Course Learning Outcomes for Unit IV
Upon completion of this unit, students should be able to:

4. Analyze trait theory’s techniques for determining personality.
   4.1 Investigate results based upon the five-factor model.
   Course/Unit
   Learning Outcomes
   Learning Activity
   4.1
   Unit Lesson
   Chapter 7
   Chapter 8
   Video: Defining Typologies and Factor Analysis
   Unit IV Scholarly Activity
   Required Unit Resources
   Chapter 7: Trait Theories of Personality: Allport, Eysenck, and Cattell
   Chapter 8: Trait Theory: The Five-Factor Model and Contemporary Developments
   Unit Lesson
   This unit introduces us to a theory that is pretty different from what you have read to date. Remember that we
   have had to admit that psychoanalytic and humanistic paradigms were fascinating creations (still in use today)
   but also that we cannot prove the efficacy of their claims very easily. If you want a theory that stands up more
   strongly to scientific rigor, read on.
   Trait Theory: The Basics
   “Personality traits are psychological characteristics that are stable over time and across situations” (Cervone
   & Pervin, 2019, p. 180). Without overthinking, what is a word that you might attribute to your best friend?
   What is a word you would use to describe your mother? You are working toward identifying an overarching
   trait. There is, of course, more to the issue than thinking of a funny friend or a domineering mommy; to be
   more scientific, we can look to the scientific method. Recall from Unit I that science strives to be systematic,
   testable, and comprehensive. While it is hard to describe or even completely grasp self-actualization or the
   machinations of the id, we might be able to identify and describe traits in a more systematic way. It is also
   notable that Sigmund Freud and Carl Rogers did not work to produce tools of scientific measurement; trait
   theory arose, in part at least, to address this procedural gap.
   While we have very famous names upon which to reflect in our earlier units, there is not a single, unifying
   individual behind trait theory. We will address some of the influential psychologists in this unit lesson, but their
   names may not ring a bell right away.
   We look at traits as a central figure of personality—a relatively consistent pattern we can identify (Cervone &
   Pervin, 2019). What stands out to you about a person, and do you think others would agree? While trait
   theory looks for consistency, this is not an all-or-nothing approach, and there is room for situational
   determination. The example of the funny friend might not be as funny at a funeral, and this is to be expected.
   We also want to identify that which is distinctive about an individual compared to the broader population. If
   Melanie goes out of her way to make everyone comfortable in almost any setting without a harsh word toward
   anyone, we could say that she is consistently agreeable. While we all fill many roles in life, what is relatively
   UNIT IV STUDY GUIDE
   Trait Theory
   PSY 3304, Theories of Personality 2
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   Title
   consistent and distinct about each of us? Perhaps one of your traits is a preference for ordered, logical
   thought; you might have a trait for studying trait theory!
   Trait theory broadly has three goals within the scientific realm, and they are description, prediction, and
   (sometimes) explanation. Description means that we can describe a person—perhaps a lot of people who
   happen to share the same set of traits. Trait taxonomy is a term introduced to describe how trait theorists
   classify people. Prediction means that, given an understanding of someone’s traits, we are generally able to
   know how he or she might act in a given situation. We can generally assume that Melanie from the previous
   paragraph might be a good houseguest, even though we have not directly observed her in that setting. Some
   trait theorists work to explain why a given trait lines up with particular behavioral patterns. Is this the question
   of correlation rather than causation? Many trait theorists think there is a strong biological component to our
   most distinctive traits, which means that Melanie is hardwired to be agreeable and perhaps Mom was just
   born pushy. Again, we do not have one central character to point to, so there are several ideas out there in
   the trait theory ethos.
   Gordon Allport
   One name that you may recognize is Gordon Allport who proposed that “traits are the basic units of
   personality” (as cited in Cervone & Pervin, 2019, p. 187).
   Allport believed in three levels of traits: cardinal, central, and secondary dispositions (Cervone & Pervin,
   2019). As you may suppose, a cardinal trait is the most overarching. Perhaps this could be thought of like a
   Jungian archetype: Do you serve as the court jester in life or the protective father figure? Central traits are
   also important but less predominant than these broad brush strokes. A secondary disposition, while
   sometimes present, is less recognized as the main portrait of an individual. Remember again the idea of
   situational determination; we would expect a secondary disposition to appear less frequently than a central
   trait and a central less than a cardinal trait in varied settings.
   Stop and think: What were the basic units of personality proposed by some of our prior
   theorists?
   Allport’s three levels of traits
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   A final note on Allport is that he, too, used idiographic or case study research much like the psychologists
   before him (Cervone & Pervin, 2019). While he helped to set up a theory with the ability for scientific rigor, his
   own emphasis was on describing the unique and noteworthy makeup of singular individuals. Other theorists
   would branch out and apply trait theory to broader populations.
   Raymond Cattell
   From here on, it will be helpful for you to think of our discussion of traits as existing somewhere on a
   spectrum. You have probably heard of extroversion and introversion with everyone falling somewhere on a
   line between the two. To borrow from our next theorist, consider the same spectrum for concepts like
   trusting/suspicious and relaxed/tense (Cervone & Pervin, 2019).
