Personality Assessments

TAT
Basic Purpose:
• The TAT is a widely used projective test for the assessment of children
and adults. It is designed to reveal an individual's perception of
interpersonal relationships. Thirty-one picture cards serve as stimuli
for stories and descriptions about relationships or social situations.
• The Thematic Apperception Test, or TAT, is a type of projective
test that involves describing ambiguous scenes to learn more about a
person's emotions, motivations, and personality. Popularly known as
the "picture interpretation technique,“
• Personality test
 Advantages
• This instrument provides a lot of information about an individual’s
personality. Through their narratives, therapists can elucidate
their self-perception, their relationship with their environment, and
the existence of latent conflicts.
• The main advantage of this type of test is that the person isn’t aware
of what the psychologist is evaluating. That way, it’s easier to avoid
the barriers and reluctance that may arise when answering other
types of clearer instruments. Basically, this test encourages the
individual to express their true personality and unconscious
conflicts in a free and uninhibited way.
 Limitations
• The TAT is often criticized for not being standardized, meaning there
are no rules of administration or formal scoring system. Clinicians
often vary in how they administer the test. Additionally, few
practitioners use Murray's complex scoring system and instead rely on
their subjective interpretation and clinical opinion.
• For example, even if clinicians use the same scoring system, they may
use different cards or a different number of cards. This makes it
incredibly difficult to obtain estimates of reliability and validity, and
almost impossible to compare results.
 RISB
Basic purpose:
• The Rotter Incomplete Sentences Blank (RISB) is the most frequently
used sentence completion test of personality and socio-emotional
functioning. A performance-based test, the RISB is used to screen for
adjustment problems, to facilitate case conceptualization and
diagnosis, and to monitor treatment.
 Description
• It has different versions such as School Form, College form and Adult
form.
• It consists of total 40 incomplete sentences.
• It should be done as soon as possible but the average time taken is 20
minutes.
• Measure of overall index of adjustment
• It is used for screening, group comparison and research purposes
• It can be taken in individual and group settings
• It does not have a long set of instructions
 Scoring:
• For scoring, each sentence is assigned a numerical weight from 0 to 6
and then the weight is summed up to get the overall score of the
subject.
• Cut of score: 135
 Advantages of RISB:
• This test has freedom of response.
• The purpose of test has a disguise.
• It can be administered in groups.
• There is no special training required for the administration of this test.
Its interpretation depends on clinical experience.
• It can become part of a clinical interview.
• Its method is flexible so it can develop a special purpose as well.
 Disadvantages of RISB:
• It requires knowledge and general skill of personality analysis for
interpretation and clinical appraisal. And it cannot be machine scored.
• When the subject is illiterate, disturbed or uncooperative, the
material obtained might be insufficient.
• The response style of the subject plays an important role in its
scoring.
• The interpretation of this test can be very time-consuming
• A literate client is required for this test.
 HTP
Basic purpose:
• The primary purpose of the HTP is to measure aspects of a person's
personality through interpretation of drawings and responses to
questions. It provides clinically useful information about a person's
psychological, emotional, and mental health status.
 HFD
Basic Purpose:
• HFD test (Human Figure Drawing) is an abbreviated test which was
developed with the aim to evaluate various psychological states,
especially assessing the psychic status including psychiatric illness
and personality state.
 Advantages
• HTP test is not only about evaluating the subject but also can be used
as a method of treating the subject. While drawing figures, the
subject express his/her thoughts or internal conflicts that were
repressed. This might reduce some negative emotions related to the
thoughts.
• We can use the test to person with foreign language, analphabetism
and aphasia.
• The test is not restricted to individual differences in ages, intelligence,
art talent
 Disadvantages
• Because it is mostly subjective, scoring and interpreting the HTP is
difficult.
• Anyone administering the HTP must be properly trained.
• The test publishers provide a very detailed 350-page administration
and scoring manual.
 PAI
Basic purpose:
An objective inventory of adult personality, the PAI assesses
psychopathological syndromes and provides information relevant for
clinical diagnosis, treatment planning, and screening for
psychopathology.
