Personality Assessment

Course Details

Course Number: PSYC 6143  Section Number: 101

Fall 2012

Location: Prothro-Yeager Hall

Classroom Number: 102

Days & Times:

 

Syllabus

PSYC 6143

Techniques of Assessment II (Personality Assessment)

Fall, 2012

 

Paul C. Guthrie, Ph.D.

O-113

Phone:  397-4178

Email:  paul.guthrie@mwsu.edu

 

Texts:

 

Required:      

Groth-Marnat, G.  (2009).  Handbook of psychological assessment (5th

                        ed).  Hoboken, NJ:  Wiley.

 

Graham, J. R. (2011).  MMPI-2:  Assessing personality and

                        psychopathology (5th  ed).  New York: Oxford University Press.

 

Course Description:  This course deals with the administration, scoring, interpretation, integration and synthesis of personality assessment approaches and instruments.  We will be covering a variety of techniques and instruments, each of which is widely used in psychological practice.  Mastery of these approaches and instruments is extremely important in your development as a psychologist.

 

This is a mastery course; as such, there are no exams or term papers.  The emphasis will be on your developing at least minimal competence in all content areas.  Minimal competence includes writing skills in addition to scoring, interpretation, etc.  Over the course of this semester, you will be writing seven reports (tentatively).  Some of these will consist of interpretations of single instruments, while others will require integration and synthesis of multiple instruments. You will be required to achieve a grade of at least “OK” on each report; if you fail to achieve an “OK” grade, you will be required to rewrite the report until you do so.  As a result, you will be guaranteed an “A” in the course, assuming you turn in all reports on time.  Late reports will not be accepted.

 

Tentative Reading and Report Schedule

 

Week 1 (8/27, 8/29)  Overview/Introduction to Personality Assessment

            G-M:  Chapters 1 & 2

 

Week 2 (9/3, 9/5) Report Writing

             G-M:  Chapter 15

           

 

 

Week 3 (9/10, 9/12) Clinical Interviews, Behavioral Assessment, Mental Status Exams

            G-M:  Chapters 3 & 4

           

Week 4  (9/17, 9/19)  Introduction to the MMPI-2 

            G-M:  Chapter 7

            Graham, Chapters 1, 2 & 9

 

Week 5 (9/24, 9/26)  Interpretive Strategies

            Graham: Chapters 3, 4 & 5

            Report 1 due 9/26:  Interview, Mental Status Exam

 

Week 6  (10/1, 10/3)  Advanced Interpretation

            Graham: Chapters 6, 7, & 8

 

Week 7  (10/8, 10/10)  Special Groups & Computerized Administration

            Graham: Chapters 10 & 12

 

Week 8  (10/15, 10/17) Interpretive Exercises

            Graham: Chapter 14

            Report 2 due 10/17:  MMPI-2

 

Week 9  (10/22, 10/24)  MMPI-A 

            Graham: Chapter 15

            Report 3 due 10/24:  MMPI-2

 

Week 10  (10/29, 10/31)  Psychodynamic Interpretation of the MMPI

            Trimboli & Kilgore article (on reserve)

            Report 4 due 10/31:  MMPI-A

 

Week 11  (11/5, 11/7) Interpretive Exercises 

            No assigned readings

            Report 5 due 11/7:  MMPI-2 or MMPI-A, psychodynamic interpretation

 

Week 12  (11/12, 11/14) PAI, MCMI-III, NEO-PI-R 

            Readings on reserve

            G-M: Chapter 8

           

Week 13  (11/19)  No class

 

Week 14 (11/26, 11/28) Thematic Apperception Test, Projective Drawings

            G-M:  Chapter 11

            Report 6 due 11/28: PAI

           

           

 

Week 15  (12/3, 12/5)   Interpretive Exercises

            No assigned readings

Report 7 due 12/5 (Integrated):  Full battery - Clinical Interview and MSE, MMPI-2 or MMPI-A and Projectives

 

Final re-writes due by 12:00 p.m, Monday 12/10.

 

Final copies of papers will be available by 12:00 p.m., Friday, 12/14.

