Book contents
- Frontmatter
- Contents
- Preface
- Acknowledgments
- PART ONE BASIC ISSUES
- PART TWO DIMENSIONS OF TESTING
- PART THREE APPLICATIONS OF TESTING
- PART FOUR THE SETTINGS
- 13 Testing in the Schools
- 14 Occupational Settings
- 15 Clinical and Forensic Settings
- PART FIVE CHALLENGES TO TESTING
- Appendix: Table to Translate Difficulty Level of a Test Item into a z Score
- References
- Test Index
- Index of Acronyms
- Subject Index
- References
15 - Clinical and Forensic Settings
from PART FOUR - THE SETTINGS
Published online by Cambridge University Press: 05 June 2012
- Frontmatter
- Contents
- Preface
- Acknowledgments
- PART ONE BASIC ISSUES
- PART TWO DIMENSIONS OF TESTING
- PART THREE APPLICATIONS OF TESTING
- PART FOUR THE SETTINGS
- 13 Testing in the Schools
- 14 Occupational Settings
- 15 Clinical and Forensic Settings
- PART FIVE CHALLENGES TO TESTING
- Appendix: Table to Translate Difficulty Level of a Test Item into a z Score
- References
- Test Index
- Index of Acronyms
- Subject Index
- References
Summary
AIM This chapter looks at testing in two broad settings: testing in clinics or mental health centers, and testing in forensic settings, settings that are “legal” in nature such as jails, courtrooms, etc. Obviously, the two categories are not mutually exclusive. A clinical psychologist may for example, evaluate a client, with the evaluation mandated by the courts. Under clinical settings, we look at neuropsychological testing, projective techniques, some illustrative clinical issues and clinical syndromes, as well as applications in the area of health psychology. Under forensic settings, we look at some illustrative applications of testing, as well as how legislation has affected testing.
CLINICAL PSYCHOLOGY: NEUROPSYCHOLOGICAL TESTING
This field formally began toward the end of the Second World War in the early 1940s when clinical psychologists were asked to test brain-injured soldiers to determine whether their behavior and difficulties reflected an “organic brain syndrome.” At first, available tests such as the Rorschach and the Wechsler were used for this purpose because they were already used for the routine assessment of psychiatric patients. Subsequently, Halstead and his student Reitan, developed a battery of tests designed specifically to assess the presence or absence of brain dysfunction. The Halstead-Reitan Neuropsychological Test Battery had a profound impact and expanded the focus from whether there was a brain lesion present to the determination of the nature, location, and behavioral consequences of such lesions (Prigatano & Redner, 1993).
- Type
- Chapter
- Information
- Psychological TestingAn Introduction, pp. 390 - 426Publisher: Cambridge University PressPrint publication year: 2006