Dundalk MD Psychological Testing

"Psychological testing" refers to the standardized process of measuring a person’s mental functions and behaviors using specific tools and techniques. These tests are used in various settings—clinical, educational, organizational, and research—to assess cognitive abilities, personality traits, emotional functioning, and other psychological variables.

Key Types of Psychological Tests:

1. Intelligence Tests

   • Example: Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale (WAIS)

   • Measures cognitive functioning, problem-solving skills, and reasoning ability.

2. Personality Tests

   • Example: MMPI-2, Big Five Inventory

   • Assesses characteristic patterns of thoughts, feelings, and behaviors.

3. Neuropsychological Tests

   • Example: Bender Visual Motor Gestalt Test

   • Evaluates brain function and cognitive deficits.

4. Achievement and Aptitude Tests

   • Example: SAT, GRE

   • Measures knowledge in specific areas or potential to learn.

5. Projective Tests

   • Example: Rorschach Inkblot Test, Thematic Apperception Test (TAT)

   • Uses ambiguous stimuli to explore unconscious processes and conflicts.

6. Behavioral Assessments

   • Observes and records behaviors in natural or structured environments.

Characteristics of Good Psychological Tests:

• Reliability: Consistency over time and across different evaluators.

• Validity: Measures what it claims to measure.

• Standardization: Uniform procedures and scoring.

• Norms: Comparative scores based on a representative population.