 Scales and subscales
• The PAI consists of 344 items that are grouped into multiple scales
and subscales. The test measures a wide range of psychological
constructs, including anxiety, depression, paranoia, aggression,
substance abuse, interpersonal problems, and personality traits.
• The 344 PAI items constitute 22 non-overlapping scales covering the
constructs most relevant to a broad-based assessment of mental
disorders: four validity scales, 11 clinical scales, five treatment scales,
and two interpersonal scales.
• To facilitate interpretation and to cover the full range of complex
clinical constructs, 10 scales contain conceptually derived subscales.
• Clinical scales provide critical diagnostic features of 11 important
clinical constructs. These 11 scales may be divided into three broad
classes of disorders: those within the neurotic spectrum, those within
the psychotic spectrum, and those associated with behavior disorder
or impulse control problems.
• Treatment scales indicate potential complications in treatment. Five
scales include two indicators of potential for harm to self or others,
two measures of the respondent’s environmental circumstances, and
one indicator of the respondent’s motivation for treatment.
• Interpersonal scales provide valuable information regarding the
client’s relationships and interactions. Interpersonal style is assessed
along two dimensions: a warmly affiliative versus a cold rejecting
style, and a dominating/controlling versus a meekly submissive style.
• Two scales assess pathology. The Borderline Features scale is the
only PAI scale that has four subscales, reflecting the factorial
complexity of the construct. The Antisocial Features scale includes
three subscales: one assessing antisocial behaviors and the other two
assessing antisocial traits.
• Critical Items form alerts you to issues that require immediate
attention. This form lists 27 items (distributed across nine content
areas) that suggest behavior or psychopathology that may demand
immediate attention. They are identified as critical based on two
criteria: indications of a potential crisis situation and a very low
endorsement rate in normal individuals.
 Advantages
• Unique, efficient scale structure. All 22 scales are non-overlapping,
promoting high discriminant validity. Scale development was content-
driven.
• Fast, cost-effective administration. Clients generally complete the
344 items in less than an hour. Scales and subscales can be hand-
scored in only 15-20 minutes.
• Can be used with low-reading level populations. The PAI requires
only a fourth-grade reading level; an audio administration CD is also
available.
• No scoring keys needed. A two-part carbonless Answer Sheet
provides scores for all 344 items.
• Provides strategies for interpretation. The Professional Manual
includes an expanded discussion of administration considerations and
a variety of strategies for the interpretation of clinical data.
• Portable materials. The PAI Administration Folio provides a hard
surface for both the Item Booklet and Answer Sheet for situations in
which no desk or tabletop is available.
• Available 24/7. Administration and scoring are available 24/7 on
PARiConnect, our online assessment platform.
 Disadvantages
• The PAI does not identify and measure all traits and behaviors, such as
eating disorders, which may be relevant to the patient’s diagnosis.
• While the PAI may provide valuable information regarding a patient’s
individual personality traits and tendencies, it is not meant to act as
the only measurement of the patient’s health.
• Research on the effect of personality traits on various clinical issues,
including pain management, are in the early stages and reflect a
variety of unresolved issues not addressed by the Personality
Assessment Inventory.
 SIT
• The Slosson Intelligence Test is a brief measure of general cognitive
ability, intended to assess intelligence for individuals between the
ages of 4 and 65 years.
• It is primarily used in educational and clinical settings to identify
potential learning disabilities, measure the intelligence quotient (IQ),
and provide guidance for educational or psychological interventions.
 Scales
• The Slosson Intelligence Test consists of two scales: Verbal and
Performance.
• The Verbal scale is designed to measure an individual's verbal
comprehension and expression abilities,
• The Performance scale evaluates an individual's perceptual and
motor abilities.
• There are 89 total items on the test, with 47 on the Verbal scale and
42 on the Performance scale.
 Subscales
• The Verbal scale includes four subscales: Information, Vocabulary,
Comprehension, and Absurdities.
• The Performance scale includes three subscales: Picture Analogies,
Picture Classification, and Picture Series.
 Scoring
• The test yields a total score, which ranges from 50 to 150, with a
mean of 100 and a standard deviation of 15.