   Cattell worked to expand the scientific, data-driven nature of this study of personality. To organize such a
   broad field of terms—basically any adjective you could apply to a person—he used factor analysis to
   demonstrate which variables were generally correlated (Cervone & Pervin, 2019). As an example, we may
   have a general idea of what it means to be altruistic, but the kind of work Cattell did moved out of the common
   knowledge or intuitive realm. If he could demonstrate that people labeled with this trait would volunteer, tithe
   at church, and state that they felt bad taking the last slice of pizza, then we would have documented
   correlations about the altruistic trait. He furthered the scientific nature of his work by using various forms of
   data; out of the LOTS identified in Unit I, he documented L, O, and S (life data, observed data, and subjective
   data). He also used large numbers of participants, whereas we know previous researchers often had a
   sample size of one.
   Cattell identified two different kinds of traits—those on the surface (observable) and those source traits that
   were behind the behavior. Psychology is generally concerned with what is behind a given behavior, so Cattell
   boiled all of his work down to 16 personality factors as found on Table 7.1 on page 193 of the textbook, and
   the chart is also provided below (Cervone & Pervin, 2019).
   Cattell’s 16 Personality Factors Derived from Questionnaire Data
   PSY 3304, Theories of Personality 4
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   As a final note, Cattell did recognize that traits were not perfectly experienced at all times. He identified state
   and role as confounds to complete stability (Cervone & Pervin, 2019). If you are in a particular state, such as
   extreme fatigue, you probably are not your normal self. Role refers to the social rules of a particular situation.
   A good scientist has to be able to admit his or her work is never perfect.
   Hans Eysenck
   If you were asked to list all 16 of Cattell’s source traits without looking back, that might be a tall order. Turn
   your attention now to the three-factor model of Hans Eysenck and his superfactors (Cervone & Pervin, 2019).
   Take a look at the video Defining Typologies and Factor Analysis, wherein the theorist himself describes his
   views on trait theory and factor analysis (The University of Akron, 1970). What if we could boil this all down to
   psychoticism, extroversion, and neuroticism (i.e., P, E, and N)? (The transcript for the Defining Typologies
   and Factor Analysis video can be found by clicking on “Transcript” in the gray bar at the top of the video in the
   Films on Demand database.)
   Eysenck did come up with measurement tools of his own to measure for these superfactors and posited about
   biological causation for his findings. Once again, we see that the goal of trait theory ties back to physiological
   causation; results of Eysenck’s own findings on this topic were mixed. While he believed that nature (biology)
   could set someone up for future difficulties, he also believed that behavioral therapy could be a useful tool to
   offer relief (Cervone & Pervin, 2019).
   Five-Factor Model
   Perhaps 16 was a lot for you but three might have been a little short. Chapter 8 introduces us to a theory in
   popular use today: the five-factor model (Cervone & Pervin, 2019). The five-factor model is written in plain
   language and can be scientifically supported. These “Big Five” dimensions of openness, extroversion,
   conscientiousness, and agreeableness are meant to cover broadly other specific factors that we have
   previously isolated. They are even easy to remember with a quick acronym—OCEAN!
   You will find that, just as was noted
   previously, we can view these traits
   on a continuum running from one
   extreme to another. If 0 is agreeable
   and helpful, then 10 might be rude
   and uncooperative (Cervone &
   Pervin, 2019). Everyone will fall
   somewhere on this line. The fivefactor model is favored by some
   researchers and academics because
   it produces consistent results within
   the realms of research validity and
   reliability. Assessments of OCEAN
   are relatively stable over time, though
   exceptions can apply. Remember that
   we are looking at long-term patterns
   of personality; therefore, barring some
   traumatic event, we might expect your
   results of each trait to align with your
   results from 20 years ago. This seems to be true across cultures, though some research suggests that we
   need to make allowances for those difficult teenage years. There is also correlational evidence of biological
   connections between certain traits and brain volume—even in other species!
   One respected tool utilizing the five-factor model is the NEI-PI-R, which is a questionnaire that assesses each
   of our five factors as well as six sub-factors (or facets) of each (Cervone & Pervin, 2019). Take a moment to
   read Table 8.2 on page 211 of the textbook.
   PSY 3304, Theories of Personality 5
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   Assessments like the NEI-PI-R, which assess for the Big Five and have stood the test of scientific rigor, have
   application in a variety of settings. Perhaps you have taken some version of this assessment when applying
   for a job or when searching out possible career paths. Certainly, these types of measures have clinical
   application within the field of psychology, and they can even give us an indication of subjective well-being and
   long-term health. Additional research has taken place to determine if we should be looking at a Big Six rather
   than a Big Five; the new factor would be a combination of honesty and humility (Cervone & Pervin, 2019).
   Consider this as you complete the lesson: Do you think a sixth factor is necessary for this model?
   References
   Cervone, D., & Pervin, L. A. (2019). Personality: Theory and research (14th ed.). Wiley.
   The University of Akron (Producer). (1970). Defining typologies and factor analysis (Segment 4 of 8) [Video].
   In Dr. Hans Eysenck. Films on Demand.
   https://libraryresources.columbiasouthern.edu/login?auth=CAS&url=http://fod.infobase.com/PortalPla
   ylists.aspx?wID=273866&xtid=160108&loid=536548

