Jerome Sattler: Global Psychologist & Establisher of 4 Evaluation Pillars - Essay Sample

Introduction

Jerome Sattler is a globally recognized clinical psychologist and author that is acknowledged to have 'laid the groundwork' in the area of psychological evaluations and assessments. He has published several books such as Assessment of Children: Cognitive Applications that incorporates the four evaluation pillars. The four pillars of information evaluation were stated as observation, interviews, and norm-referenced assessments, and methodologies (Sattler, 2001).

Is your time best spent reading someone else’s essay? Get a 100% original essay FROM A CERTIFIED WRITER!

Save 25%

Norm-referenced tests are the first pillars. These evaluations compare a person’s performance to the performance of others in a related field. For the results to be deemed credible and reliable, there has to be a concrete comparison group (Aiken & Groth-Marnat, 2006). The tests yield an approximate position of the tested person in relation to the standardized population. This kind of tests identify whether the individual performs better or worse than the rest of the group. The comparison of the individual's score with another, is typical for a regulated population. Norm-referenced assessments are such as the special assessments for select children and functional tests.

The assessment of interviews is the second pillar. They are used in extracting data from the tests to come up with a reliable outcome. These assessments aim to discern standardized efforts. The tests accomplish this by collecting, evaluating, analyzing and making sense of the data provided by people from the same group. The nature of assessments indicate the interview method used. The three categories of interviews are structured, semi-structured and unstructured. Interviews are vital in data collection. They have been accountable for ground-breaking results when utilized in research and experiments. Additionally, interviews are essential as they assist researchers in pinpointing similarities and differences. This enables them to give prolific results that helps policymakers make well-informed decisions from the research findings.

Observation is the third assessment pillar. It is an elemental part of the process. As per the introduction class on comprehending clinical psychology tests and evaluations, observing a person's facial expressions, actions, demeanour and techniques is crucial when examining them (American Public University System [APUS], 2018). These eccentricities ought to be noticed to understand an individual's scale of agitation or difficulty during the test. And to estimate the consistency of the traits throughout the assessment. Such factors affect the interpretation of the outcomes and making of proposals.

The fourth information evaluation pillar is methodologies that test samples can be scrutinized to acquire information from a standardized population. Such kind of assessments are not officially recognized as the assessment tools and ought to be utilized for initial information review. Therefore, crucial data such as treatment, medical management, identifying problems, publishing outcomes, and expertise tasks within the area have to be done using approved assessment instruments that are determined by notable psychological organizations—example of the American Psychological Association. The goal of using unauthorized evaluations is to acquire data that will benefit the authorized assessment methodologies.

The Testing Process

The established scheme is finding candidates to take part in research and assess the psychological effect of terrorism. This is a forensic experiment. Its purpose is to determine the distinguished psychological issues, plus how the people that engage in terrorist activities should be given a hearing and persecuted for their offences against the law with the judicial system in America. Eventually, the outcomes will be reported and circulated globally to mental institutions, Justice Department, agencies that deal with terrorism and law enforcement to acknowledge proposals for lawmakers and the progress in the victimization of criminal actions.

For this research to be complete, norm-referenced tests would be needed for rectified terrorists and arrested terrorists. This specific group will be required to collect information on emotional concerns, behavioural matters, current or potential mental disabilities, wages, age, social background and careers before engaging in terrorism. Similar elements required for norm-referenced testing, medical trials ought to be utilized in collecting precise data characteristics like social background, socio-economic rank, upbringing, behaviour issues amongst other information necessary in understanding the interrelationship of psychological impacts, the judicial system and lawmaking procedures in terrorism.

This research study will involve several procedures tactic, structured interview, assessing and examining the data gathered by the chosen group. The participants are observed during the test by collaborators, who document all actions that can attribute to the results. Schuuranum’s research tactic of assembling relevant journals into a data file to critique the evolution of terrorism attacks is used as the guideline for this research. Concentration will be on academic articles put out in the past twenty years to scrutinize psychological impacts like mental disorders, trauma and other effects that may be diagnosed prior to or after a terrorist attack.

Additionally, the research will use the Inventory of Personality Organization Reality Test scale. This scale is utilized in, “real-world assessments, primitive cognitive protective system, and character diffusion, in a nonclinical specimen”. This is important since there has to be a procedure carried out to evaluate consistency, validity and reliability of testing guidelines before using authorized assessment instruments for this research.

