Tests Used by Psychologists

Psychologists are doctoral-level practitioners who help individuals cope with life's struggles and manage mental illness. They may use tests as part of their practice to identify specific problems, help clients identify goals and interests, and facilitate diagnosis of mental illness. Psychologists use many assessment tools. Each practitioner uses the tests he feels are the most reliable, valid and appropriate for the client.

Intelligence Testing

• School psychologists and those employed by vocational programs often conduct intelligence tests. These tests estimate a person's intellectual functioning and provide an intelligence quotient (IQ) score. Psychologists use these scores for diagnoses of mental retardation and learning disabilities as well as for qualification for gifted programming. Examples of intelligence tests include Weschler Intelligence Scale for Children, Weschler Adult Intelligence Scale, Stanford-Binet and the Kaufman Assessment Battery for Children.

Academic and Aptitude Testing

• Psychologists who work with schools or colleges also commonly conduct academic and aptitude testing. These tests determine academic functioning and potential. Examples of aptitude tests include the Scholastic Assessment Test (SAT) and Academic College Testing Program (ACT), which predict higher-education performance. The Stanford Achievement Tests and the Terra Nova Tests are examples of academic achievements tests that indicate current skill levels in each academic area. The Woodcock-Johnson III is another academic test often used in conjunction with IQ tests to identify learning disabilities.

Career and Interest Testing

• School psychologists and those working in college or vocational programs use career testing to help students identify potential career goals. The Strong Interest Inventory and the Kuder Interest Inventories are examples of tests that identify careers of interest. Another resource for assessing career interest is O*NET Career Exploration Tools which can be compared directly with the U.S. Department of Labor online occupational descriptions.

Personality Testing

• Personality tests assess traits and behaviors. These tests include self-report personality inventories and those conducted by the psychologist. Examples include the NEO Personality Inventory and the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator. Psychologists also use projective techniques to assess personality. These techniques require extensive training and can be quite subjective. Thus, they are typically used in conjunction with other assessment tools. The Rorschach Ink Blot Test, the Thematic Apperception Test and the House-Tree-Person Projective Drawing Technique are examples of projective techniques.

Mental Health Tests

• These tests help identify psychopathology. The Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory (MMPI) helps psychologists nine clinical areas. The Beck Depression Inventory, Hamilton Depression Inventory, Beck Anxiety Inventory and Michigan Alcoholism Screening Test are commonly used tools for assessing specific problem areas.