Upon completion of this unit, students should be able to:

• Assess the role of socialization in a criminal justice agency.
  • Describe the importance of communication in organizations.
  • Describe leadership characteristics that effectively motivate employees.

Required Unit Resources

Chapter 7: Leadership, pp. 207-238

Chapter 8: Communication, pp. 247-248, 250-271, 276-277

Unit Lesson

An organization must have someone in charge, but bestowing a title on that person does not make him or her a leader (Allen & Sawhney, 2019). As an individual in the position to direct, one must have the ability to inspire others to achieve an organization’s goals through individual and/or combined efforts. Strong leadership is necessary in the fast-paced, ever-changing environment of law enforcement because not only has law enforcement changed over the years, but also the demographics in which law enforcement operates have changed significantly. Recognizing these changes will assist managers in understanding the need to employ the most beneficial leadership methods possible. The leader and the organization, as a whole, will benefit.

Several approaches can be taken by a leader in an effort to be as effective as possible. One option is for the leader to be able to recognize his or her own individual traits to develop these to better recognize employees’ strengths, weaknesses, and needs. The jury is still out on whether individuals are naturally born with leadership traits or if these are completely achieved through training. Some of the traits that one must possess are ambition, a sense of achievement, motivation, and self-confidence. While these traits may tend to be beneficial in personal achievements, as well as getting along with others, there is little evidence that correlates to having these traits with a person being a good leader. The problem is that even with these attributes, there is no indication a person will be able to guide the organization to be productive. Simply put, the supervisor could be friendly, honest, and self-confident, but these attributes do not necessarily translate into success as a leader.

