Psychological Assessment I

General
• Learn the different methods of evaluation, diagnosis and psychological treatment in different areas of Psychology -clinical and health, social, educational-.
• Learn how to apply their knowledge to identify, articulate and solve problems in the field of Psychology.
• Ability to gather and interpret relevant data related to human behaviour, to make well-founded judgments about problems of a psychological nature.

Specific
• Possess and understand the knowledge that defines psychological evaluation as a scientific activity.
• Acquire knowledge and understanding about the process, methods and techniques of psychological evaluation and know how to analyse and interpret the results of the evaluation.
• Identify the relevant characteristics of individuals, through the methods, techniques and instruments of psychological evaluation.
• Be able to identify differences, problems and needs
• Be able to provide feedback to recipients, appropriately and accurately, on the process and results of the evaluation and the intervention.
• Promote knowledge about deontological obligations in the field of psychological evaluation.

THEORETICAL CONTENT

Unit 1. Introduction to psychological evaluation
Unit 2. The psychological evaluation process
Unit 3. Quality and ethical criteria of psychological evaluation
Unit 4. The interview
Unit 5. Self-report techniques
Unit 6. Psychological tests
Unit 7. Observation techniques
Unit 8. Objective techniques: psychophysiological evaluation
Unit 9. Psychological report


PRACTICAL CONTENT

- Training in relation to psychological interviews
- Training in information gathering through self-report techniques
- Training in information gathering through psychological tests
- Training in observation techniques
- Training in the preparation of psychological reports

BASIC BIBLIOGRAPHY:

FERNÁNDEZ BALLESTEROS, R.(Dir.) (2011). Evaluación Psicológica: Conceptos, métodos y estudio de casos. Madrid: Pirámide. (Available in the Faculty’s library)


COMPLEMENTARY BIBLIOGRPAHY

Aiken, L.R. (2003). Tests psicológicos y evaluación (11ª ed.). México: Prentice-Hall.
Anastasi, A., y Urbina, S. (1998). Test psicológicos (7ª ed.). México: Prentice-Hall Hispanoamericana.
Caballo, V. (2005). Manual para la evaluación clínica de los trastornos psicológicos. Madrid. Pirámide.
Caballo, V. (2006). Manual para la evaluación clínica de los trastornos psicológicos. Trastornos de la edad adulta e informes psicológicos. Madrid: Pirámide.
Cohen, R.J., y Swerdlik, M.E. (2001). Pruebas y evaluación psicológicas. Introducción a las pruebas y a la medición. México: McGrawHill.
Del Barrio,V. (2003). Evaluación psicológica (2ª ed.). Madrid: Centro de Estudios Financieros.
Fernández-Ballesteros, R., Márquez, M. O., Vizcarro, C. y Zamarrón, M. D. (2011). Buenas prácticas y competencias en evaluación psicológica. Madrid: Pirámide.
Garaigordobil, M. (1998). Evaluación Psicológica: Bases teórico-metodológicas, situación actual y directrices de futuro. Salamanca: Amarú.
Gregory, R. J. (2012). Evaluación psicológica. Historia, principios y aplicaciones (6ª ed.). México: Pearson.
Moreno, C. (2005). Evaluación psicológica. Concepto, proceso y aplicación en las áreas del desarrollo y de la inteligencia (2ª ed.). Madrid: Sanz y Torres.
Muñoz, M., Roa, A., Pérez, E., Santos-Olmos, A. B. y De Vicente (2002). Instrumentos de Evaluación en Salud Mental. Madrid: Pirámide.
Rush, A. J., First, M. B. y Blacker, D. (2008). Handbook of psychiatric measures (2ª ed.). Washington, DC: American Psychiatric Publishing.
Tapia, J. A. (2011). Evaluación psicológica: coordenadas, contextos, procesos y garantías. Madrid: Ediciones UAM.
Urbina, S. (2007). Claves para la evaluación con tests psicológicos. Madrid: TEA.
Vázquez, F., Blanco, V. y Otero, P. (2022). Guía de intervención del estrés. Madrid: Síntesis.
Vázquez, F., Otero, P, Blanco, V. y Torres, A. (2015). Terapia de solución de problemas para la depresión: una breve guía práctica en grupo. Madrid: Alianza Editorial.
Vázquez, F., Otero, P. y Blanco, V. (2019). Depresión. Madrid: Síntesis.
Vázquez, F., Otero, P., Torres, A. y Arrojo, M. (2016). Deja atrás la depresión y alcanza la felicidad. Madrid: Pirámide.