• The cutoff score for intellectual disability is below 70, and scores
above 130 indicate high intellectual functioning.
 Advantages
• Advantages of the Slosson Intelligence Test include its brevity, ease of
administration, and low cost compared to other intelligence tests.
• It can be administered in about 30-45 minutes, making it useful for
screening large groups of individuals.
 Limitations
• It may not be as reliable or valid as longer and more comprehensive
intelligence tests.
• The subscales may not provide enough information to identify specific
areas of strengths and weaknesses, and the test may not be
appropriate for individuals with certain disabilities or language
barriers.
• Additionally, the test may not be useful for identifying individuals with
exceptional abilities or potential.
 TONI-4
• The Test of Nonverbal Intelligence, 4th Edition (TONI-4) is a nonverbal
measure of intelligence for individuals between the ages of 6 and 89
years.
• It is used in educational and clinical settings to identify cognitive
strengths and weaknesses, diagnose learning disabilities, and assess
cognitive functioning in individuals who may have language or hearing
impairments.
 Scales
• The TONI-4 consists of a single scale that measures general cognitive
ability through the use of abstract reasoning tasks. There are 60 total
items on the test, and each item requires the individual to identify a
missing piece in a pattern or sequence.
• There is no time limit for completing the test, and it is designed to
minimize the influence of cultural and linguistic background on test
performance.
 Scoring
• The test yields a raw score, which is then converted into a scaled
score with a mean of 100 and a standard deviation of 15.
• The cutoff score for intellectual disability is below 70, and scores
above 130 indicate high intellectual functioning.
 Advantages
• Advantages of the TONI-4 include its nonverbal nature, which makes
it useful for individuals with language or hearing impairments, and its
lack of cultural or linguistic bias,
• which makes it appropriate for individuals from diverse backgrounds.
Additionally, the test is relatively quick to administer and is not
influenced by educational or cultural experiences.
 Disadvantages
• However, the test also has limitations. Its narrow focus on abstract
reasoning may not provide a comprehensive assessment of cognitive
abilities.
• The lack of subscales may limit the ability to identify specific areas of
cognitive strengths and weaknesses.
• Additionally, the test may not be appropriate for individuals with
certain motor or visual impairments that may interfere with their
ability to complete the test.
 Vineland-3
• The Vineland Adaptive Behavior Scales, Third Edition (Vineland-3) is a
comprehensive measure of adaptive functioning for individuals
between the ages of birth to 90 years.
• It is used in clinical and educational settings to assess an individual's
ability to function independently in everyday life and identify areas of
strength and need for intervention.
 Scales and subscales
• The Vineland-3 consists of three main domains: Communication, Daily
Living Skills, and Socialization.
• Each domain includes several subscales.
• The Communication domain includes Receptive, Expressive, and
Written Communication subscales.
• The Daily Living Skills domain includes Personal, Domestic, and
Community subscales.
• The Socialization domain includes Interpersonal Relationships, Play and
Leisure Time, and Coping Skills subscales.
• There are a total of 314 items on the test.
 Scoring
• The test yields a standard score with a mean of 100 and a standard
deviation of 15 for each domain and subscale.
• Additionally, an overall Adaptive Behavior Composite score is
calculated, representing an individual's overall level of adaptive
functioning.
 Advantages
• Advantages of the Vineland-3 include its comprehensive assessment
of adaptive functioning in multiple domains, the ability to compare an
individual's adaptive functioning to age norms, and the use of both
caregiver reports and direct observation to gather information.
• The test is also available in multiple languages and can be used with
individuals with a wide range of developmental and cognitive abilities.
 Limitations
• It may not provide a comprehensive assessment of an individual's
cognitive abilities, and it may be subject to reporting biases from
caregivers or observers.
• The length of the test may also be a limitation in certain settings, and
the cost may be a barrier for some individuals or organizations.
• Additionally, the test may not be appropriate for individuals with
severe physical or sensory impairments that may interfere with their
ability to participate in certain tasks.
 BGT
• The Bender Visual-Motor Gestalt Test is a psychological assessment
tool that measures visual-motor integration skills and assesses for
potential neurological or developmental problems in individuals aged
4 years and above.
