An investigation of the predictive validity and economic utility of the assessment center for the high-management level.

Obtained final ratings on 25 assessment dimensions for 382 candidates for high-level management positions in an Israeli corporation. The ratings were determined by an assessment center process, 2 clinically derived assessment scores, and a mechanically derived assessment score. For 49 of the assessees, scores were also available on a battery of paper-and-pencil cognitive tests. For all Ss, data were obtained on 2 criterion measures over a period of 4 yrs. Both the general intelligence rating formulated in the assessment center and the scores on the cognitive tests were found to be predictively invalid, while the personality measure proved valid. Despite the modest coefficients of predictive validity found for the other assessment center predictors, the economic utility analysis performed with an amended formula demonstrated a cost-effectiveness for the assessment center program. (French abstract) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Sex and race composition of assessment center groups as a determinant of peer and assessor ratings.

Evaluated the effects of sex and race composition of assessment center groups on assessment center ratings for 54 racially and sexually mixed groups. Results indicate that there were minimal effects as a result of the race–sex composition of the group, but some assessment ratings for Black females were negatively and significantly correlated with the number of White males in the assessment group. The ratings of White males tended to be higher when the number of White males in the assessment group increased. (16 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Cancer risk assessment of extremely low frequency electric and magnetic fields: a critical review of methodology

This review provides a discussion of cancer risk assessment methodology pertinent to developing a strategy for extremely low frequency electric and magnetic fields (EMF). Approaches taken for chemical agents or ionizing radiation in six key topic areas are briefly reviewed, and then those areas are examined from the perspective of EMF, identifying issues to be addressed in developing a risk assessment strategy. The following recommendations are offered: 1) risk assessment should be viewed as an iterative process that informs an overall judgment as to health risk and consists of a complex of related activities incorporating both positive and negative data, tumor and nontumor end points, and human and nonhuman sources of information; 2) a hazard identification resulting in a conclusion of weak or null effects, such as may be associated with EMF, will need to assign significant weight to animal cancer bioassays conducted under defined exposure conditions as well as to human epidemiologic studies; 3) a default factor to account for possible age differences in sensitivity to carcinogenesis should be included in an EMF risk assessment; 4) lack of evidence of dose response and the apparent lack of DNA reactivity of EMF suggest that a safety (or uncertainty) factor or margin of exposure type of risk characterization may be most appropriate; and 5) an EMF risk assessment should permit at least tentative conclusions to be reached as to the limits of carcinogenic risk from exposure to EMF, and should also define an efficient research agenda aimed at clarifying uncertainties appropriate to a more complete assessment.     

Using the assessment center method to predict senior management potential.

Investigated the extent to which advancement to senior management (SM) levels can be predicted from assessment center (AC) results and whether people with different assessment profiles have different probabilities of advancement. A study of 115 people who attended the AT&T Advanced Management Potential Assessment Program between 1982 and 1985 indicates that AC ratings can also be used to identify people with SM potential. Among all Ss, those who received ratings of excellent potential were more likely to advance to SM positions than those seen as having less potential. Ss with different assessment dimension profiles had different chances for success. Suggestions for establishing a senior level assessment program are provided. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Performance appraisal for groups: Models and methods for assessing group processes and outcomes for development and evaluation.

This paper guides consulting psychologists in how to help managers and group leaders assess group members' reactions, behaviors, and performance. The results may be used for development in improving group performance and for evaluation in making decisions about group members' pay and assignments. Individual and group-level measures of conditions (pressures and opportunities), input, process, and outcomes are considered. The paper discusses who seeks group assessment, the multiple purposes of assessment, models of group process to guide assessment, what is assessed and when, methods for assessment, and who contributes to the assessment process. Implications for inculcating a culture of assessment and continuous learning within groups and organizations. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Quality assessment in mental health.

