chapter 3 Flashcards
Reliability
Consistency of measurement
Interrater reliability
refers to the degree to which two independent observers agree on what they have observed
Test–retest reliability
measures the extent to which people being observed twice or taking the same test twice, perhaps several weeks or months apart, receive similar scores
internal consistency reliability
assesses whether the items on a test are related to one another.
alternate-form reliability,
the extent to which scores on the two forms of the test are consistent
Validity
whether a measure measures what it is supposed to measure.
Content validity
refers to whether a measure adequately samples the domain of interest
Interviews
Clinical and structural
Clinical
The clinician learns about the patient’s problems through conversation. The paradigm of the interviewer shapes the content of the interview.
Structural interviews
Questions to be asked are spelled out in detail in a booklet. The Structured Clinical Interview for DSMIV Axis I Disorders is a structured interview that is commonly used to make a diagnosis.
Stress measures
Self-report scales or interviews that assess stressful events and responses to these events.
Name some psychological tests
Personality, projective and intelligence tests
Personality test
Self-report questionnaires, used to assess either a broad range of characteristics, as in the MMPI-2, or a single characteristic, such as dysfunctional attitudes.
Projective Test
Ambiguous stimuli, such as inkblots (Rorschach test), are presented and responses are thought to be determined by unconscious processes.
Intelligence test
Assessments of current mental functioning. Used to predict school performance and identify cognitive strengths and weaknesses.
Direct observation
Used by behavioral clinicians to identify problem behaviors as well as antecedents and consequences. Also used to assess cognition, as in the Articulated Thoughts in Simulated Situations technique.
Self-observation
People monitor and keep records of their own behavior, as in ecological momentary assessment.
Brain imaging
CT and MRI scans reveal the structure of the brain. PET reveals brain function and, to a lesser extent, brain structure. fMRI is used to assess both brain structure and brain function.
Neurotransmitter assessment
Includes postmortem analysis of neurotransmitters and receptors, assays of metabolites of neurotransmitters, and PET scans of receptors.
Neuropsychological assessment
Behavioral tests such as the Halstead–Reitan and Luria–Nebraska assess abilities such as motor speed, memory, and spatial ability. Deficits on particular tests help point to an area of brain dysfunction.
Psychophysiological assessment
Includes measures of electrical activity in the autonomic nervous system, such as skin conductance, or in the central nervous system, such as EEG.