-Discipline-specific skills:

Learn and understand ...
. The functions, characteristics, contributions and limitations of the different theoretical models of Psychology.
. The different methods of evaluation, diagnosis and psychological treatment in different applied areas of Psychology -clinical and health, social, educational-.

Learn to...
. Identify the needs and demands of the recipients in the different fields of application and establish the goals of psychological action.
. Identify the relevant characteristics of the behaviour of individuals, groups, organizations and contexts through the methods, techniques and instruments of psychological evaluation.
. Promote health and quality of life, through the methods of the profession, in individuals, groups, communities and organizations in different areas and contexts: educational, clinical and health, work and organizations, group and community.
. Select and administer techniques and instruments specific to Psychology.
. Transmit to the recipients, correctly and precisely, the results of the evaluation.
. Prepare psychological reports in different areas of action, aimed at recipients and other professionals.
. Conform to the deontological obligations of Psychology.

- Module-specific skills:

. Ability to handle the terminology of the discipline and be able to develop a reflective and analytical attitude to speculative attitudes to pursue the discipline with assertiveness.
. Know critical aspects and theoretical developments that constitute the discipline.
. Train an integrative vision of cognitive, psychometric and projective aspects in the new trends of the discipline.
. Skillfully manage before the person the knowledge of the practical-applied dimension of the psychological assessment tools
. Train clinical judgment in coherence with the results obtained in the tests.
. In the laboratory sessions it is intended that the students acquire the skills for the implementation of the different evaluation techniques, the interpretation of the results and the preparation of reports.

Theoretical component: on the syllabus and presentation of themes and text commentaries. The most frequently used method is the "master class" and as far as possible, "discussion groups" are also held with the active participation of the student.

Interactive classes: they will consist of units, under the supervision of the teacher. These interactive sessions are directly related to the contents developed in the theory: themes and topics of the discipline. Seminars may be held that make it possible to deepen some matters of interest to the discipline.

* Module Assessment:
The assessment of the theoretical part is equivalent to 70% of the final grade. The remaining 30% corresponds to the evaluation of the interactive sessions. The student must pass both components independently.

* Assessment of the theory
The final exam will coincide with the date set by the Dean. This exam will be multiple choice and will represent 70% of the final grade. The objective test will consist of three response alternatives, one correct and two distractors. The final score in the test will be calculated as follows: number of correct answers- (number of errors divided by 2).

* Assessment of interactive sessions
Attendance of the interactive sessions is mandatory (a required condition to pass the subject). For their evaluation, attendance and completion of the proposed face-to-face work will be taken into account. As a whole, the interactive element constitutes 30% of the final grade.


* The course cannot be taken with a waiver of class attendance.

As this subject is taught during the second semester, and therefore in a very intensive way, the student is required to intensify the dedication for its preparation, from the first day of class, taking into account that the proficiency of the interactive element is based on the proficiency of the theoretical part.

Specifically, the subject consists of 4.5 credits, which represents a total of 112.5 hours of student work, which are distributed as follows:

- Approximately 39.5 hours of face-to-face activities (teaching and evaluation)
- Approximately 73 hours of remotely conducted work; 48 hours for reading and studying the materials and 25 hours for preparing papers and other activities.

- Regularly attend the classroom activities of the module.
- Participate and become actively involved in the dynamics of the classes.
- Continuous follow-up of the subject and carry out the activities that are planned.
- Attendance at tutorials for advice and resolution of questions.

PREVIOUS REQUIREMENTS

It is recommended that the student has previously taken the subject of Psychometrics.