Another approach to consider is whether one management style alone is sufficient as the supervisor rarely faces the same situation on multiple occasions. Managers who focus simply on the same traits every time fail to consider how situations vary and which of those traits may be needed in any dilemma because not all situations have the same circumstances, (i.e., individuals, resources, or particular quandaries). Considering this, situational leaders understand there is no one best leadership style because different events may require different approaches. The change in the leadership style may not be easily accomplished, as each quandary

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 will require a review of the specific task, resources, and people (e.g., employees or customers). The laborUNIT x STUDY GUIDE            intensive review of each task does not always lend itself to the manager easily altering management styles Title because supervisors develop a management style that is comfortable to them due to their own education,  experience, and culture. However, as Allen and Sawhney (2019) indicate, successful managers navigate the difficult task of sifting the important factors of each decision and assuming the leadership style best suited for each circumstance, thereby not remaining stagnant and accepting the status quo.

As stated in Unit III, when reviewing each situation managers should note that employees are not created equal in knowledge, skills, or abilities. Observing this important point about the employees, the supervisor will recognize that some employees are eager to accept new responsibilities, and the supervisor is better able to delegate. On the other hand, some employees, because of a lack of education, experience, or willingness to accept responsibilities, are unprepared for complex tasks and may need a more direct approach and to be given explicit directions. Another style that a leader could use with employees that falls between the two previously mentioned extremes would be providing two-way communications with employees to ascertain their concerns and suggestions for a project while allowing them to participate in the decisions necessary for a successful resolution. The four styles of telling, selling, participating, and delegating are procedures that managers should feel comfortable in alternating, depending on which one is necessary to accomplish the assigned task.

While there may be circumstances in law enforcement in which a manager must utilize the direct approach of simply telling an employee what he or she must do and how it must be done, most employees will accept and support management choices when they are part of the solution by participating in the decision-making process. Not only will there be a higher level of acceptance by the employees, but also managers need to recognize that individuals who are actually performing the specific tasks may have more accurate information on how something should be accomplished than the supervisor. Even though involvement of the employees in the decision-making process may provide alternative solutions, this management style does come with the dilemma that decisions take longer to make, which may be unacceptable in a highly volatile or quickly changing situation. The manager considering the participative management style should also realize that some individuals might be eager to promote a personal agenda that may be contrary to the organizational goals. In addition, an employee may find himself or herself in a difficult position when the manager actively seeks, but declines any suggestions. Employees who offer alternative solutions that are rejected may become less likely to participate in future requests if they believe that their opinions simply do not matter. These factors leave this style of management with both benefits and detriments that must be considered.

However, if after reviewing alternatives, the manager wishes to continue with the participative management style, he or she would be wise to understand that the best way for this style to be successful is to educate subordinates about how the process works and why suggestions may or may not be accepted. The educational process would explain how the manager is drawing upon each person’s knowledge and that innovative solutions originate better from multiple inputs. Once a manager is sure that employees have the necessary knowledge and skills to participate, it is common for a worker’s self-esteem to increase when he or she feels the suggestions are trusted and given serious consideration.

Regardless of the management style utilized in the solving of any issue, communication is one of the most important elements to ensure a successful resolution (Allen & Sawhney, 2019). While there may be numerous examples of failed communication, many are also available that demonstrate how communication within an organization, as well as between agencies, leads to the successful performance of individuals and groups. With so much time and importance associated with communication, an informed manager will recognize that choosing how ideas or information is exchanged will better increase the likelihood of success. When considering this, not only will the manager recognize that communication is more than just a one-way process, but the manager must also consider how clearly stated his or her information may be and whether the receiver understands the message as it was intended. In addition, the manager will need to understand that to increase the likelihood of the intended accomplishment, feedback must be obtained from the receiver.

