COU 6303 - Assessment and Appraisal in Counseling

Assessment and Appraisal delves into the core theories, principles, and practices of mental health assessment for individuals, couples, children, adolescents, and families, all within the context of a multicultural society. This course covers essential aspects of test development, including item creation, format structuring, and statistical analysis. It also reviews widely used intelligence tests, achievement assessments, mood measures, and personality inventories. Counseling students, learn how to select, administer, score, and interpret these tools effectively. The course also examines the counselor’s role in mental health assessments, addressing both the clinical application and ethical responsibilities involved. Social and cultural factors that influence the assessment and evaluation of diverse populations are key considerations, ensuring that counseling students apply ethical strategies to select, administer, and interpret tools appropriately. This knowledge provides counselors with a well-rounded foundation for making informed, culturally sensitive, and ethically sound decisions in their assessment practices.