Introduction to the Special Section on Teaching,Training, and Supervision in Personality and Psychological Assessment

This special section contains empirical and conceptual articles pertaining to the broad topic of teaching, training, and supervision of assessment. Despite some evidence of a decline in recent decades, assessment remains a defining practice of professional psychologists in many subfields, including clinical, counseling, school, and neuropsychology, that consumes a consequential proportion of their time. To restore assessment to its rightful place of prominence, a clear agenda needs to be developed for advancing teaching and training methods, increasing instruction to state-of-the-art methods, and defining aims that could be elucidated through empirical inquiry. The 7 articles in this special section provide a developmental perspective of these issues that collectively provide practical tools for instructors and begin to set the stage for a research agenda in this somewhat neglected area of study that is vital to the identity of professional psychology. Additionally, 2 comments are provided by distinguished figures in the field concerning the implications of the articles in the special section to health services psychology and the competencies-based movement in applied psychology.     

Introduction to the special section on incremental validity and utility in clinical assessment

This special section focuses on the incremental validity and utility of clinical assessment data. The lack of replicated incremental validity research limits the ability of psychologists to establish their assessment practices on a solid empirical footing. The articles in this section deal with conceptual, methodological, and content issues in the development and use of clinical measures. The authors addressed several aspects of incremental validity research, including (a) the evaluation of the magnitude of validity increments, (b) the use of incremental validity data for test development and validation, (c) the costs of assessment, (d) the use of multi-informant and multimethod assessments, and (e) the treatment utility of assessment. Obstacles limiting the use of incremental validity research to inform and guide clinical practice are also emphasized.     

The Narrative Arc of TATs: Introduction to the JPA Special Section on Thematic Apperceptive Techniques

The past decade has seen important developments in thematic apperceptive techniques (TATs), with the creation of new card sets having alternate pictures representing different cultures, new scoring systems becoming available, and increasing international communication of these achievements. However, continuing impediments to the development of a validational literature include lingering mistaken assumptions about the nature of story data, ongoing debates about appropriate psychometric evaluation, and continuing questions about how stimuli and scoring systems should be conceptualized and interpreted. Negotiating the publication system can impede some potential authors. Excellent work on TATs with children is not well known in the adult-focused journals. The labor burden of meeting increasingly sophisticated publication standards might be a barrier to assessors focused on clinical practice. Accumulating a focused evidence base is challenging given the diversity of criterion variables for which TATs have been used. Research on TATs by clinicians can span the science–practice gap, but the narrative arc can be a dramatic one. The articles in this special section on TATs represent important conceptual, methodological, and substantive innovations.     

Introduction to the special issue on the personality assessment inventory

This special issue of the Journal of Personality Assessment brings together 13 new research studies on the Personality Assessment Inventory (PAI; Morey, 1991) that should inform users and stimulate future empirical activity with this measure. In 4 articles, authors evaluate the validity scales and indexes of the PAI using both analog and criterion designs and samples from a variety of clinical and forensic settings. In a 5th article, the authors describe a novel approach to profile interpretation using two PAI negative distortion measures. The authors present applications of the PAI to new populations and problems including a German translation of the PAI and profile information for male batterers and victims of head injury. The authors of 2 studies extend research on the validity of the PAI for the assessment of borderline personality disorder. In the final 3 studies, the authors evaluate the validity of PAI measures of violence and aggression to predict subsequent aggressive behavior and institutional misconduct. Finally, the authors offer several suggestions for future research with the PAI.     

Introduction to the Special Section on Cultural Considerations in Collaborative and Therapeutic Assessment

Issues of culture abound in the conduct of psychological assessment. This special section brings together a collection of articles from expert practitioners in the Therapeutic Assessment (TA) model to discuss cultural considerations. The special section is comprised of a conceptual discussion of the cultural influence of the assessment situation itself, 3 case examples illustrating the way in which culture enters into assessment, and the ways that the TA paradigm can be useful in mitigating the potential negative effects; and a comment on the 4 articles. In this introduction to the special section, I discuss 2 interrelated concepts that are helpful in framing the articles that will follow: the need to practice assessment with multicultural competence, and the potential benefits of using an assessment model (e.g., TA) that is itself culturally responsive. As the world continues to become more culturally diverse through changing demographics and the recognition and evolution of different subcultures, the need to practice assessment using these concepts will only become more central.     

Introduction to the special section on Resources for Enhancing Alzheimer's Caregiver Health (REACH)

This article provides background information and an overview on Resources for Enhancing Alzheimer's Caregiver Health (REACH) a multisite intervention trial for caregivers of persons with Alzheimer's disease designed to reduce caregiver burden and depression. REACH is the largest randomized controlled clinical trial to date, involving 1,222 caregiver and care recipient dyads recruited from 6 different sites in the United States. The authors describe the design of the study, summarize the interventions implemented at each site, and provide an overview of the 4 articles in this special section.     