It should be noted that two-way communication needed for active involvement with employees is not always easy to accomplish because there are numerous opportunities for the intended message to be

misunderstood. Every communication is developed, transmitted, and received in its own social context, which produces noises that interfere with how the receiver may understand the intended communication. These noises can be as simple as the tone of the message or the level of trust between the parties involved. One way law enforcement can ensure much of the misinterpretation is removed from the message is to

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 understand changing demographics and address any issues with constituents to raise the level of trust UNIT x STUDY GUIDE between the law enforcement agency and its community. Any mistrust will act as a filter in how the intended Title message is perceived. Agencies that understand potential culture differences and how these characteristics  alter misconceptions will find a benefit in reinforced trust and honesty through the nurturing of these relationships.

Managers who understand the need to keep employees informed understand how information can follow formal or informal forms of communication. Formal communication generally follows the same direction as the chain of command, both upward and downward. It provides an opportunity for senior managers to offer explanations on how certain tasks are expected to be accomplished through specific instructions. While this method of communication is generally face-to-face, it can travel through several levels of supervisors and lose approximately one-fourth of the information each time it passes through each level, thereby leaving approximately 31% of the information after just four exchanges. Even though this should be unacceptable by any standards, the formal method often provides the best opportunity for correct information to be disseminated.

Informal communication allows information to flow outside formal channels because it does not adhere to the hierarchy generally recognized in an organization’s structure. While information may travel quicker in this mode than formal modes, some information will be distorted because information being exchanged may not necessarily be completely accurate. However, even though not all information is accurate, it may be surprising to managers to recognize that most employees get the information from the informal method, which may be disturbing because managers should be supplying enough information so that there is little use for an informal method.

While the use of various channels of communication is important, a supervisor must realize that too much information, especially in a short time, may lead to an information overload in which an employee becomes so overwhelmed that he or she is unable to make critical decisions. Providing employees with up-to-date, accurate information periodically allows information to be digested at a pace that is manageable. By taking steps necessary to nurture relationships with honest and trustworthy information in a manner that only promotes strong working relationships, employees will be the most productive.

No leadership style is superior to others, but organizations no longer have the luxury of accepting the status quo, and therefore, should make all necessary arrangements to properly train supervisors. The art of leadership begins with communicating with the employees so that the manager recognizes each employee’s strengths and weaknesses while building a foundation of trust through communication. No organization will be successful without strong leadership; this cannot be accomplished by accident, but by communicating and recognizing the potential of all employees. 

Reference

Allen, J. M., & Sawhney, R. (2019). Administration and management in criminal justice: A service quality approach (3rd ed.). Sage.

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Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to discuss a neurologic, sensory, or sleep problem common in older adults, current research, and the care associated with the disease process.

Course Outcomes: This assignmentenables the student to meet the following course outcomes:

• SLO 3: Incorporate current, evidence-based health and wellness information into the care of the client.
• SLO 3a: Analyze research information and utilize evidence when planning and providing care.

Requirements: Prepare a paper with four to six pages of content. Correct APA format must be utilized including a title and reference page, in addition to the required body of the paper. The work must be original, and all journals must be cited correctly. Submit the paper to Canvas. Papers with >23% similarity report will not be accepted.

Part 1 of the paper reviews a recent research journal article (within the last 5 years). A professional nursing journal must be used for this assignment. The topic of the research article should be based on a neurological, sensory, and/or sleep topic within the older adult population and includes this content:

• Main points of the research article, what did they conclude?
• Significance of the topic

Part 2 of the paper utilizes additional support of journal articles/websites/textbooks to explore how facilities can better care for older adults by providing for their neurological, sensory, and sleep needs and include this content:

• Discussion of the nurse’s role in the subject matter
• Describe how facilities caring for older adults are currently providing for the sensory and sleep needs of the older adult.
• How does providing for neurological, sensory, and sleep needs benefit the older adult?
• Think of an innovation to promote holistic health for the older adult in their living environment. Describe how your innovation helps to promote sleep, keep patients safe, maintain mobility, or provide for sensory and social needs. This could be a program that you would develop or a type of technology.  Technology for this innovation does not need to be available currently but, possibly available in the future.

