Southern Utah University

Course Syllabus

Back to Syllabus Search | Browse by Department
Southern Utah University
Southern Utah University
Spring Semester 2026

Applied Assessment II: Psychosocial and Personality Assessment (Face-to-Face)

PSY 6255-01

Course: PSY 6255-01
Credits: 4
Term: Spring Semester 2026
Department: PSY
CRN: 12347

Course Description

This course continues training in and experience with measurement theory, psychological testing, evaluation, and assessment. The course begins with coverage of general measurement topics and is followed by an overview of specific tools designed to assess social, emotional, behavioral, and personality factors across the lifespan. In addition, students will gain “hands-on” experience with administration, interpretation, and written presentation of assessment results. These experiences are designed to facilitate understanding of how test data have the potential to inform therapeutic intervention and case formulation. Ethical and diversity-related considerations will be examined and incorporated throughout the course. (Spring) [Graded (Standard Letter)] Registration Restriction(s): PsyD students only

Required Texts

Required Texts:

  1. Youngstrom, E.A., Prinstein, M.J., Mash, E.J., & Barkley, R.A. (2020). Assessment of disorders in childhood and adolescence. The Guilford Press. *Available HERE as a free e-book through SUU library.

  1. Yochim, B., & Woodhead, E. (Eds.). (2018). Psychology of aging: A biopsychosocial perspective. Springer Publishing Company. *Readings will be posted to Canvas

  1. Wright, A.J. (2025). Essentials of culture in psychological assessment. Wiley. *Available HERE as a free e-book through SUU library.

  1. Wright, A. J. (2020). Conducting psychological assessment: A guide for practitioners. John Wiley & Sons. *Available HERE as a free e-book through SUU library.

  1. American Bar Association/American Psychological Association. (2008). Assessment of Older Adults with Diminished Capacity: A Handbook for Psychologists. Available for free download HERE.

  1. Weiner, I. B., & Greene, R. L. (2017). Handbook of personality assessment. John Wiley & Sons. *Available HERE as a free e-book through SUU library.

  1. Smith, S. R., & Krishnamurthy, R. (Eds.). (2018). Diversity-sensitive personality assessment. New York, NY: Routledge. *Available HERE as a free e-book through SUU library.

  1. American Bar Association/American Psychological Association. (2008). Assessment of Older Adults with Diminished Capacity: A Handbook for Psychologists. Available for free download HERE.

  1. Schneider, W. J., Lichtenberger, E. O., Mather, N., & Kaufman, N. L. (2018). Essentials of assessment report writing. John Wiley & Sons. *Available HERE as a free e-book through SUU library.

  1. American Psychiatric Association. (2022). Diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders (5th ed., text rev.). American Psychiatric Association Publishing. *Available for check-out in the CCAC library

Learning Outcomes

By the end of this semester, students will demonstrate advancement in the following areas:

Critical Thinking

  • Demonstrate knowledge and understanding of basic psychometric principles, test theory, and their relevance to psychological testing and assessment.
  • Demonstrate the ability to identify relevant reliability and validity information of chosen test instruments, with the ability to evaluate the quality of particular measures.
  • Explain classical and contemporary measurement theory.
  • Demonstrate knowledge and understanding of the impact of contextual factors on test
interpretation and the related distinction between ‘testing’ and ‘assessment’.

Integrative Learning
  • Demonstrate beginning proficiency and emerging competence regarding the interpretation of psychological test instruments and the written communication of assessment results.
  • Facilitate the presentation and discussion of your clinical case, demonstrating case 
conceptualization and recruiting perspectives from peers. 

Intercultural Competence and Knowledge 
  • Demonstrate cultural responsiveness and diversity awareness by integrating knowledge learned throughout the course to the selection of testing materials, administration, interpretation and feedback to clients. 

Ethical Reasoning 
  • Integrate and demonstrate knowledge learned from reviewing the Ethical and Legal Standards of Psychological and Educational Assessment into the provision of assessment services and treatment recommendations in psychological report writing.

