testing

1) It is very expensive

2) Some tests require extensive training and a license

3) Ignorance or illiteracy on the part of the client can affect scores.