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Learning outcomes

The present course aims at illustrating the main characterisitics of the assessment tools used in psychology. In particular, it aims at promoting the developlment of critical attitudes during the clinical practice with respect to tests utilization and interpretation as starting point for planning the interventions. At the end of the course, students should be able to:
- know the phases of the psycho-diagnostics process
- know the difference in the assessment of children, adults, and ederly people
- know the difference in assessing typical or atypical developing people
- be able to comprehend the structure, the psychometric characteristics, and the psychological functions investigated by the most common test for intelligence, neuropsychological and affective domains
- be able to apply those knowledges to the practical consultation of tests' handbook and manual
- be able to comprehend the choice of different test according to different purpose of the assessment process.

Program

In this course the main tools used in psychological assessment will be explained.
Lectures will be organized as following:
• theoretical introduction of the assessment process and description of its steps
• the concept of measure in psychology and the assessment tools
• theoretical introduction of tests' psychometrical characteristics (validity, reliability, types of items, calibration, scoring)
• Development in the early infancy: theoretical background of the attachment theory and the intersubjectivity theory and explanation of some tools used to assess those psychological aspects
• Assessment of Intelligence: introduction of the concept of intelligence, presentation of the main theories that have tried to explain what the intelligence is and its development, characteristics and structure of the Matrices of Raven and Wechsler scales, explanation of the theoretical and functional significance of Wechsler scales index.
• Neuropsychological Assessment: theoretical introduction to attention, memory and executive functions; explanation of the structure and characteristics of the tools used to assess those cognitive functions; explanation of how to interpret the results obtained with the purpose of understanding which aspects is altered and which consequences these alteration could have in the daily life
• Functional profile: explanation of how to interpret the results obtained in all the
• Assessment of psycho-affective state: brief theoretical explanation of personality characteristics and emotional functioning; presentation of structure and characteristics of some projective tests; presentation of structure and characteristics of the questionnaire.
Students will be presented with examples of clinical reports showing the tests’ administration, scoring and interpretation of the results.

Examination Methods

The exam is written, 4 open questions