Prompt: In Milestone One, you chose a case history and described how you would be analyzing the case. In this milestone two, you begin to analyze the data in your client’s case history. You will be addressing how the client’s behaviors and test conditions impacted the test results. You will also closely examine the different tests used to determine the benefits and limitations of each. Finally, you will consider whether or not the assessments were conducted ethically. All of your observations and insights will need to be supported with current research and accepted professional practices.
Specifically the following critical elements must be addressed:
II. Observation
1. a) Using the field notes provided and, referring to the specific testing instruments and methods used, describe the pertinent client behaviors and test conditions relevant to test outcomes and conclusions. What is the setting for the observation? Was it a natural or contrived situation? Was the subject aware of the observation (Hawthorne effect)? How did the observed behaviors relate to the referral question?
2. b) How did the subject respond to testing? What was his or her level of comfort, effort, emotional state, and so on? Using other research, justify how the subject’s behavior could have been impacted by the test conditions.
III. Benefits and Limitations
1. a) Provide a rationale for the test selection used, a brief description of the tests used, and the obtained scores.
2. b) For each test performed in the case history, assess the different approaches used by examining the benefits and limitations of each test performed.
3. c) Relate the tests performed to the APA Ethical Code; did each test follow ethical guidelines? Justify your viewpoint by using current research and theory.
Case History Two—Barbara B. Case Analysis:
a). Client’s Case
The case involves a 22-year-old recent graduate named Barbara and currently employed as an entry level accountant at a large advertising agency. Recently, Barbara has been feeling tired all the time and lacking energy. This has continued for approximately two weeks. Moreover, she has lost interest in socializing and performing daily routines. Her past entails attending a small southern college where she graduated with a degree in advertising (Koocher & Keith-Spiegel, 2016). She has had a busy social life which involves many clubs and activities which included soccer.
Reason for Referral
Barbara decided to make a self-referral assessment due to the fact that she has been lately feeling so tired with no strengths at all. She also decided to make the self-referral since she has changed to disliking socializing which she has been involved in for most of her life. She thus had to go to a psychologist so that the problem can be diagnosed.
Therefore, the problems which are to be addressed in her visit is the cause of such sudden changes. Relating to the APA ethical code of psychological assessment, the issues which can be encountered is asking her for her experience with her private life such as love life. She should assent and willingly answer the questions asked.
b). Referral and the Impact of Assessment
The person making the referral is Barbara who is the victim and giving a reason on why she is making the referral from her report and how she feels. In response to her referral report, it can be depicted that the impact of assessment will be effective and enable her to improve since she is the one who has realized the problem she has and thus saw a need to overcome such problem.
c). Ways of Analyzing Data
The data can be analyzed by critical analysis and the interpreting the report so that the rational can be found to the emergence of the recent Barbara’s feelings. She should then be examined so that the report findings can be compared with the findings by a doctor so that the right diagnosis can be carried out (Miles, Huberman, & Saldaña, 2014).
The best way to organize the data is by first going through the report of a referral made by Barbara then comparing with the physician report. This will help in addressing the question of the cause of Barbara’s feelings. In order to make this technical for the intended reader to understand, simple language can be used which is understandable to the reader. These include avoiding the use of many medical terms.
References
Koocher, G. P., & Keith-Spiegel, P. (2016). Ethics in psychology and the mental health professions: Standards and cases.
Miles, M. B., Huberman, A. M., & Saldaña, J. (2014). Qualitative data analysis: A methods sourcebook.