Self assessment of psychological problems
Introduction
The process through which people learn more about their bodies is referred to as self psychological assessment. Through self assessment people get to learn what they like, what they do not like, and how they react to certain situations. People also get to know how a person who is not suffering from any psychological disorder behaves and how people suffering from psychological problems behave in the society. Knowing these things helps a person determine the type of job heshe can hold and also determine whether heshe is suffering from or is at risk of developing a psychological disorder. There exist various assessment tools that help individuals to easily measure a particular aspect of them. These tools are used for measuring personal interests, skills, personality and values. Tools for self assessment may be easily administered by an individual or require interpretive support. Self directed tools are designed in such a way that a person can use it and review hisher results without the help of a trained or licensed person to interpret the data. Tools requiring interpretive assistance mean that results obtained from assessment need to be talked about with a person who is trained for that purpose in order to make them understandable. Self assessment is an ongoing process. People asses how they manage various tasks in their life, people also evaluate whether they are doing what they are supposed to, saying and doing what they should and also acting the way they are supposed to. In particular psychological problems for example depression self assessment is generally critical and negative. When a mistake occurs in the life of a person heshe is most likely to think they have messed up and they are of no benefit. People start blaming themselves as the cause of all problems. During depression phase people tend to take responsibility for all that goes wrong. They also tend to give credit to other people for things that turn out the way they are intended. Psychologists believe that self assessment in depressed persons is too critical and only lowers their self esteem in addition to aggravating their sense of failure. People often experience problems in finding the right tool to help them in a particular situation. As a result people turn to books, magazines, journals and the internet in search of the right assessment tool. Psychological assessment tools are developed in many varying ways. There are those which are better than others.
Although assessments can be helpful tools if used properly and considerately, people are advised not to rely on the results of an assessment without taking critical consideration of the source of these assessments and the limits of their explanation. The explanation of certain results of particular assessments should be critically evaluated because some of them may not exactly apply to an individual. These explanations may also fail to provide specific answers to certain queries. If explanations of certain test raise doubts they should be used with the assistance of trained psychological health personnel.
Self assessment
Self assessment is the process through which people look at their self so as to measure up features that a person may find beneficial to hisher identity or determine the presence of a particular psychological disorder. People often use self assessment to their uncertain self-features instead of using it to verify their certain self-aspects. People may also use self assessment to improve the confidence of their own self understanding. People who use self assessment are interested in the appropriateness of their present self view. Many people do not use self assessment in order to improve their current self concept. Over reliance on self assessment may lead to destruction of self esteem. There are numerous psychological tests designed to evaluate various features of a persons mental capability, personality, and psychological wellbeing among other things. It is very important that a person be able to identify the most effective test among many that exist. Self assessment, feedback of peers, as well as interpretation of outcomes by a qualified person are important components that increase the level of self awareness leading to personal development and growth inclined toward certain behaviors. Beneficial self assessment instruments are contain well validated as well as researched personality styles.
There is research evidence to support the effectiveness of self assessment. Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders developed by the American Psychological Association is one of the most researched criteria that is utilized in development of self assessment tools. This manual is a tool that psychologists cannot do without. The efficiency of psychological assessments contained in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders relies on the know-how of the psychologist administering thee tests. However, these assessments are exceedingly dependable, and have been set up so as to offer very precise results. IQ test is one of the most commonly used psychological tests. Aptitude tests have been in existence for over a century. Psychological batteries are the other forms of psychological tests utilized in identifying personality traits that are common. These tests appear everywhere from magazines to the DSM IV. These tests function by classifying people into various groups. True character type assessment can be very beneficial in shedding light concerning a persons beliefs and habits. One of the studies in the area of self assessment was conducted by Constantine Sedikides in 1993. He conducted a research aimed at revealing the functions of various self assessment motives. Sedikides conducted successive studies on the subject of self assessment.
Psychological health professionals conduct psychological assessments in order to determine the outcome of behavioral health treatment. Their interest and focus on result of assessment can be traced to the unending quality improvement movement. In health circles results of psychological assessment have multiple purposes. Health care providers looking for contracts from third party players must present outcome data often showing the efficiency of their services. They are also required to provide data illustrating satisfaction of their patients with the services they have been offered. Knowledge obtained from these results can be used as a base for improvement of services offered by psychologists. As an advantage to the patient psychological assessment conducted by a professional offers a means of determining how much improvement heshe has made from the time treatment was initiated up to the time treatment was stopped. Psychological assessment by a professional allows feedback of information an aspect that greatly improves a patients self-esteem as well as self confidence. These feedbacks also serve as indicators to the patient of the need to go on with treatment. During assessment doctors use various methods in the process of assessment for psychological problems. Professionals usually ask several questions regarding the condition of the patient. Psychological professionals are better than self assessment techniques because they provide a two way process through which additional information can be shared concerning the patients problem and ways for proper diagnosis devised. Professionals ask a patient how long heshe have been living with a particular psychological problem. This plays a major role of determining whether a problem is chronic or acute. Professionals also ask a patient what kind of psychological symptoms heshe may be experiencing. They also enquire of the time certain symptoms become severe. They also ask patients whether they experience suicidal thoughts. This helps greatly in determining the suicidal risk of a person. People have a chance to talk psychologists in case they experience various symptoms of a particular psychological disorder. Self assessment on the other hand rely on a set of formulated conditions that a patients counter measures hisher psychological symptoms with. A patient is not given a chance to say how heshe is feeling. Self assessments many be overly critical as compared to assessment by a psychologists thereby leading to development of depression by a person and sustaining it. Cognitive therapy can be used to assist a depressed person recognize serious and minor life problems. It can also be used to assist in establishing positive life goals as well as a more positive self psychological assessment.