Computerized Neurocognitive Testing in the Management of Sport-Related Concussion: An Update

Since the late nineties, computerized neurocognitive testing has become a central component of sport-related concussion (SRC) management at all levels of sport. In 2005, a review of the available evidence on the psychometric properties of four computerized neuropsychological test batteries concluded that the tests did not possess the necessary criteria to warrant clinical application. Since the publication of that review, several more computerized neurocognitive tests have entered the market place. The purpose of this review is to summarize the body of published studies on psychometric properties and clinical utility of computerized neurocognitive tests available for use in the assessment of SRC. A review of the literature from 2005 to 2013 was conducted to gather evidence of test-retest reliability and clinical validity of these instruments. Reviewed articles included both prospective and retrospective studies of primarily sport-based adult and pediatric samples. Summaries are provided regarding the available evidence of reliability and validity for the most commonly used computerized neurocognitive tests in sports settings.     

Laboratory and performance-based measures of childhood disorders: introduction to the special section

Serves as an introduction to a special section of the journal on laboratory and performance-based measures of childhood disorders. The articles in the special section were part of the work of a task force established by Division 12 of the American Psychological Association on "Upgrading the Science and Technology of Assessment and Diagnosis." In this introduction, I raise a number of issues involved in the use of laboratory and performance-based measures for the assessment of childhood psychopathology that cut across the different disorders covered in the special section. Some of these issues are common to most techniques used in the assessment of childhood psychopathology; others are more specific to this particular method of assessment. However, by focusing on these issues related to the use of laboratory and performance-based measures, it will hopefully encourage a critical examination of all techniques currently being used in the assessment of psychopathology and highlight important issues involved in translating measures that were developed primarily for use in research into forms that are useful in clinical practice.     

Expanding the aperture of psychological assessment: introduction to the special section on innovative clinical assessment technologies and methods

Contemporary psychological assessment is dominated by tried-and-true methods like clinical interviewing, self-report questionnaires, intellectual assessment, and behavioral observation. These approaches have served as the mainstays of psychological assessment for decades. To be sure, these methods have survived over the years because clinicians have found the information gleaned from these improves our understanding of the client, helps formulate a treatment plan, or aids in assessing outcome. However, are there any recent technological or methodological developments that might improve the clinical assessment enterprise? Some believe so. The purpose of this special section is to provide a snapshot of relatively newer clinical assessment technologies and methods that have been underutilized. Each article in this special section presents one or more assessment methods or techniques that are currently available and are showing some promise in clinical assessment.     

Observation of couple conflicts: clinical assessment applications, stubborn truths, and shaky foundations

The purpose of this review is to provide a balanced examination of the published research involving the observation of couples, with special attention toward the use of observation for clinical assessment. All published articles that (a) used an observational coding system and (b) relate to the validity of the coding system are summarized in a table. The psychometric properties of observational systems and the use of observation in clinical practice are discussed. Although advances have been made in understanding couple conflict through the use of observation, the review concludes with an appeal to the field to develop constructs in a psychometrically and theoretically sound manner.     

Commentary on evidence-based psychological treatments for older adults

This article comments on the articles in the Special Section on Evidence-Based Psychological Treatments for Older Adults. The articles apply criteria developed by the Society of Clinical Psychology to evaluate treatments for late-life anxiety, insomnia, behavior disturbances in dementia, and caregiver distress. The articles document that there are evidence-based psychological treatments that can help older adults. However, there are 2 substantial hurdles: evidence and access. Gaps in the evidence, as mentioned by the authors of the articles in the special section, result from disproportionate research attention to some psychotherapies and some mental disorders, with corresponding lack of research about other treatments and disorders. The challenge for access is to ensure that older adults with treatable mental disorders will get connected to psychologists trained in these evidence-based therapies.     

Reflecting on imagery: a clinical perspective and overview of the special issue of memory on mental imagery and memory in psychopathology

The authors provide an overview of the papers in the special issue of Memory on mental imagery and memory in psychopathology. The papers address emotional, intrusive mental imagery across a range of psychological disorders including post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), agoraphobia, body dysmorphic disorder, mood disorders, and psychosis. They include work on information processing issues including modelling cravings, conditioning, and aversions, as well as imagery qualities such as vividness and emotionality. The overview aims to place the articles in a broader context and draw out some exciting implications of this novel work. It provides a clinical context to the recent growth in this area from a cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) perspective. We begin with PTSD, and consider links to imagery in other disorders. The clinical implications stemming from this empirical work and from autobiographical memory theory are discussed. These include consideration of a variety of techniques for eliminating troublesome imagery, and creating healthy, realistic alternatives.     

Reconceptualizing personality disorder categories using personality trait dimensions: introduction to special section

The categorical model of personality disorders has been widely criticized, and many argue for it to be reconceptualized or replaced by a dimensional model rooted in personality trait research. Such criticisms have forged a much needed integration between the previously distinct research areas of normal and abnormal personality. The five articles in this special section provide compelling evidence for the usefulness of personality traits for describing and explaining the complexities of personality disorders among widely varying samples using very different assessment strategies.     

