USING PSYCHOLOGICAL ASSESSMENT IN CHILD WELFARE CASE PLANNING

Transcription

1 11/08 USING PSYCHOLOGICAL ASSESSMENT IN CHILD WELFARE CASE PLANNING DEVELOPED BY: BY JAMES BARROFIO, Ph.D. THE BUTLER INSTITUTE FOR FAMILIES at the UNIVERSITY OF DENVER Funded through a contract with the Colorado Department Of Human Services

2 Handout 1-a Agenda 8:30-9:00 a.m. Introduction and purpose 9:00-9:15 a.m. A review of the workshop agenda 9:15-10:00 a.m. The principle of psychological consultation 10:00-10:15 Break 10:15-12:00 The spectrum of psychological services 12: :00 p.m. Lunch 1:00-1:45 p.m. The language of psychological consultation 1:45-2:30 p.m. Diagnosis and prognosis 2:45-3:00 p.m. Break 3:00 4:00 p.m. Treatment and case management 4:00 4:15 p.m. Summary and wrap-up 4:15 4:30 p.m. Evaluation

3 Handout 1-b * Quality questions, considered within a context. The Principles of Psychological Consultation * Flexible, client/question/context driven spectrum of services. * Ethical guidelines, set forth by the American Psychological Association. * Quality tests and normative factors. * Actuarial vs. clinical measurement; the power of combining and integrating methods of measurement. * System demands - addressing ethical, legal and clinical complexities. * Meaningful and relevant parsimony. * More is not necessarily, and indeed rarely, better. * Knowing your population and your limitations. * Process vs. response-outcome approaches. * Multi-method sampling. * Cooperation. * The diagnostic call. * The question of validity. * The question of reliability.

4 Handout 2-a The Spectrum of Psychological Services Case Review Diagnostic Consultation Psychological Assessment/Evaluation Cognitive Screening Neuropsychological Screening Neuropsychological Assessment Parent-child Interactional Observations Family Interview Developmental Assessment

5 Handout 2-b Referral Outline (Sample) Client Name: DOB/Age: Referring party: 1) What do you want to know about this individual? 2) Why is it important to know this information? 3) How will this information be used? 4) Who will have access to this information? 5) Are there other sources of information available, which may shed some light on this question? 6) How will this information help the individual? 7) How could the information be harmful? 8) Has the referral question been discussed with the psychologist? Y N Psychologist recommendations:

6 Handout 3-a Report Outline Reason for Referral/Background Information Method of Assessment/consultation Diagnostic Impressions/Results Recommendations

7 Handout 3-b DSM - IV Multiaxial Assessment I. Clinical Disorders and Syndromes II. Personality Disorders and Mental Retardation III. General Medical Conditions IV. Psychosocial and Environmental Problems V. Global Assessment of Functioning

8 Handout 3-c Commonly Used Measurement Methods Self-report Inventories/ objective assessment. The examinee responds to a series of questions (typically using paper-andpencil). Their responses are formulated, assembled, and/or grouped according to a statistical method (e.g., content-related validation, empirical criterion keying). Examples include the MMPI2, PAI, Millon, BASC, APS, etc. - these instruments are designed to measure aspects of personality, attitudes and/or socialemotional functioning. Cognitive Assessment The examinee is presented with problemsolving tasks that require verbal and/or nonverbal skills/abilities. The results are then formulated, assembled and/or grouped and subsequently tabulated in a manner that allows for some measurement of individual functioning, an understanding of strengths and weaknesses in problem-solving and comparison with known groups of subjects. Examples include the WAISIII, WISCIII, Stanford-Binet IV, Kaufman, etc. his/her personality/psychological functioning. Examples include the TAT, Rorschach, Projective Drawings, etc. Educational Testing This examinee responds to written and oral questions. Formulation of their answers yields an assessment of an individual s level of achievement in the academic realm, and in some instances, the occupational realm. Examples include the Woodcock-Johnson, WIAT, etc. Interviewing This is a form of measurement/assessment. It is often overlooked and/or dismissed as secondary in importance to specific measures. However, good interviewing is a powerful diagnostic tool. Examples include the Structural Interview, Diagnostic Interview, Psychosocial Review, etc. Projective Assessment The examinee is presented with relatively unstructured tasks (i.e., permitting a variety of possible responses). The underlying hypothesis is that the way in which the individual perceives, interprets and structures the material and testing situation reflects aspects of

9 Handout 4-a The Diagnostic Process Challenges to Diagnosis Identification and labeling Variation in human development Family system factors Difficulties in communication.

10 Testing and Diagnosis Proper interpretation of test data Phenotypic and genotypic understanding

11 Handout 4-b Diagnosis and Prognosis- Special Considerations The ghost in the machine construct. The more is better construct. The reification of a diagnosis. Backwards diagnosis, or, guilt by association.

12 The science of victomology. Cultural factors in consultation. Qualifications Confidentiality Informed consent

13 Handout 5-a Treatment and Case Management Planning Resources, what resources? Default treatment. Behavior management vs. treatment vs. case-management.

14 Containment issues. Medication.panacea, stop-gap, or something in-between? What s the best predictor of treatment outcome?