Prospectus

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Psychodiagnostics (IBP)

Course
2015-2016

Students of the Dutch bachelor’s programme, see Psychodiagnostiek

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 Basisaantekening Psychodiagnostiek (BAPD), 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. 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.

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;

  • Demonstrable knowledge and understanding of the different steps (from intake to recommendation) of the diagnostic process;

  • Skills in developing and testing diagnostic hypotheses;

  • Some skills in recognising, selecting, scoring and interpreting diagnostic resources (observation, interview) and tools (tests, questionnaires); 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.

Timetable

For the timetables of your lectures, workgroups, and exams, select your study programme.
Psychology timetables

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

For information on registration periods consult the bachelor course registration

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. 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).

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 and to formulate a diagnostic report. 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. Every work group assignment has its own learning objectives. For each work group (assignment), students are provided with standard guidelines (advice) which they can follow to meet these objectives. Work group lecturers assess whether the students have met these learning objectives. This is announced for each assignment via instructions and online feedback.

Assessment method

The grade for the course is made up of 2 partial grades: an examination grade (60%) and a work group grade (40%). The latter grade is determined based on 4 sub-assignments that students have to carry out. Each assignment will be assessed as: fail, pass, good, or very good. These 4 grades are combined to arrive at the work group grade (see Blackboard for the calculation table).

Regulation on grade calculation.

The Faculty of Social and Behavioural Sciences has instituted that instructors use a software programme for the systematic detection of plagiarism in students’ written work. In case of fraud disciplinary actions will be taken. Please see the information concerning fraud.

Reading list

  • Course Book: Psychological Testing & Assessment (2014). Pearson Customized Edition. ISBN 9781784470913 (available via Labyrinth or Studystore.nl). Please Note: this book contains a personal code that provides access to the online chapter “Behavioral Assessment”. This e-chapter is also part of the examination.

  • Online Reader, available via Blackboard.

Contact information