Course Requirements

Class Participation (10 points)

We will meet twice each week to review test materials and protocols, discuss assigned readings, practice test administration and interpretation, and engage in case conceptualization through discussion and report writing. This will require active discussion and contributions from each of you. You are required to attend each class meeting with the assigned readings completed and fully prepared for discussion and test administration practice. To earn full points, you must be on-task during class. Computers and electronic devices are permitted for class use only. 


Culture in Assessment Presentation (10 points) 

Each student will lead a 30-minute presentation and discussion on an assigned chapter from the course text, Essentials of culture in psychological assessment. Additionally, you will also be required to include one recent peer-reviewed article related to your topic. Your presentation should include  visuals (e.g., PowerPoint) to enhance understanding, which will be submitted on Canvas. You should engage your peers in active participation by including discussion questions and/or interactive elements. This assignment encourages critical engagement with course material, fosters discussion, and develops presentation and facilitation skills. 


Mini-Labs (20 points total)
During the applied assessment classes you will pair up with a classmate and practice
administering the assessments covered in that class. You will work together to score the
assessment and complete a brief write-up of the results. More details will be provided in class
and on Canvas.


Comprehensive Reports (40 points total)

Over the course of the semester, you will develop two comprehensive psychological reports—one focused on a mock child client and one on a mock adult client—designed to integrate and apply your knowledge of assessment techniques, diagnostic formulation, and intervention planning. Each report will include findings from interviews, test results, a conceptualization of the client’s psychological functioning, DSM-5-TR diagnoses, and tailored, evidence-based recommendations. For the child-focused report, recommendations will include one home-based, one school-based, and one clinic-based intervention. For the adult-focused report, you will develop one comprehensive recommendation accompanied by a detailed one-page explanation outlining its rationale, intended outcomes, and implementation process. Components of each report will be developed and submitted throughout the semester for feedback before being combined into a final version. Reports will be evaluated on accuracy, integration of data, clarity and professionalism, and the relevance and justification of recommendations, preparing you for clinical assessment and intervention in professional settings.
  • This assignment is a PWC outcome measure for Element #2 of the Assessment competency. Specifically, this assignment  is designed to evaluate each student’s competency to “Select and apply assessment methods that draw from the best available empirical literature and that reflect the science of measurement and psychometrics; collect relevant data using multiple sources and methods appropriate to the identified goals and questions of the assessment as well as relevant diversity characteristics and contextual influences (e.g., family, social, societal, and cultural) of the service recipient.” The grading rubric can be found on Canvas and scores on both reports must average 3 or above.


Case Presentations: Supervision/Consult Style (20 points)

Each of you is required to present one of the two assessments you completed over the course of the semester. These case presentations will include a supervision/consult style presentation (~10 minutes) of the interview you conducted, the testing data, and your emerging thoughts about what these sources of data mean for the person you tested and questions (~5 minutes). These presentations will take place during the final course meeting during finals week. More details will be provided on Canvas.


Course Outline

Week 1
Monday: No Class
Wednesday: Foundations of Assessment, Assessment Purpose & Process, Culture in Assessment

Week 2
Monday:  Clinical Interview, Record Review, Behavior Observations, Battery selection, Psychometrics, 
Wednesday:  Clinical Writing skills 

Week 3
Monday: No Class MLK day
Wednesday: Mini-lab #1 Clinical Writing  Semi-structured clinical interviews, Cultural Formation DSM, Student PresentationAssessment Workshop

Week 4
Monday: Clinical interview Mini-lab#2  (Record before Monday class, due Wednesday before class) 
Wednesday: ADHD assessment Assessment Workshop Student Presentation

Week 5
Monday: ADHD assessment (Conners-4) Mini-lab#3  ADHD (Administer & score before Monday class, due Wednesday before class) 
Wednesday: Anxiety, mood  (children; RADS, CDI, MASC-2, SCARED) Assessment Workshop Student Presentation

Week 6
Monday:  Anxiety, mood (children) Mini-lab#4  Anxiety/Mood (Administer & score before Monday class, due Wednesday before class) 
Wednesday: ASD assessment  (children) Assessment Workshop Student Presentation