Discusses assessment studies related to quality of care in the mental health field. Quality assessment involves defining quality of care, choosing an appropriate focus of quality-of-care studies, identifying applicable and feasible methods, and guaranteeing the reliability and validity of the data used in the assessment. It is concluded that (a) dogmatic statements about methods to assess the quality of mental health care should be avoided; (b) because it is difficult to ensure that process or outcome criteria are valid for use in quality-of-care studies, the establishment of such criteria must be done carefully; and (c) there are some general guidelines related to the sound execution of quality assessment studies. (8 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Psychological assessment procedures in court-related settings.

Reviews the state of the art of psychological assessment in court-related settings (excluding personnel questions and personal injury cases). For optimal effectiveness of psychological assessments in the courts, it is recommended that instruments be developed that are specific to each particular topic (insanity, dangerousness, child custody evaluation, homicide, sex offenses, and defensiveness) and be used within an overall psychological assessment framework, with less reliance on traditional psychological assessment tools. The assessment of competency to stand trial is potentially amenable to such an approach, as is, to a lesser degree, violent behavior, at least for some persons in some situations. Certain aspects of child custody situations may also be amenable to the development and use of problem-specific assessment devices. This approach appears to have less promise in assessments related to insanity and homicide. The assessment of task-taking defensiveness is particularly important in forensic settings, but it is in need of much research and development. (90 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Multinomial processing tree models and psychological assessment.

Psychological assessment often focuses on individual participants in testing situations. Psychometric models for assessment include parameters for individual and item differences, but they rarely model the cognitive processes involved in responding to test items. Information-processing models of cognition focus on psychological mechanisms; however, they are rarely used in assessment situations. This article discusses a class of information-processing models for categorical data called multinomial processing tree (MPT) models. While MPT models have been developed mostly for experimental situations, there is a largely untapped potential for using them for assessment. Thus, the goal of this article is to discuss how MPT models can be developed into cognitively based psychometric tools. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Assessment practices of health psychologists: Survey of APA Division 38 clinicians.

We surveyed the psychological assessment patterns of a random sample (700 sent, 270 returns: 40% adjusted return rate) of Division 38 members and fellows who were also in APA Division 12 or Division 29. Although general health assessment, neuropsychological assessment, and the assessment of depression were major areas of focus for these clinicians, the majority of testing was performed with a limited number of instruments, usually traditional techniques of assessment. The assessment of pain and evaluation of the aged were not major areas of concentration. Also, psychophysiological and brain-imaging procedures were found to be popular approaches used by health psychology clinicians. The implications of the findings are discussed in light of recent literature on health assessment practices. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Responsive assessment and the freedom to think for ourselves.

Limitations on psychological assessment practices can affect quality of the assessment and welfare of the client/patient. Payment-based restrictions on time and test selection create examiner conflicts of interest. Referrer and reviewer requirements for established tests can have a chilling effect on innovative assessment and test development. Standardized norms are inappropriate for some impaired patients or persons outside the dominant culture, and they can be unreliable. Some referral sources expect scores in communications of examination findings, yet misinterpretations of scores by lay persons can go against client/patient interests. Determination of how to communicate assessment data is a responsibility of psychologists. These problems can be best resolved by educating the public about the ethical practice and practical issues of psychological assessment. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Assessment of cognitive factors in chronic pain: A worthwhile enterprise?

Provides a brief review of the history of pain theory and the recurrent role of cognition in various conceptualizations of pain. Evidence from laboratory studies, clinical research, and psychophysiological data is presented to support the continued inclusion of cognitive factors in conceptualizations and treatment of chronic pain. The available instruments are discussed for (1) the assessment of cognitive contributors to the pain experience, (2) the assessment of cognitive consequences of pain, and (3) the global assessment of the perceived impact of chronic pain. The reliance of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-III) Psychogenic Pain category on what appears to be an outmoded conceptualization of pain is noted. The need for future research to cross-validate and refine existing assessment instruments and procedures and describe a multiaxial assessment of pain system is suggested. (73 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Predictive validity of situational assessment at a psychiatric rehabilitation center.