 

Please note that this schedule is tentative, and other readings may be assigned.

 

Over this semester, you will be required to test at least one adolescent (ages 13 - 18), but you may test up to three.  Your other subjects should be 18 or older, and should not be friends or family members.  I strongly suggest that each of you develop a pool of subjects which you then share with your peers.  No feedback will be given to your subjects.  Parental permission forms will be required for adolescent subjects.  All reports must be typewritten and double spaced.  Each report will be accompanied by the appropriate profile sheets and a copy of your working notes for interpretation.

 

Attendance Policy: You are expected to attend class; failure to do so will reflect on your commitment and professionalism.  Beyond that, considerable time will be spent on interpretive exercises in class, and this is a crucial component of this course.

Course Attachments

Textbooks
MSU Faculty Member
Dr. Paul C. Guthrie   
view Profile »

Submission Format PolicyNote: You may not submit a paper for a grade in this class that already has been (or will be) submitted for a grade in another course, unless you obtain the explicit written permission of me and the other instructor involved in advance.

Plagiarism Policy Plagiarism is the use of someone else's thoughts, words, ideas, or lines of argument in your own work without appropriate documentation (a parenthetical citation at the end and a listing in "Works Cited")-whether you use that material in a quote, paraphrase, or summary. It is a theft of intellectual property and will not be tolerated, whether intentional or not.

Student Honor Creed

As an MSU Student, I pledge not to lie, cheat, steal, or help anyone else do so."

As students at MSU, we recognize that any great society must be composed of empowered, responsible citizens. We also recognize universities play an important role in helping mold these responsible citizens. We believe students themselves play an important part in developing responsible citizenship by maintaining a community where integrity and honorable character are the norm, not the exception. Thus, We, the Students of Midwestern State University, resolve to uphold the honor of the University by affirming our commitment to complete academic honesty. We resolve not only to be honest but also to hold our peers accountable for complete honesty in all university matters. We consider it dishonest to ask for, give, or receive help in examinations or quizzes, to use any unauthorized material in examinations, or to present, as one's own, work or ideas which are not entirely one's own. We recognize that any instructor has the right to expect that all student work is honest, original work. We accept and acknowledge that responsibility for lying, cheating, stealing, plagiarism, and other forms of academic dishonesty fundamentally rests within each individual student. We expect of ourselves academic integrity, personal professionalism, and ethical character. We appreciate steps taken by University officials to protect the honor of the University against any who would disgrace the MSU student body by violating the spirit of this creed. Written and adopted by the 2002-2003 MSU Student Senate.

Students with Disabilities The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) is a federal anti-discrimination statute that provides comprehensive civil rights protection for persons with disabilities. Among other things, this legislation requires that all students with disabilities be guaranteed a learning environment that provides for reasonable accommodation of their disabilities. If you believe you have a disability requiring an accommodation, please contact the Disability Support Services in Room 168 of the Clark Student Center, 397-4140.

Safe Zones Statement The professor considers this classroom to be a place where you will be treated with respect as a human being - regardless of gender, race, ethnicity, national origin, religious affiliation, sexual orientation, political beliefs, age, or ability. Additionally, diversity of thought is appreciated and encouraged, provided you can agree to disagree. It is the professor's expectation that ALL students consider the classroom a safe environment.

Contacting your Instructor All instructors in the Department have voicemail in their offices and MWSU e-mail addresses. Make sure you add your instructor's phone number and e-mail address to both email and cell phone lists of contacts.

Writing Proficiency Requirement All students seeking a Bachelor's degree from Midwestern State University must satisfy a writing proficiency requirement once they've 1) passed English 1113 and English 1123 and 2) earned 60 hours. You may meet this requirement by passing either the Writing Proficiency Exam or English 2113. Please keep in mind that, once you've earned over 90 hours, you lose the opportunity to take the $25 exam and have no option but to enroll in the three-credit hour course. If you have any questions about the exam, visit the Writing Proficiency Office website at http://academics.mwsu.edu/wpr, or call 397-4131.