Mental Health and Psychology Psychological Assessment 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: The Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale (WAIS) measures intelligence through which structure?
- A single global IQ score only
- Full Scale IQ plus index scores including verbal comprehension and processing speed (Correct answer)
- Only verbal abilities
- Academic achievement across subjects
Correct answer: Full Scale IQ plus index scores including verbal comprehension and processing speed
The WAIS provides a Full Scale IQ along with index scores measuring verbal comprehension, perceptual reasoning, working memory, and processing speed.
Question 2: What does a percentile rank of 75 on a psychological test indicate?
- The person answered 75% of questions correctly
- The person scored as well as or better than 75% of the normative sample (Correct answer)
- The person is in the 75th intelligence category
- The test was 75% reliable
Correct answer: The person scored as well as or better than 75% of the normative sample
A percentile rank of 75 means the test-taker scored at or above 75% of the individuals in the normative comparison group.
Question 3: A structured clinical interview like the SCID (Structured Clinical Interview for DSM) is preferred over unstructured interviews because it:
- Takes less time to administer
- Improves diagnostic reliability by standardizing questions (Correct answer)
- Eliminates the need for clinical judgment
- Requires no training to administer
Correct answer: Improves diagnostic reliability by standardizing questions
Structured interviews like the SCID improve inter-rater reliability by asking standardized questions in a standardized order, reducing clinician variability in diagnosis.
Question 4: What does 'norm-referenced' interpretation of a test score mean?
- The score is compared to a clinical cutoff
- The score is compared to a normative sample of similar individuals (Correct answer)
- The score represents mastery of a skill domain
- The score is based on behavioral observation
Correct answer: The score is compared to a normative sample of similar individuals
Norm-referenced interpretation places a score in context by comparing it to a representative sample, producing scores like percentile ranks or standard scores.
Question 5: The Beck Depression Inventory (BDI) is an example of which type of assessment method?
- Clinician-administered structured interview
- Performance-based test
- Self-report questionnaire (Correct answer)
- Projective technique
Correct answer: Self-report questionnaire
The BDI is a widely used self-report questionnaire in which the patient rates the severity of depressive symptoms over the past two weeks.
Question 6: What is 'base rate' and why is it important in psychological diagnosis?
- The baseline score before treatment
- The prevalence of a condition in the population, which affects the predictive value of test results (Correct answer)
- The rate at which symptoms change over time
- The minimum score required for diagnosis
Correct answer: The prevalence of a condition in the population, which affects the predictive value of test results
Base rate is the frequency of a disorder in the population; a test's predictive value depends on base rates — rare disorders require higher specificity to avoid false positives.
Mental Health and Psychology Psychological Assessment 2
The Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale (WAIS) measures intelligence through which structure?