Used situational assessment to predict employment outcomes for 77 individuals (mean age 24.5 yrs) attending a community psychiatric rehabilitation program. The assessment form was a 22-item checklist comprised of 4 dimensions: work readiness, work attitudes, interpersonal relations, and work quality. Ratings were made in 2 work settings: prevocational work crews and transitional employment. Situational assessment predicted outcome better than did work history. Staff ratings were significantly higher for Ss working in transitional employment, although ratings made in both settings were predictive of later employment outcomes. It is concluded that situational assessment may be a method better suited for screening out members who have poor work potential than selecting members who will definitely succeed. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Evidence-based assessment of anxiety disorders in adults.

This article discusses issues related to the development and dissemination of evidence-based assessment strategies for anxiety disorders and associated problems. It begins with a review of the criteria that should be considered when determining whether particular assessment procedures are evidence-based. These include such factors as reliability, validity, cost-effectiveness, consumer acceptability, utility across different populations, and ease of dissemination. The importance of considering the purpose of the assessment process when deciding whether a procedure is evidence-based is emphasized. Next, the major assessment domains that are particularly important in the area of anxiety disorders (e.g., triggers for anxiety symptoms, avoidance behaviors) are reviewed. Finally, some potential obstacles to the dissemination of evidence-based assessment procedures are discussed along with suggestions for managing these obstacles. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Review of Tests and assessment.

Reviews the book Tests and Assessment (1985) by Jacqueline Schakel. From its broad title, this book might be classified as a general textbook on assessment for anyone who is learning about testing procedures. Indeed, in the preface, the authors present their book as a text for undergraduate courses on testing in general psychology, and for graduate courses in counseling, vocational, educational, and industrial psychology as well as for "students in counselor education, guidance and counseling, educational administration and other disciplines." Although the book does have some useful general sections on tests and assessment, it is clear that the real audience for this book is less extensive than the authors state. The examples used, tests reviewed, and issues discussed are chiefly for students in personnel and guidance or vocational psychology. If you are such a student or teach assessment courses to students in these programs, read on. Parts of this book may interest you. If you are a school psychologist or teacher of school psychology, you will find this text limited. The overall organization of the book could have been improved by reviewing the theories of person-environment interaction (upon which the authors claim to base their treatment of assessment) before their discussion of specific assessment tools and integrating a discussion of this theoretical basis throughout the book. In summary, this book does not offer the broad treatment of assessment issues and the focus on the kinds of assessment required in schools which are necessary to school psychologists. It provides some useful reviews of tests for guidance and vocational decision making, some concise explanations of assessment concepts, and a well-written section on some specific testing controversies that may be useful to students in the counseling field. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Ethnic and gender subgroup differences in assessment center ratings: A meta-analysis.

Assessment centers are widely believed to have relatively small standardized subgroup differences (d). However, no meta-analytic review to date has examined ds for assessment centers. The authors conducted a meta-analysis of available data and found an overall Black-White d of 0.52, an overall Hispanic-White d of 0.28, and an overall male-female d of -0.19. Consistent with our expectations, results suggest that Black-White ds in assessment center data may be larger than was previously thought. Hispanic-White comparisons were smaller than were Black-White comparisons. Females, on average, scored higher than did males in assessment centers. As such, assessment centers may be associated with more adverse impact against Blacks than is portrayed in the literature, but the predictor may have less adverse impact and be more "diversity friendly" for Hispanics and females. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Assessing the Costs, Benefits, Cost-Effectiveness, and Cost-Benefit of Psychological Assessment: We Should, We Can, and Here's How.

To the extent that assessment improves the effectiveness of treatment, prevention, or other services, it can be said to be effective. If an assessment is as effective as alternatives for improving treatment and less costly, it can be said to be cost effective. If that improvement in the effectiveness of the service is monetary or monetizable, the assessment can be judged beneficial. And, if the sum of monetary and monetizable benefits of assessment exceeds the sum of the costs of treatment, the assessment can be said to be cost-beneficial. An overview of cost-related issues is followed by practical strategies that researchers and administrators can use to measure incremental costs, incremental effectiveness, and incremental benefits of adding psychological assessments to other psychological interventions. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Introduction to the special section on assessing personality characteristics in clinical settings.

