Prospectus

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Psychodiagnostics (IBP)

Course
2019-2020

Entry requirements

There are no formal admission requirements, but students are expected to be familiar with the theories covered in the first year (relating to personality, clinical, social and cognitive development psychology). Students are also expected to be familiar with terms from the field of psychometrics, such as test construction, standardisation (stanines, deciles, T-scores, etc.), reliability and validity.

Description

This course offers an introduction to psychodiagnostics relating to children and adults. Students acquire knowledge and skills in the field of psychodiagnostics in accordance with the guidelines of the Basic Registration Psychodiagnostics, a quality label of the Dutch Association of Psychologists (NIP). The lectures and work group sessions focus on diagnostic research into intelligence and personality, neuropsychology, psychopathology, learning disorders, vocational interest and professional competences. In the work group sessions, assignments are used to help students acquire practical knowledge of diagnostics for hypothesis testing, selecting research tools, and interpreting and reporting on the results. These workgroup sessions give excellent insight into the work field of a child / clinical psychologist (see learning objectives 1-3). The theoretical knowledge acquired in the lectures and assigned reading material is put into practice in the work group sessions, where the primary focus is on the diagnostic process, forming and testing hypotheses, the intake procedure and reporting. Both the lectures and the workgroup sessions will cover the ‘ethics of psychological assessment’ (e.g., confidentiality of clients’ information).

Course objectives

After completing the Psychodiagnostics course, students will have:

  • Demonstrable theoretical knowledge of the contents and progress of the psychodiagnostic process with regard to different diagnostic questions; a. Skills in developing and testing diagnostic hypotheses and skills in documenting in writing the various steps of the psychodiagnostic process (from intake and hypotheses to recommendation), according to the guidelines of the BAPD; and b. Some skills in recognising, selecting, scoring and interpreting diagnostic resources (observation, interview) and tools (tests, questionnaires).

Timetable

For the timetables of your lectures, work group sessions, and exams, select your study programme. Psychology timetables

Lectures Work group sessions Exams

Registration

Course

Students need to register for lectures, workgroups and exams. Instructions for registration in courses for the 2nd and 3rd year of the IBP

Examination

Students are not automatically enrolled for an examination. They can register via uSis from 100 to 10 calendar days before the date; students who are not registered will not be permitted to take the examination. Registering for exams

Mode of instruction

8 2-hour lectures and 6 2-hour work group sessions.

The main objective of the 8 lectures is to introduce students to the content and progress of the diagnostic process in relation to different psychodiagnostic topics/questions (course objective 1). The main lecture materials consist of a course book that is covered in the lectures, together with examples from practice (case studies, video fragments and guest speakers from the field). Lectures will be in English.

Of the 6 compulsory work group sessions, 3 focus on youth diagnostics, and the other 3 on adult diagnostics. The main objective of the 6 work group sessions is to help students learn to recognise, select and interpret diagnostic tools, to formulate a diagnostic research question, and to learn to write a psychological report (course objectives 2 and 3). In the work group sessions, students are invited to actively practise these practical diagnostic skills using video fragments and diagnostic material. In addition, students are expected to write (in a group and individually) a diagnostic report on the skills practised in the work group sessions. These reports are submitted online and provided with feedback from the workgroup tutor. Workgroups are in English.

Assessment method

The grade for the course is made up of 2 partial grades (one grade for the exam, one grade for the workgroup sessions). The assessment method is in English for the exam as well as the workgroup assignments.

  • Exam grade: based on the multiple-choice exam (counts for 60% of the total grade, examination of course objectives 1 and 3). Exam material is based on the reading list (see below), the (web)lecture content, and the workgroup content (e.g., tests covered, examples of psychological cases). More detailed information on the exam content is provided in the course syllabus for students (PDF made available via the Blackboard course module).

  • Workgroup grade: Students will carry out 4 assignments: 2 practice assessment and 2 graded assignments (examination of course objectives 2 and 3). The marks of the 2 graded assignments are averaged to arrive at the work group grade. Participation in the workgroups is mandatory. The graded assignments count for 40% of the total grade. (examination of course objectives 2 and 3).

Exam consultation
Date and time of consultations of the exams will be announced later. A collective consultation will be organised where students are shown the exam questions, as well as the correct answers. Students need to bring their own answers to the questions of the exam themselves. During the exam consultation, students are not allowed to make notes / take photos of the exam questions. Students can sign up (mandatory) for the consultation in due time by sending an e-mail to psychodiagnostiek@fsw.leidenuniv.nl.

The Institute of Psychology uses fixed rules for grade calculation and compulsory attendance. It also follows the policy of the Faculty of Social and Behavioural Sciences to systematically check student papers for plagiarism with the help of software. Disciplinary measures will be taken when fraud is detected. Students are expected to be familiar with and understand the implications of these three policies.

Reading list

  • Psychological Testing & Assessment (2016). Pearson Customized Edition. ISBN: 9781784482855 (available via Studystore)

  • Additional readings will be made available via Blackboard.

Contact information

The course coordinators, van der Molen en Verkuil, can be contacted via: psychodiagnostiek@fsw.leidenuniv.nl