Editing Psychological testing (section)

== Psychological tests ==
According to Anastasi and Urbina, psychological tests involve observations made on a "carefully chosen ''sample'' [emphasis authors] of an individual's behavior."<ref name=":1"/> A psychological test is often designed to measure unobserved constructs, also known as [[latent variables]]. Psychological tests can include a series of tasks, problems to solve, and characteristics (e.g., behaviors, symptoms) the presence of which the respondent affirms/denies to varying degrees. Psychological tests can include [[questionnaires]] and [[interview]]s. Questionnaire- and interview-based scales typically differ from psychoeducational tests, which ask for a respondent's maximum performance. Questionnaire- and interview-based scales, by contrast, ask for the respondent's typical behavior.<ref>[[Gideon J. Mellenbergh|Mellenbergh, G.J.]] (2008). Chapter 10: Surveys. In [[H.J. Adèr]] & [[G.J. Mellenbergh]] (Eds.) (with contributions by D.J. Hand), Advising on Research Methods: A consultant's companion (pp. 183-209). Huizen, The Netherlands: Johannes van Kessel Publishing.</ref> Symptom and attitude tests are more often called scales. A useful psychological test/scale must be both [[test validity|valid]], i.e., show evidence that the test or scale measures what it is purported to measure,<ref name=":1"/><ref>American Educational Research Association, American Psychological Association, & National Council on Measurement in Education. (1999). ''Standards for educational and psychological testing''. Washington, DC: American Educational Research Association.</ref>) and [[reliability (psychometric)|reliable]], i.e., show evidence of consistency across items and raters and over time, etc.

It is important that people who are equal on the measured construct (e.g., mathematics ability, depression) have an approximately equal probability of answering a test item accurately or acknowledging the presence of a symptom.<ref>{{Cite journal|last=Mellenbergh|first=Gideon J.|date=1989|title=Item bias and item response theory|journal=International Journal of Educational Research|volume=13|issue=2|pages=127–143|doi=10.1016/0883-0355(89)90002-5}}</ref> An example of an item on a [[mathematics]] test that might be used in the United Kingdom but not the United States could be the following: "In a football match two players get a red card; how many players are left on the pitch?" This item requires knowledge of football (soccer) to be answered correctly, not just mathematical ability. Thus, group membership can influence the probability of correctly answering items, as encapsulated in the concept of [[differential item functioning]]. Often tests are constructed for a specific population and the nature of that population should be taken into account when administering tests outside that population. A test should be invariant between relevant subgroups (e.g., demographic groups) within a larger population.<ref name = Putnick>Putnick, D. L., & Bornstein, M. H. (2016). Measurement invariance conventions and reporting: The state of the art and future directions for psychological research. ''Developmental Review, 41'', 71–90. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.dr.2016.06.004</ref> For example, for a test to be used in the United Kingdom, the test and its items should have approximately the same meaning for British males and females. That invariance does not necessarily apply to similar groups in another population, such as males and females in the United States or between populations, for example, the populations of the UK and the US. In test construction, it is important to establish invariance at least for the subgroups of the population of interest.<ref name = Putnick/>

[[Psychological assessment]] is similar to psychological testing but usually involves a more comprehensive assessment of the individual. According to the American Psychological Association, psychological assessment involves the collection and integration of data for the purpose of evaluating an individual’s "behavior, abilities, and other characteristics."<ref name="APA Dict">American Psychological Association. (n.d.). Psychological assessment. ''APA Dictionary of Psychology''. Accessed Oct. 11, 2023[https://dictionary.apa.org/psychological-assessment]</ref> Each assessment is a process that involves integrating information from multiple sources, such as personality inventories, ability tests, symptom scales, interest inventories, and attitude scales, as well as information from personal interviews. Collateral information can also be collected from occupational records or [[medical history|medical histories]]; information can also be obtained from parents, spouses, teachers, friends, or past therapists or physicians. One or more ''psychological tests'' are sources of information used within the process of [[Psychological assessment|assessment]]. Many psychologists conduct assessments when providing services. Psychological assessment is a complex, detailed, in-depth process. Examples of  assessments include providing a diagnosis,<ref name = "APA Dict"/> identifying a learning disability in schoolchildren,<ref>Barnes, M.A., Fletcher, J., & Fuchs, L. (2007). ''Learning disabilities: From identification to intervention''. New York: The Guilford Press.</ref> determining if a defendant is [[Forensic psychology| mentally competent]],<ref>{{Citation |last1=Neal |first1=Tess M.S. |title=Psychological Assessments in Forensic Settings |date=2022 |url=https://psyarxiv.com/5g3mj/ |work=Comprehensive Clinical Psychology (Second Edition) |pages=243–257 |editor-last=Asmundson |editor-first=Gordon J. G. |place=Oxford |publisher=Elsevier |language=en |doi=10.1016/b978-0-12-818697-8.00150-3 |isbn=978-0-12-822232-4 |access-date=2022-09-21 |last2=Mathers |first2=Elizabeth |last3=Frizzell |first3=Jason R.|s2cid=244328284 }}</ref><ref>{{Cite journal |last1=Neal |first1=Tess M.S. |last2=Sellbom |first2=Martin |last3=de Ruiter |first3=Corine |date=2022 |title=Personality Assessment in Legal Contexts: Introduction to the Special Issue |journal=Journal of Personality Assessment |volume=104 |issue=2 |pages=127–136 |doi=10.1080/00223891.2022.2033248 |issn=0022-3891 |pmid=35235475|s2cid=247219451 |doi-access=free }}</ref> and selecting job applicants.<ref>{{Cite journal|date=2006|title=Standards for Education and Training in Psychological Assessment|url=http://storage.jason-mohr.com/www.personality.org/General/pdf/06/SPA%20(2006,%20JPA)%20Standards%20for%20Education%20and%20Training%20in%20Assessment.pdf|journal=Journal of Personality Assessment|volume=87|issue=3|pages=355–357|doi=10.1207/s15327752jpa8703_17|pmid=17134344|author1=Board of Trustees of the Society for Personality Assessment|s2cid=7572353|access-date=2017-06-26|archive-date=2018-02-05|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180205072353/http://storage.jason-mohr.com/www.personality.org/General/pdf/06/SPA%20(2006,%20JPA)%20Standards%20for%20Education%20and%20Training%20in%20Assessment.pdf|url-status=live}}</ref>