Personality assessment in clinical settings is an important and often difficult undertaking, requiring the collection and integration of extensive personal history, personality, and symptomatic information. Clinicians are frequently faced with making important decisions on the basis of limited information. New conceptualizations and new techniques for describing personality and behavior are welcome additions to the clinician's assessment battery, and if productive, are eagerly sought to enhance clinical assessment. The goals of this special section are threefold: First, in their contribution, Costa and McCrae (1991a) explore the possibility that the NEO can provide new and different information that practitioners would find valuable in depicting or describing clients in the clinical assessment context. Second, the article by Ben-Porath and Waller (1991a) provides insight into the criteria by which "normal-range" assessment instruments might be evaluated. They examine the NEO on the basis of these criteria. Third, we hope that the Costa/McCrae (1992a, 1992b) and Ben-Porath/Waller (1992a, 1992b) discussion will serve as a productive interchange on the potential utility of this assessment approach for clinical assessment. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Operationalized psychodynamic diagnosis in childhood and adolescence--a contribution to quality assurance

Adopting a therapeutic view on diagnosis in child and adolescent psychiatry a psychodynamic diagnostic manual seems to be necessary, that may provide reliability in the assessment of intrapsychic processes. Multiaxial diagnosis of children's and adolescent's psychiatric disturbances may thus be completed with additional psychodynamic assessment procedures. In adults an operationalized procedure of psychodynamic assessment (OPD) already exists. In child and adolescent psychiatry a working group for psychodynamic diagnostic (OPD-KJ) has been founded. In 4 areas (subjective experiences of disturbances, relationships, intrapsychic conflicts and psychic structure) diagnostic manuals are being worked out. Fundamental questions of developmental psychopathology and diagnostic procedures have to be addressed. The basic proposition takes into account that children should not be psychodynamically compared with adults, but normally have a basic capacity to adapt to environment on a high level of psychic organisation in all developmental stages. Reports of the ongoing work are being given.     

Virtual reality for the psychophysiological assessment of phobic fear: Responses during virtual tunnel driving.

An overall assessment of phobic fear requires not only a verbal self-report of fear but also an assessment of behavioral and physiological responses. Virtual reality can be used to simulate realistic (phobic) situations and therefore should be useful for inducing emotions in a controlled, standardized way. Verbal and physiological fear reactions were examined in 15 highly tunnel-fearful and 15 matched control participants in 3 virtual driving scenarios: an open environment, a partially open tunnel (gallery), and a closed tunnel. Highly tunnel-fearful participants were characterized by elevated fear responses specifically during tunnel drives as reflected in verbal fear ratings, heart rate reactions, and startle responses. Heart rate and fear ratings differentiated highly tunnel-fearful from control participants with an accuracy of 88% and 93%, respectively. Results indicate that virtual environments are valuable tools for the assessment of fear reactions and should be used in future experimental research. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Cognitive accessibility and sentiment override—starting a evolution: Comment on Fincham et al. (1995).

F. D. Fincham, P. C. Garnier, S. Gano-Phillips, and L. N. Osborne (see record 1995-21088-001) present a methodology new to the marital arena (reaction time assessment) and use it to illuminate a classic issue in the marital area, sentiment override. In doing so, they highlight the potential of this new methodology for enhancing marital assessment and allowing for the rigorous test of theory. However, the promise of this specific methodology and its implications for marital assessment may be less important than the broader research agenda implied. Because Fincham et al utilized an information processing approach developed within the robust tradition of social-cognition research, they open the marital area to a broad array of potential assessment techniques and implicitly invite the field to join them in a profound reconceptualization of the role of cognition in shaping each spouse's response to the other. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)