Self assessment is a very important way of helping people determine whether they are suffering from or are at risk of developing depression. Women are particularly prone to depression than men. This is as a result of biological, cultural, as well as psychosocial factors. It is therefore very important that women keep an eye on their moods, take regular self assessments and identify factors that could increase their risk of developing depression. Self assessment instruments related to depression include stress, depression, and anxiety among others. Depression has got numerous causes and influences people in varying ways. There are those who undergo sleepless nights, feel sad, become aggressive and there are those who become socially withdrawn. Although these symptoms do not last for long there are times when they last for a very long period of time. Self assessment tests are very important in cases where there are no possible blood tests. Depression is one of these cases. Blood test or X-rays cannot be conducted to verify presence of depression. The most effective way of making a diagnosis of major depression is through careful evaluation of how a person is feeling. These feelings are then discussed with a psychologist who determines whether a person is suffering from depression or not. There are various facts about depression that self assessment is based on. One of them is that depression is a physical disorder which is more common in women as compared to men. Some people develop depression as a result of genetic predisposition. Depression is usually triggered by traumatic factors as well as stress. Depression people have a high tendency of committing suicide. Self assessment tools are taken as medical exams which are only allowed in some circumstances.
Psychologists are the most qualified people to develop self assessment tools. These are people who are qualified in the area psychological disorders that affect people. These people have carried out numerous psychological assessments and are therefore competent in that area. Psychologists usually administer and interpret information obtained from various psychological tests. Authorized authors, publishers, and professionals are the ones who should come up with self assessment tools. Professionals are supposed to provide proof of their qualifications before they release certain tests. Regarding use of psychological tests, professionals should provide proof that they have undergone some form of specialized training and have been certified by authorized psychologists. People are advised to make sure they do not rely on assessment tests provided by unauthorized sources. There are those people as well as organizations that will spread information regarding personal assessment tests with intent of making money rather than helping people identify particular psychological problems. Based on the shift from a mental health line of work to that of a health profession, authors advocate self assessment technique for individual psychologists to measure their readiness to offer professional services in their area of practice.
There are various factors that people ought to look at before engaging in a self assessment program. One of them is legitimacy of the source of information. People should critically evaluate the authenticity of the author of self assessment tests before undertaking them. The other thing that people should consider before taking on a self assessment program is the seriousness of the psychological condition. Some mental conditions are so severe that real benefits can only be obtained through professionals. Psychological disorders such as major depression and bipolar disorder require the intervention of a professional.
Although self assessment can be used to determine whether a person is showing symptoms of a particular psychological disorder such as depression, it can not be used to diagnose a psychological disorder. Psychologists and doctors are the only ones who can diagnose a person with psychological disorders. Self assessment tools are taken as medical exams which are only allowed in some circumstances. These tools are not heavily relied upon by psychologists in their process of diagnosis. It requires knowledge to properly interpret information and results of a particular self assessment tool. Some of these tools require specialized training as well as experience to administer and interpret accurately. Requirements of self assessment tools vary broadly depending on the specific tools being used. Self assessment however, provides information that aid in identifying a psychological impairment or disorder. They are useful to some extent, because they assist in eliminating adverse mental cases. Self assessments offer an inexpensive way of determining whether a person is suffering from a mental disorder. Professional helpers are at times very expensive and rarely available. Professionals also have a limit in terms of what they can provide. Self assessments come in hardy and offer a wide range of information that is readily available. Self assessments also help people deal with various psychological conditions without having to visit a professional.
Conclusion
There has been a growing trend toward offering self assessment for psychological problems over the last few years. Magazines, websites, and self help books are some of the sources of self assessment tools for psychological problems. Self assessment of psychological problems is the process through which people learn more about various psychological abnormalities that may affect them. There exists various personal assessment tools that help determine whether a person is having or is at risk of developing a psychological disorder. Tools for self assessment are either administered by an individual or by a professional. People often experience problems in finding the right tool to help them in a particular situation. As a result people turn to books, magazines, journals and the internet in search of the right assessment tool. These tools provide information and explanation concerning a particular psychological disorder. The explanation of results certain assessments however, should be critically evaluated because some of them may not exactly apply to an individual. Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders developed by the American Psychological Association is one of the most researched criteria that is utilized in development of self assessment tools. In self assessments patients are not given a chance to say how there are feeling. Self assessments many be overly critical as compared to assessment by a psychologists thereby leading to development of depression by a person and sustaining it. Psychologists are the most qualified people to develop self assessment tools. They have a wide range of knowledge concerning various psychological disorders. Before people undertake various self assessments they should critically evaluate the authenticity of the source of information as well as its writer. Even though self assessment may be useful in determining whether a person is suffering from a certain mental disorder they cannot be over relied upon during diagnosis. Self assessment however, provides information that aid in identifying a psychological impairment or disorder. They are useful to some extent, because they assist in eliminating adverse mental cases.
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