Week 7
Monday: No Class
Wednesday: ASD assessment  (ADOS-2; children)

Week 8
Monday: ASD assessment Mini-lab#5  ADOS and others (Record before Monday class, due Wednesday before class) 
Wednesday: Adult ASD assessment (Start adult roles) Assessment Workshop Student Presentation

Week 9
Monday: Intake, MIGDAS, RBQ, CAT-Q Mini-lab#6  Adult ASD (Record before Monday class, due Wednesday before class) 
Wednesday: Personality/Mood Assessment Workshop Student Presentation

Week 10
Monday Personality/Mood Mini-lab#7  Personality/Mood (Administer & score before Monday class, due Wednesday before class) 
Wednesday Trauma, C-PTSD Assessment Workshop Student Presentation

Week 11
Monday Trauma Mini-lab#8  Trauma (Record before Monday class, due Wednesday before class) 
Wednesday - No class RMPA

Week 12
Monday Older adults 
Wednesday Older adults Assessment Workshop Student Presentation

Week 13
Monday Older adults Mini-lab#9  Older Adults (Record before Monday class, due Wednesday before class) 
Wednesday Conceptualization Assessment Workshop Student Presentation

Week 14
Monday Conceptualization Mini-lab#10 Conceptualization (Diagnostic Criteria document complete before Monday class, due Wednesday before class) 
Wednesday Supervision 

Week 15
Finals Week - Turn in reports, Supervision presentation


Instructor's policies on late assignments and/or makeup work

Late Assignment Submissions

Late assignments will be accepted up to 2 days past the original due date, with a deduction of 50% from the total score. This policy reflects the importance of accountability, reliability, and timely follow-through that is expected in clinical settings and in the clinical roles students will assume in subsequent years.


Attendance Policy

Class Attendance and Punctuality

You are expected to attend every scheduled class period and to be on time. Class absences are acceptable for the following reasons: 1) your own illness; 2) illness or health care needs of a family member; 3) travel for an academically-relevant event (e.g., conference attendance). Please let me know as soon as you can if you know in advance of a scheduled absence. If you must miss class because of your own illness or a family health care obligation, please let me know before class or as soon as possible thereafter. If you choose to use a laptop or tablet to take notes, please restrict your use of these devices to course-related activities during our class meetings. See PsyD Student Handbook for full Attendance Policy

Absences

Students who miss class FOR ANY REASON will write a brief (≈ 1 page, single-spaced) reaction paper summarizing your reflections on the assigned readings. The paper must be submitted as soon as possible after the missed class period. Be advised: Failure to complete the paper within two days after your return will result in a 2-point deduction of your class participation grade.


Course Fees

Content for this section will be provided by the instructor.

ADA Statement

Students with medical, psychological, learning, or other disabilities desiring academic adjustments, accommodations, or auxiliary aids will need to contact the Disability Resource Center, located in Room 206F of the Sharwan Smith Center or by phone at (435) 865-8042. The Disability Resource Center determines eligibility for and authorizes the provision of services.

If your instructor requires attendance, you may need to seek an ADA accommodation to request an exception to this attendance policy. Please contact the Disability Resource Center to determine what, if any, ADA accommodations are reasonable and appropriate.

Academic Credit

According to the federal definition of a Carnegie credit hour: A credit hour of work is the equivalent of approximately 60 minutes of class time or independent study work. A minimum of 45 hours of work by each student is required for each unit of credit. Credit is earned only when course requirements are met. One (1) credit hour is equivalent to 15 contact hours of lecture, discussion, testing, evaluation, or seminar, as well as 30 hours of student homework. An equivalent amount of work is expected for laboratory work, internships, practica, studio, and other academic work leading to the awarding of credit hours. Credit granted for individual courses, labs, or studio classes ranges from 0.5 to 15 credit hours per semester.

Academic Freedom

SUU is operated for the common good of the greater community it serves. The common good depends upon the free search for truth and its free exposition. Academic Freedom is the right of faculty to study, discuss, investigate, teach, and publish. Academic Freedom is essential to these purposes and applies to both teaching and research.