Ethical Guidelines

The study of the psychological effects of terrorism is complicated and needs unusual rules of conduct because the research involves global criminals that are accountable for perpetuating offences against humanity and governments. Due to the sensitivity of this issue, numerous moral factors can hinder the favourable results of this research. This study will concentrate on competence, human relations and informed consent.

Competence is a vital component in this experiment. Due to the severity of the crimes, the participant’s capabilities and understanding levels are documented to illustrate competency. Also, the psychologists have to be well-skilled in their areas of specialization to avoid misdiagnosis, violations, amongst other problems that may affect the results. As per the American Psychological Association, expertise is a crucial trait of a psychologist’s accomplishments when evaluating his/her capabilities. The psychologists have to finish their training to ensure competency whenever their services are needed.

Human relations comprises of several components that can disadvantage the research scene. In this experiment, harassment in the form of segregation and threats will be focused on and will need a specified custom to protect the participants. Discrimination can be projected in this research due to the sensitivity of the group as it involves association with criminals who have committed abominable offences against humankind. This alone is enough reason for them to be set aside by other people.

Discrimination is the unjust treatment towards people based on their gender, religion, race, cultural background and other elements that the person considers rightful to him. For the research, the candidates may be discriminated because of their career choices. Also, due to the task they had in implementing the crimes. Thereby, psychologists experimenting should define a definite system of alleviating biasness when analyzing the results and while researching to generate reliable information.

Since segregation may not be intended in the research, clinical psychologists may have to do so and take extra steps to avoid biasness and to protect the principles of the analysis. Under human relations, preventing harm is a very crucial factor. Therefore, psychologists have to carry out essential measures to avoid exposing the people taking part in the research to danger (APA, 2018). Besides putting up guidelines to mitigate discrimination, there has to be strict protocols protecting them from threats during the duration of the experiment.

Before a psychologist can interview, counsel or assess his/her human subjects, he/she must establish an informed consent with them. Due to the seriousness and sensitivity of this research, the psychologists must ensure that the participants are legally able to give consent. Besides, the participant's mental capacity to complete the assessments must be evaluated. Extra measures have to be taken to uphold the integrity of the research, and participants such as ensuring a third of legal entities have to be involved in providing expertise and understanding of the chosen candidates.

Privacy and confidentiality is a responsibility that psychologists have to adhere to in order to protect the confidential elements of information gathered. Applicable steps ought to be taken while deciding where the gathered information will be preserved during the experiment and afterwards. This includes the location of storage equipment and who will be granted access to the data. Alternative measures that should be taken in case the information is lost, accidentally erased or stolen should be noted down (APA, 2018). Besides, since the data will be recorded using video and other manual documenting tools, there will be additional supporting techniques on how recorded data ought to be handled and preserved. This ought to derail invasion efforts and unapproved individuals from obtaining the information. The postscript to intrusion information must incorporate authoritative measures for the authorized individuals who knowingly obtain confidential data.

Comprehending the pillars of assessment allows for excellent and dependable experiments. Trained professionals such as the psychologists and scientists that take part in experimental studies can utilize the pillars of evaluation to give them direction on how to ensure all components are incorporated and that all legal guidelines are recognized and followed. Additionally, using the pillars of assessment adds principles to solving of problems and assessments which try to tackle issues both in science and psychology. This assessment is a contentious instrument that stresses the moral issues that may cancel out the work and efforts associated with circulating revolutionary information in the area of study. The pillars of testing pinpoint certain issues like examiner, discrimination, instruments, accuracy and possible problems, which, when acknowledged within the experiment increases its reliability, validity and respectability.

References

Aiken, L. R. & Groth-Marnat, G. (2006). Psychological Testing and Assessment. Boston, MA: Pearson Educational Group, Inc.

American Psychological Association. (2018). Ethical principles of psychologists code of conduct. Retrieved from http://www.apa.org/ethics/code/ (accessed on 8 July 2018).

American Public University System. (2018). PSYC502: Week 1 Lesson. Retrieved from https://edge.apus.edu/portal/site/387829/tool/6156a533-ceaf-4256-84eb-b640bfd94f56/ShowPage?returnView=&studentItemId=0&backPath=&errorMessage=&clearAttr=&source=&title=&sendingPage=2169519&newTopLevel=false&postedComment=false&addBefore=&itemId=7313703&path=push&addTool=-1&recheck=&id= (accessed on 8 July 2018).

Sattler, J. M. (2001). Assessment of Children: Cognitive Applications (4th Edition). San Diego, CA: Jerome M. Sattler, In...