Route 1: Research Stream

Transcription

1 Route 1: Research Stream

2 Route 2: Clinical Stream

3 Career Profile Psychometrists are part of research or health care teams that specialize in administering, scoring, analyzing and interpreting psychological tests. In Ontario, Psychometrists are not legally allowed to communicate diagnoses, so they must work under the supervision of a Registered Psychologist or Psychological Associate, who are licensed to do so. Tasks include explaining testing procedures to clients, answering questions, administering tests, scoring tests, analyzing data, interpreting results, writing reports and communicating results to other mental health care professionals. A psychometrist must also stay up to date with new developments in the field, as tests and procedures are created, updated and/or improved. Education and Training Required Psychometrists work with Registered Psychologists or Registered Psychological Associates as part of research teams or diagnostic and treatment teams. They can work in research either in Universities or Research hospitals; in the public school system; or in mental health facilities. The level of education and experience required for jobs in psychometry differs as a function of the level of complexity and the amount of responsibility involved. For example, some research positions only require an undergraduate degree in psychology, health or a related field, although these positions tend to be contracts for specific studies (search done on this date). Often preference is given to those with at least Master s degrees in psychology. Working as part of a clinical team tends to requires more education and experience, as the tests psychometrists administer in these jobs are generally more complex, and have the potential to affect the lives of the people who are taking them. For example, psychometrists working in schools might administer diagnostic tests to detect learning or attention disabilities. In this case, misdiagnosis can lead to negative consequences such as missed opportunities or unsuitable interventions for the misdiagnosed student. Generally, psychometrists who work as part of the public school system need at least a Master s degree in Education as well as sufficient training in psychological assessment. Psychometrists who work as part of a treatment team in a mental health setting will need at least a Master s degree in Psychology or a related field. In either case, they may be required to be a member of a professional organization. Psychometrists need to have a good understanding of both the practical and theoretical sides of conducting tests. This means an adequate number of courses in research methods, statistics and psychological measurement should be included in undergraduate and post-graduate study. Psychometrists can also specialize in certain clinical or diagnostic area or a wide range of research areas by specializing in a certain area in their studies.

4 Other Qualifications Along with proper education and training, psychometrists need certain qualities to succeed at their job. No psychological test is perfect. People may be influenced by a wide variety of other factors that could affect their score on a psychological test, such as test setting, mood or energy level going into the test, and the test environment to name a few. Psychometrists need to be able to identify a large number of variables in a changing environment that could influence test results and understand how these variables might interact to account for the measure they obtain on the psychological test. In a research setting, this might result in a change in testing procedure to eliminate undesired influences. In a clinical setting, psychometrists will need to identify if their patients are tired, frustrated, inattentive or experiencing a strong emotion, and adjust accordingly. As such, Psychometrists need to be able to think quickly and make sense of complex information. A good ability to identify, synthesize and interpret complex and abstract information is a must. As psychometrists work as part of a mental health or research team, as well as members of the public and/or sensitive populations, they must have excellent communication skills and may need to possess a great deal of patience and good people-skills. Good numerical ability is required to deal with data and statistics. Psychometrist should enjoy being methodical and thorough, as well as innovative. They should also feel comfortable being in charge. Psychometrists should be people-people with the ability to guide a wide range of clients through psychological tests, taking into account the client s state and being able to make them at ease if necessary. Checklist Psychometrist Checklist BA in Psychology MA or MSc in Psychology 1-2 Years Experience Administering psychological tests. PhD in Psychometry (optional) Membership in the OACCPP.

5 Salary Psychometrists who work as researchers often work on contract and are paid an hourly wage. The hourly wage ranges from $20 to $43 an hour. Psychometrists who earn a salary generally make $55,000 - $77,000 per year [1]. Additional Certification As with other jobs in the field of mental health, seeking out additional certification is a way to increase specialization in a specific area. For Psychometrists, this might include getting specific training in the administration of specific tests, or training on how to interact with certain sensitive populations. Costs to Consider There are several costs associated with becoming a psychometrist. Along with the cost of University education, psychometrists may decide to join a professional association such as the OACCPP to demonstrate that they comply with certain standards of practice. Professional associations and/or certain jobs may also require that psychometrists have liability insurance to protect them in case of legal arbitration by a client for real or perceived wrongdoing. Similarly, certification with a professional association may require that their members update their qualifications with continuing education, at the member s personal expense. More Info Psychometrist Career Profile from the Government of Canada s National Occupation Classification ( Qualifications for the Ethical Use of Tests from UBC Test Library (