• The test requires the individual to copy a series of nine geometric
figures and the results are then scored based on the accuracy and
quality of the drawings.
 Scales
• There are no subscales in the Bender Gestalt Test. The test consists of
nine geometric figures that the individual is asked to copy. These
include the diamond, the circle, the cross, the square, the diagonal
cross, the star, the rectangle, the pentagon, and the trapezoid.
 Scoring
• The Bender Gestalt Test yields a quantitative score based on the
number of errors made in copying the nine figures. There are also
qualitative measures, such as the individual's drawing style and any
signs of frustration or anxiety during the test. The test results can be
used to evaluate the individual's perceptual-motor skills, visual-motor
integration skills, and overall cognitive functioning.
• There is no specific cutoff score for the Bender Gestalt Test. Instead,
the score is interpreted in conjunction with other assessment
measures and clinical observations.
 Advantages
• Advantages of the Bender Gestalt Test include its relatively short
administration time, ease of administration, and its usefulness in
assessing visual-motor integration skills, which can be important in
predicting academic achievement and identifying potential learning
disabilities.
 Limitations
• However, there are some limitations to the test. The Bender Gestalt
Test does not provide a comprehensive assessment of cognitive
abilities and may be subject to cultural and linguistic bias.
• Additionally, the test may not be appropriate for individuals with
severe motor impairments or visual impairments that may prevent
them from copying the figures accurately.
• The Bender Gestalt Test may also be limited in its ability to identify
specific areas of strengths and weaknesses.
 PANSS
• The Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale (PANSS) is a clinical rating
scale used to assess the severity of symptoms in individuals with
schizophrenia.
• The test is designed to assess positive symptoms (such as delusions,
hallucinations, and disorganized thinking), negative symptoms (such
as social withdrawal, apathy, and lack of emotion), and general
psychopathology symptoms (such as anxiety, depression, and
cognitive dysfunction).
 Scales
• The PANSS consists of 30 items, which are scored on a 7-point Likert
scale ranging from 1 (absent) to 7 (extreme).
• There are three main subscales: the Positive Scale, the Negative Scale,
and the General Psychopathology Scale.
• The Positive Scale includes seven items related to positive symptoms,
the Negative Scale includes seven items related to negative
symptoms, and the General Psychopathology Scale includes 16 items
related to general psychopathology symptoms.
 Scoring
• The PANSS yields a total score and scores for each subscale. The
maximum possible score for each subscale is 49, and the maximum
possible total score is 147.
• There is no specific cutoff score for the PANSS. Instead, the score is
interpreted in the context of the individual's clinical presentation and
other assessment measures.
 Advantages
• Advantages of the PANSS include its standardized administration and
scoring procedures, its validity and reliability in assessing symptom
severity in individuals with schizophrenia, and its usefulness in clinical
and research settings for monitoring treatment response and
evaluating medication efficacy.
 Limitations
• It may not provide a comprehensive assessment of all aspects of an
individual's psychopathology and may be subject to clinician bias in
interpretation and scoring.
• The test is also specific to schizophrenia and may not be appropriate
for assessing symptom severity in individuals with other mental
health conditions.
 SA-45
• The Symptoms Assessment-45 (SA-45) is a self-report questionnaire
used to assess a wide range of psychiatric symptoms and
psychological distress in individuals aged 16 years and above.
• The test is designed to assess symptoms across nine domains,
including depression, anxiety, hostility, interpersonal sensitivity,
obsessive-compulsive behavior, paranoid ideation, phobic anxiety,
psychoticism, and somatization.
 Scales
• The SA-45 consists of 45 items, which are rated on a 5-point Likert
scale ranging from 0 (not at all) to 4 (extremely).
• There are three main scales: the Global Severity Index (GSI), the
Positive Symptom Total (PST), and the Positive Symptom Distress
Index (PSDI).
• The GSI provides an overall measure of psychological distress, while
the PST and PSDI provide measures of symptom severity and
symptom-related distress, respectively.
 Scoring
• The SA-45 yields scores for each domain and for the three main
scales. The maximum possible score for each domain is 20, while the
maximum possible scores for the GSI, PST, and PSDI are 4, 36, and 24,
respectively.