The state of psychological assessment in Asia

The collection of articles in this special section provides a much-needed examination of the state of psychological assessment in various Asian countries or societies. In particular, the contributors review and critique assessment of personality, depression and anxiety, children and adolescents, and neuropsychological evaluation. The reviews cover the use of, and research on, imported measures (Western derived) as well as indigenous measures that were developed locally. The articles make a valuable contribution toward understanding not only the state of assessment in Asia but also larger issues such as the universal applicability of assessment instruments and the cross-cultural validity of models of human behavior.     

Psychometric properties of the French and English versions of the Vancouver Obsessional-Compulsive Inventory and the Symmetry Ordering and Arranging Questionnaire

The Vancouver Obsessional-Compulsive Inventory (VOCI) and the Symmetry Ordering and Arranging Questionnaire (SOAQ) are self-report measures that assess a wide variety of symptoms and features of obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) including checking, contamination, obsessions, hoarding, "just right", indecisiveness, and symmetry, ordering and arranging obsessions and compulsions. The original English versions of the VOCI and SOAQ have been shown to demonstrate excellent psychometric properties. The present study examined the reliability and validity of French translations of these measures in a non-clinical sample, and also involved the collection of supplementary psychometric information about the English versions of the scales from a new sample. Volunteer undergraduate students completed questionnaire packages including the VOCI and SOAQ, as well as measures of obsessive-compulsive, phobic and depressive symptomatology in their native language of either French or English. Results indicate that the French versions of the VOCI and SOAQ demonstrate similar and excellent psychometric properties to the English versions and that these measures are highly valid and reliable assessment tools for use in clinical and research applications in both languages.     

Trajectory of cognitive science and psychological assessment: current status and expectations

Salient commonalities and distinctions of the set of contributions to this special section are synthesized and discussed. The examination provides a springboard for observations on future developments in cognitive-science applications. Issues considered include imminence and nature of clinical implementation, prediction of selected client transactions outside the assessment context, integration with complementing modes of clinical assessment, and reciprocal information sharing by clinical and nonclinical cognitive scientists.     

Self-monitoring: individual differences in orientations to the social world

In their articles in this special section of the Journal of Personality, the authors have focused their attention on the role of individual differences in self-monitoring for a variety of interpersonal phenomena. In so doing, the authors have provided an overview of the theoretical and empirical contributions of the psychology of self-monitoring to the domains of interest: close relationships, consumer behavior, behavior in the workplace, and social interaction. As each of the contributing authors to this special section suggests, much more theoretical and empirical work is in order if the impact of individual differences in self-monitoring for the phenomena reviewed here is to be fully appreciated. Moreover, the four domains of interest represented in this special section by no means exhaust the areas to which theorists and researchers have applied or can apply the psychology of individual differences in self-monitoring. Given the large nomological network that currently exists involving the self-monitoring construct, it is anticipated that the breadth and depth of applications of the psychology of self-monitoring will only continue to expand as it has in the last 30 years since the appearance of the construct in the literature.     

Reflecting on imagery: A clinical perspective and overview of the special issue of Memory on mental imagery and memory in psychopathology

The authors provide an overview of the papers in the special issue of Memory on mental imagery and memory in psychopathology. The papers address emotional, intrusive mental imagery across a range of psychological disorders including post‐traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), agoraphobia, body dysmorphic disorder, mood disorders, and psychosis. They include work on information processing issues including modelling cravings, conditioning, and aversions, as well as imagery qualities such as vividness and emotionality. The overview aims to place the articles in a broader context and draw out some exciting implications of this novel work. It provides a clinical context to the recent growth in this area from a cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) perspective. We begin with PTSD, and consider links to imagery in other disorders. The clinical implications stemming from this empirical work and from autobiographical memory theory are discussed. These include consideration of a variety of techniques for eliminating troublesome imagery, and creating healthy, realistic alternatives.     

New methods for new questions: obstacles and opportunities

Two forces motivate this special section, "New Methods for New Questions in Developmental Psychology." First are recent developments in social science methodology and the increasing availability of those methods in common software packages. Second, at the same time psychologists' understanding of developmental phenomena has continued to grow. At their best, these developments in theory and methods work in tandem, fueling each other. Newer methods make it possible for scientists to better test their ideas; better ideas lead methodologists to techniques that better reflect, capture, and quantify the underlying processes. The articles in this special section represent a sampling of these new methods and new questions. The authors describe common themes in these articles and identify barriers to future progress, such as the lack of data sharing by and analytical training for developmentalists.     

Introduction to the special section on clinical applications of analogue behavioral observation

This Special Section addresses methods, validity, and utility of analogue behavioral observation. Separate contributions to the Special Section cover analogue behavioral observation of marital interaction, child behavior problems, parent-child interaction, and adult social functioning. Additional articles address psychometric foundations of analogue behavioral observations, general issues, and future directions in the development and evaluation of this assessment method. Many published studies were reviewed in detail and issues of validity, clinical assessment utility, and sources of variance in obtained measures are addressed.