Psychological Assessment
Due Date: 1 June 2009
Assignment 1
Origins and development of psychological evaluation
The value of psychological evaluation as it is practiced today with reflection on its history and development
1. Theoretical and historical background
One may define plainly psychological evaluation as an examination into interrelationships between personality characteristics and criteria for with the aim of finding specified results. Psychological assessment evolved from a host of predecessors over many years.
The 1800’s gave rise to standardised assessment procedures in order to diagnose and treat psychiatric patients. In view of how psychological assessment evolved, Gregory (2007) tells us of origins of testing in China. He mentioned that though testing dates as far back as 2200 BC in China, it got modification and as refinement over centuries. The Chinese took tests over civil law, military affairs, agriculture, revenue and geography.
The examinations of the mentally ill around the middle of the 19th century resulted in the development of numerous early tests. These tests were influential in determining the course of psychological testing. Most of the early psychiatry tests developed faded in to air, however a few procedures were standardised and perpetuated themselves in modern variations. From mental tests to identifying children who needed special schooling, psychological assessments from early years shaped the character of contemporary tests.
There were a lot of examination systems that took form though in 1906 it was abolished. We learn that by 1910 Goddard conducted tests on children and recommended segregation for the kids. Around the 1900’s inventions such as the non-verbal intelligence tests were invented to facilitate tests for non-English speakers. Tests were developed for army soldiers (Army Alpha and Army beta). That was a non verbal group test for illiterates and non-English recruits. As psychological...