• There is no specific cutoff score for the SA-45. Instead, the score is
interpreted in the context of the individual's clinical presentation and
other assessment measures.
 Advantages
Advantages of the SA-45 include its ease of administration and scoring,
its broad range of symptom domains, and its usefulness in clinical and
research settings for monitoring treatment response and evaluating
symptom severity over time.
 Limitations
• However, the SA-45 also has limitations. The test relies on self-report,
which may be subject to response bias and may not provide a
comprehensive assessment of all aspects of an individual's
psychopathology.
• The SA-45 may also be limited in its ability to distinguish between
different mental health conditions and may not be appropriate for use
in all populations, such as those with severe cognitive impairments.
 CPM
• The Colored Progressive Matrices (CPM) is a non-verbal measure of
intelligence designed to assess abstract reasoning and problem-
solving abilities in individuals aged 5 to 11 years.
• The test is particularly useful for assessing children who have limited
language skills or who are non-native speakers of a language.
 Scoring
• The CPM consists of a series of colored geometric patterns arranged
in a progressive order of difficulty. The test includes 36 items, which
are administered in a fixed order. The test-taker is presented with a
partially completed pattern and is asked to select the missing piece
from a set of response options.
• The CPM yields a total score, which reflects the number of correctly
completed items. There are no subscales or cutoff scores for the CPM.
 Advantages
• Advantages of the CPM include its non-verbal nature, which makes it
useful for assessing children who have limited language skills or who
are non-native speakers of a language.
• The test is also quick and easy to administer and score.
 Limitations
• The test may be affected by factors such as cultural background,
exposure to different types of visual stimuli, and motor skills.
• The test may also be less sensitive to assessing other cognitive
domains, such as memory or attention, that are important for
academic success.
• Finally, the CPM may not be appropriate for use with individuals
outside the 5 to 11-year age range.
 SPM
• The Standard Progressive Matrices (SPM) is a nonverbal measure of
intelligence designed to assess abstract reasoning and problem-
solving abilities in individuals aged 12 years and above.
• The test is particularly useful for assessing individuals who have
limited language skills or who are non-native speakers of a language.
 Scoring
• The SPM consists of a series of nonverbal abstract designs arranged in
a progressive order of difficulty. The test includes 60 items, which are
administered in a fixed order. The test-taker is presented with a
partially completed design and is asked to select the missing piece
from a set of response options.
• The SPM yields a total score, which reflects the number of correctly
completed items. There are no subscales or cutoff scores for the SPM.
 Advantages
• Its nonverbal nature, which makes it useful for assessing individuals
who have limited language skills or who are non-native speakers of a
language.
• The test is also quick and easy to administer and score.
 Limitations
• The test may be affected by factors such as cultural background,
exposure to different types of visual stimuli, and motor skills.
• The test may also be less sensitive to assessing other cognitive
domains, such as memory or attention, that are important for
academic success.
• Finally, the SPM may not be appropriate for use with individuals
outside the 12-year age range.
 APM
The Advanced Progressive Matrices (APM) is a nonverbal measure of
intelligence designed to assess abstract reasoning and problem-solving
abilities in individuals aged 16 years and above. The test is particularly
useful for assessing individuals who have limited language skills or who
are non-native speakers of a language.
 Scoring
• The APM consists of a series of nonverbal abstract designs arranged in
a progressive order of difficulty. The test includes 36 items, which are
administered in a fixed order. The test-taker is presented with a
partially completed design and is asked to select the missing piece
from a set of response options.
• The APM yields a total score, which reflects the number of correctly
completed items. There are no subscales or cutoff scores for the APM.
 Advantages
• Its nonverbal nature, which makes it useful for assessing individuals
who have limited language skills or who are non-native speakers of a
language.
• The test is also quick and easy to administer and score.
 Limitations
• The test may be affected by factors such as cultural background,
exposure to different types of visual stimuli, and motor skills.
• The test may also be less sensitive to assessing other cognitive
domains, such as memory or attention, that are important for
academic success.
• Finally, the APM may not be appropriate for use with individuals
outside the 16-year age range.