COUC 521 - Assessment Techniques in Counseling

COUC 521

The student will participate in four (4) Discussion Board Forums. Discussion Boards are collaborative learning experiences. Therefore, the student will provide a discussion thread in response to the provided prompt in each forum. Follow the instructions provided for each discussion board forum; each forum should consist of one (1) discussion thread that responds to the forum prompt and at least two (2) responses to classmates' discussion threads. An open, curious, and honest attitude toward learning from others will facilitate development for all participants. Review the discussion forum assignment instructions for more information.

The student will use himself/herself or a fictional character as the subject of an interview that seeks to answer one of three referral questions. The interview will seek to gather all of the information that relates to the initial intake provided in the text, including identifying information, reason for referral, current situation and functioning, relevant medical history, psychiatric treatment history, family history, social and developmental history, educational and occupational history, and cultural influences. The information will be reported in a double-spaced, 900-1200 word document (not including title page). Review the assignment instructions for more information.

The student will analyze the psychometric properties provided in a test manual and evaluate the usefulness of the test for clinical practice based their review of the test. This includes describing the type and strength of reliability and validity measurements, the norm population, the quality of the information, and any discernible problems. The analysis must be reported in a 600–900-word,

double-spaced document. Review the assignment instructions for more information.

The student will build on the information gained from the initial interview. In this assignment, the student will gather all of the information that relates to the Mental Status Exam, which deals with the examinee’s appearance, manner, approach, orientation, alertness, thought processes, mood, and affect. The information will be reported in a 600-900 word document (double-spaced). Review the assignment instructions for more information.

Using the referral question and self-designed character from the Initial Interview and Mental Status Examination assignments, the student will self-administer the IPIP-NEO and the Jung Personality Test. They will then select, self-administer, and interpret two (2) additional assessments. Then, using the results from the assessments, the student will prepare and submit a 2100-2400 word Psychological Report. Review the assignment instructions for more information.

The student will write a 2100-2400 word critique for one (1) standardized test of his/her choice. The student must cite at least five (5) professional journal articles and format the paper according to current APA format. The paper will be composed of six (6) sections: general test information, test description, technical evaluation, practical evaluation, summary evaluation and critique, and references. Review the assignment instructions for more information.

After completing the assigned reading in the Sheperis, Drummond, and Jones (2020) text, students complete the chapter quizzes, consisting of 10 questions per chapter (20 items total per quiz). These questions are multiple-choice, open-book, and similar to the content found on state licensing examinations that cover the core competency of assessment and evaluation. The student

will have one (1) hour to complete each quiz.