Paper Mechanics:

• For this paper, you will use APA 7^th
• Click here for Library Resource For APA Papers (Links to an external site.)
• This paper does not need a running head and should use the Library’s suggested paper format.
• Include subheadings in your paper. This helps guide the reader as to what each section is going to address.

Suggested Subheadings and Explanations:

Research Study Analysis- Describe the research study in detail. What did it conclude? Who were the participants? What evaluation tools did they use?   

Significance and the Nurse’s Role- Why is it important for the nurse to be aware of this issue? What can the nurse do to help alleviate symptoms or prevent the worsening of this disorder?

Care Environments- What steps have hospitals/long term care facilities taken to help this problem? What programs are available to help with this problem? What are the potential modifications that should be implemented?

Benefits to the Older Adult-How does it affect the elderly population? What are the long-term effects? Does it affect the quality of life?

Innovation- Develop an innovative approach to help solve this problem. Think of ways to integrate technology.

Conclusion- Restate your thesis and summarize your main points of the paper. The reader should be able to look at your conclusion and know exactly what your paper is about.

Grading: 100 points

Rubric: 

Late Assignment Policy: This assignment is eligible for the late assignment policy. A deduction of 10% per day late will be applied. No credit will be given after one week in accordance with the School of Nursing policy.

Tips for Success:

1. Utilize the virtual writing center. There is a link “Tutoring Services” on the left side of your Canvas shell. Instructions for making a writing center appointment. Tutors that come recommended include Jenny Mark, Lana Sumpter, Michael Barclay, Angela Johnson, Melissa Miller. I recommend sending your paper AT LEAST twice- once for content and once for APA. Be sure to send the paper instructions and the rubric with your appointment. Be clear and specific about your needs when you send it.
2. Ensure that your paper is in your own words. Someone without a medical background should be able to read and easily understand your paper. I highly suggest giving your paper to a family member or friend to read. They should be able to summarize the paper easily if it is well written.
3. Do not ask questions in scholarly writing. It is appropriate to open with a statement such as “Imagine if you woke up one day and were blind” in a persuasive essay, but NOT in scholarly writing.

[WLOs: 1, 2, 3] [CLOs: 1, 2, 3, 4]

Prior to beginning work on this assignment, read the following: 

• Behind Closed Doors: Assessing Individuals from Diverse Backgrounds
• Methodological Issues in Assessment Research with Ethnic Minorities

Additionally, review the following from Week 1:

• Section 9: Assessment on the webpage Ethical Principles of Psychologists and Code of Conduct
• APA Guidelines for Psychological Assessment and Evaluation

In addition to the resources listed above, research four peer-reviewed articles in the University of Arizona Global Campus Library that were published within the last 15 years, including a minimum of one article for each of your two chosen topics from the list below.

In this assignment you will choose two general topics of interest to you related to psychological assessment from the list below.

• Assessments for adults with emotional or behavioral disorders (e.g., anxiety, depression, PTSD, personality disorders, obsessive compulsive disorder, substance abuse disorders)
• Assessments for children or adolescents with emotional or behavioral disorders
• Assessments for children or adolescents with neurodevelopmental disorders (e.g., intellectual disability, ADHD, autism spectrum disorder, learning disorders)
• Assessments for gifted and talented children or adolescents
• Assessments for individuals with neurocognitive disorders (e.g., due to delirium, Alzheimer’s disease, traumatic brain injury, Parkinson’s disease, Huntington’s disease, or other medical conditions)
• Assessments for individuals with hearing or visual impairments
• Assessments for individuals seeking career counseling
• Assessments for presurgical evaluations
• Assessments for legal cases (e.g., child custody evaluations, insanity defense, death penalty, risk assessment for parole board hearings)
• Assessments for program evaluation

To successfully complete this assignment, organize your paper in the following manner using each of the headings provided below in boldface.

Introduction

Compose an introduction that describes the role of assessment in arenas you selected (e.g., diagnosis and treatment, demonstrating the effectiveness of an intervention program, legal/forensic cases). End your introduction with a clear thesis statement.

