Elements of Psychological Assessment

Directions: Provide detailed and elaborate responses to the questions below.  Your responses should include examples from the reading assignments and discuss how the concepts are applied in modern psychology.  Your responses to each question should be at least one half of one page in length and include a minimum of two references.

1.Describe the basic elements of psychological assessment including diagnosis, social, behavioral and cultural considerations.

2.How is the DSM utilized in formal diagnostic classification?  Describe the limitations of the DSM.  Describe the five axes and provide an example of information found in each axis.

3.Describe Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy, including Rational-Emotive therapy and Beck’s Cognitive therapies.  Have these approaches been demonstrated to be effective modes of therapy?  Explain.

4.Describe how success is measured in therapy. What are some of the hindrances to therapeutic success?

5. As we investigate the importance of assessment in the therapeutic process, it can be helpful to understand the potential shortcomings. What are possible hindrances to accurate psychological assessments? Any thoughts?

PART II

Review the Web resources in the lecture notes. Select at least three websites that you consider valuable.  In a document that is at least one page in length, provide the following information.

1.Describe the site and its purpose.
2.How does it demonstrate credibility?
3.Explain how the information provided on the site may be beneficial to students and professionals.

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