Psychological testing and sickness
...orces (HE scale); the other test measured to what extent the participant felt helplessness was the result of their own deficiencies (HI scale). The experiment aimed to measure the perceived locus of control. The results showed a positive association between helplessness and depression. Therefore, the reformulated theory of depression is not a sufficient explanation of depression. Another type of clinical experiment was administered to measure a patient’s perception of control and their ability to cope with stress (Fowers, 1994). The hypothesis was that increasing perceived control led to a buffering mechanism for stressful situations. Rotter’s locus of control (LOC) was used to test the hypothesis by measuring the responses to stress. The Multidimensional Health Locus of Control (MHLCS) was also given for comparison to the LOC results. The outcomes of the two tests were similar though the two tests are not identical; each test had its own specific advantages. Some studies may combine neuropsychological and clinical tests for thorough results. In the case of the Resident Assessment Instrumental-Mental Health (RAI-MH), psychiatric, social, environmental, and medical issues are measured to determine the best geriatric service (Hirdes, 2002). Individual results of the study are used to specially plan long-term quality health care. A multinational cooperative effort was put forth to further develop the RAI-MH in order to better fit the needs of its demands. The collaboration resulted in an improved RAI-MH that measured a wide range of variables from depression and anxiety to quality of life to extrapyramidal symptoms. Clinical tests are also used for special situations with children. The Scale for Assessing Emotional Disturbance (SAED) is a standardized scale to measure and assess emotional disturbance (ED) in children according to its specific, federal definition (Epstein, 2002). The SAED features five subscales, each one corresponding to one of the five requirements, by definition, for identifying a child as having ED. The psychometric standards of the test are in accordance with those established by the APA. The Colorado Client Assessment Record (CCAR) is another test used to determine the multidimensional measures of children’s mental health functioning (Potter, 1999). This clinical test also has to do with assessing ED of children. The CCAR is a reliable measure of multidimensional level-of-functioning that has been administered to all patients of the Colorado mental health system in the past twenty years. Applied to children, the CCAR can be used to identify serious cases of ED (SED). Any insufficiency at a level-of-function on the CCAR can lead to the proper and timely diagnosis of a mental disorder in the child. A third and very different clinical test used to identify the source of development of psychosocial problems in children is the Parental Bonding Instrument (PBI) (Pederson, 1994). This test measures the relationship between parents and children concerning both mothers’ and fathers’ “care” and “control/overprotection.” A four quadrant chart is used for assessment. The test has yielded results that both “low care” and “high control” can be risk factors for the development of neurotic depression, anxiety, compulsive neuroses, and phobias in their children. Personality tests are another category of psychological tests that measure a person’s basic personality characteristics. An Inner Strength Questionnaire (ISQ) was formulated to measure women’s inner strength via its five dimensions: knowing and searching, connectedness, physical self-spirit, mental self-spirit, and the new normal (Roux, 2003). The ISQ was administered to women with major chronic health conditions. This is a relatively new testing instrument with a lot of promising psychometric properties. The results of its administration supported the existing theories and hypotheses on inner strength of women. Some studies utilize psychological testing to its fullest extent. For example, the Recovery Scale was an instrument used to determine the success rate of recovery from severe mental illness, such as schizophrenia (Corrigan, 1999). The study employed various neuropsychological, clinical, and personality tests to support the results of the Recovery Scale. The Recovery Scale itself is a 41-item clinical scale for measuring the psychosocial constructs of the participants. The participants also completed: a personality Empowerment Scale, reporting personally on statements of empowerment; a Quality of Life Interview (QOLI), a clinical instrument used to measure various domains of independent living; a Social Support Questionnaire (SSQ), a personality instrument reflecting one’s social support network; a neuropsychological Brief Psychiatric Rating Scale (BPRS), used to assess the severity of psychiatric symptoms; and a Needs and Resources Assessment, another neuropsychological instrument measuring the participants current disability and resources. This study uses a wide range of instruments to measure several possible variables that may or may not affect the recovery of the individual. The issue of validity and reliability of p...