Test Comparisons

In this section,

• Compare at least two psychological tests for each of the two topics chosen.
  • Be sure to reference your researched articles.
• Differentiate tests that have strong psychometric support from those that have weak psychometric support for each of the topics you selected.
  • Be specific about the names of the tests, publication years, what the tests measure, and common uses of the tests. Evaluate strengths and weaknesses of each test.
  • Note: It is common for there to be a delay between the time a test publisher updates a test and the time the textbook and other authors can update their information about the new version of the test. Be sure to do online research to make sure you are discussing the most current versions of the tests you write about. If there is a newer version than the version discussed in the textbook or other readings, recommend the newest version.

Ethical Issues

In this section,

• Analyze ethical challenges related to testing vulnerable populations (e.g., minor children, individuals who are charged with a crime or are incarcerated, individuals with compromised cognitive functioning).
• Discuss any ethical challenges that pertain to testing individuals from diverse social and cultural backgrounds.
• Discuss the importance of considering the context of psychological assessment when interpreting findings for forensic purposes or use with other vulnerable populations.

Recommendations for Competent Assessment Practices

In this section,

• Recommend how to (a) minimize test bias, (b) improve the validity of assessments, and (c) develop methods to account for measurement error in psychological testing.
• Describe how professionals should report assessment findings when they suspect the validity of obtained test results is compromised.

Conclusions

Conclude by briefly discussing where additional research is needed to improve the reliability and validity of tests in the three areas you selected.

Make sure that your conclusion meets guidelines as described in the University of Arizona Global Campus Writing Center’s resource Introductions & Conclusions.

Prior to beginning work on this discussion forum, read the following resources:

• Chapters 7 and 8 in your textbook
• Behind Closed Doors: Assessing Individuals from Diverse Backgrounds

For this discussion, you are to explore issues related to context when psychological testing is utilized in forensic settings. Refer to the list below to determine your assigned role and the reason your client was referred for an evaluation.

Students: If your last name begins with

• A through G: Take the role of a psychological evaluator, evaluating an individual whose legal counsel is claiming the defendant has an intellectual disability and should be exempt from the death penalty.
• H through M: Take the role of a psychological evaluator, evaluating the parents and children involved in a child custody dispute to provide expert evidence used to determine what is in the best interest of the children.
• N through S: Take the role of a psychological evaluator, evaluating an individual accused of a crime whose legal counsel claims the mental disorder defense applies to their client (previously referred to as the “not guilty by reason of insanity” defense).
• T through Z: Take the role of a psychological evaluator, evaluating an individual accused of a crime whose legal counsel claims the client is not competent to stand trial because a mental disease prevents them from effectively assisting counsel.

Review the literature on at least four psychological tests you would utilize based on the reason for referral. Research up-to-date information about the tests you selected by visiting the test publishers’ websites and at least one peer-reviewed journal article published within the last 15 years. Review the resource from the University of Arizona Global Campus Library, Scholarly, Peer-Reviewed, and Other Credible Sources, for guidance on identifying a peer reviewed journal article.  

To successfully complete this discussion, your initial post must include the following:

• Indicate the names and most current versions of the four tests you selected and briefly summarize what each test measures.
• Explain the rationale for your choices based on research investigating the psychometric properties of the tests (for example, reliability and validity).
• Explain what modifications you would make (if any) to your choice of tests if you learned your client was not a native English speaker.
• Discuss the importance of considering the context of psychological assessment when interpreting findings for forensic purposes.
• Briefly summarize at least one major consideration in the assessment of malingering, exaggerating, or faking of psychological illness or disability for secondary gain (e.g., to claim disability or to avoid legal or other consequences). Following your summary,
  • For students with the last names beginning with H through M, explain how you would identify faking good or the underreporting of socially undesirable characteristics or symptoms.
  • For students with the last names beginning with A through G, N through S, or T through Z, explain how you would identify malingering, faking bad or the underreporting of socially desirable characteristics or symptoms.