Academic Freedom in the realm of teaching is fundamental for the protection of the rights of the faculty member and of you, the student, with respect to the free pursuit of learning and discovery. Faculty members possess the right to full freedom in the classroom in discussing their subjects. They may present any controversial material relevant to their courses and their intended learning outcomes, but they shall take care not to introduce into their teaching controversial materials which have no relation to the subject being taught or the intended learning outcomes for the course.

As such, students enrolled in any course at SUU may encounter topics, perspectives, and ideas that are unfamiliar or controversial, with the educational intent of providing a meaningful learning environment that fosters your growth and development. These parameters related to Academic Freedom are included in SUU Policy 6.6.

Academic Misconduct

Scholastic honesty is expected of all students. Dishonesty will not be tolerated and will be prosecuted to the fullest extent (see SUU Policy 6.33). You are expected to have read and understood the current SUU student conduct code (SUU Policy 11.2) regarding student responsibilities and rights, the intellectual property policy (SUU Policy 5.52), information about procedures, and what constitutes acceptable behavior.

Please Note: The use of websites or services that sell essays is a violation of these policies; likewise, the use of websites or services that provide answers to assignments, quizzes, or tests is also a violation of these policies. Regarding the use of Generative Artificial Intelligence (AI), you should check with your individual course instructor.

Emergency Management Statement

In case of an emergency, the University's Emergency Notification System (ENS) will be activated. Students are encouraged to maintain updated contact information using the link on the homepage of the mySUU portal. In addition, students are encouraged to familiarize themselves with the Emergency Response Protocols posted in each classroom. Detailed information about the University's emergency management plan can be found at https://www.suu.edu/emergency.

HEOA Compliance Statement

For a full set of Higher Education Opportunity Act (HEOA) compliance statements, please visit https://www.suu.edu/heoa. The sharing of copyrighted material through peer-to-peer (P2P) file sharing, except as provided under U.S. copyright law, is prohibited by law; additional information can be found at https://my.suu.edu/help/article/1096/heoa-compliance-plan.

You are also expected to comply with policies regarding intellectual property (SUU Policy 5.52) and copyright (SUU Policy 5.54).

Mandatory Reporting

University policy (SUU Policy 5.60) requires instructors to report disclosures received from students that indicate they have been subjected to sexual misconduct/harassment. The University defines sexual harassment consistent with Federal Regulations (34 C.F.R. Part 106, Subpart D) to include quid pro quo, hostile environment harassment, sexual assault, dating violence, domestic violence, and stalking. When students communicate this information to an instructor in-person, by email, or within writing assignments, the instructor will report that to the Title IX Coordinator to ensure students receive support from the Title IX Office. A reporting form is available at https://cm.maxient.com/reportingform.php?SouthernUtahUniv

Non-Discrimination Statement

SUU is committed to fostering an inclusive community of lifelong learners and believes our university's encompassing of different views, beliefs, and identities makes us stronger, more innovative, and better prepared for the global society.

SUU does not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, color, national origin, citizenship, sex (including sex discrimination and sexual harassment), sexual orientation, gender identity, age, ancestry, disability status, pregnancy, pregnancy-related conditions, genetic information, military status, veteran status, or other bases protected by applicable law in employment, treatment, admission, access to educational programs and activities, or other University benefits or services.

SUU strives to cultivate a campus environment that encourages freedom of expression from diverse viewpoints. We encourage all to dialogue within a spirit of respect, civility, and decency.

For additional information on non-discrimination, please see SUU Policy 5.27 and/or visit https://www.suu.edu/nondiscrimination.

Pregnancy

Students who are or become pregnant during this course may receive reasonable modifications to facilitate continued access and participation in the course. Pregnancy and related conditions are broadly defined to include pregnancy, childbirth, termination of pregnancy, lactation, related medical conditions, and recovery. To obtain reasonable modifications, please make a request to title9@suu.edu. To learn more visit: https://www.suu.edu/titleix/pregnancy.html.

Disclaimer Statement

Information contained in this syllabus, other than the grading, late assignments, makeup work, and attendance policies, may be subject to change with advance notice, as deemed appropriate by the instructor.