Chapter One
INTRODUCTION

The Handbook of Psychological Assessment is designed to develop a high level of practitioner competence by providing relevant practical, as well as some theoretical, material. It can serve as both a reference and instructional guide. As a reference book, it aids in test selection and the development of a large number and variety of interpretive hypotheses. As an instructional text, it provides students with the basic tools for conducting an integrated psychological assessment. The significant and overriding emphasis in this book is on assessing areas that are of practical use in evaluating individuals in a clinical context. It is applied in its orientation, and for the most part, I have kept theoretical discussions to a minimum. Many books written on psychological testing and the courses organized around these books focus primarily on test theory, with a brief overview of a large number of tests. In contrast, my intent is to focus on the actual processes that practitioners go ... read full excerpt from Handbook of Psychological Assessment, 4th Edition ebook