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Adult Clinical Psychological Assessment

Code: 105774
Credits: 6
2026/2027
Degree programme Type Course
Psychology OP 4

Contact lecturer

Name :
Joan Deus Yela
Email :
joan.deus@uab.cat

Teaching staff

Pere Castellvi Obiols
Abigail Mora Sanz

Group languages

You can consult this information at the end of the document.

Prerequisites

There is no prerequisite specifically established for this subject, but it is highly recommended that you have studied or be studying simultaneously Adult Psychopathology and Personality Disorders. It is much more effective to learn to evaluate and to be able to establish a diagnosis if we know what to evaluate.

Objectives

This subject es part of the optional training subject, in the optional specialissation in Adult Clinical Psychology that is undertaken on the fourth year of the Degree in Psychology. A general objective of this subject is that the student is able to identify and delimit the procedure and/or assessment techniques in clinical pscyhology of adults that shoudl be used, most appropriately, according to the case raised in the clinical-health field. More specifically, the specific objectives of the subject are:

1. Acquire basic knowledge about the assessment process in adult clinical psychology: interview, differential diagnosis and decision-making in the established assessment process.

2. Acquire the basic knowledge about the peculiarities of clinical assessment for various different mental disorders in clinical psychology of adults.

3. To know the assessment instruments and techniques most frequently used in the clinical field: selection criteria, rules of administration and correction and clinical interpretation of the results.

4. Familiarize yourself with the procedure for drawing up a clinical report.

Learning outcomes

  1. Identify functional variables of acquisition and maintenance of problems in examples of clinical cases.
  2. Recognise the stages of clinical assessment.
  3. Distinguish different approaches to assessment and diagnosis and classify them according to the application context.
  4. Differentiate the various methods and tools and their usefulness.
  5. Distinguish the quality criteria of the instruments depending on the context.
  6. Apply assessment techniques.
  7. Apply communication skills.
  8. Apply assessment techniques for each type of problem and level of complexity.
  9. Analyse the quality of the information collected.
  10. Plan the evaluation to be carried out during the intervention.
  11. Plan post-treatment evaluation.
  12. Analyse the content of clinical interviews related case studies in the field of clinical psychology with adults.
  13. Use techniques facilitating the clinical interview.
  14. Recognise the key elements of narrative discourse or the results of a standardized assessment.
  15. Write up the results in an operational way.
  16. Indicate the objectives of the intervention.
  17. Prepare different types of report.
  18. Demonstrate knowledge of the relevant sections of information in reports for various purposes.
  19. Use nomenclatures and appropriate language in each application context.
  20. Maintain a favourable attitude towards the permanent updating through critical evaluation of scientific documentation, taking into account its origin, situating it in an epistemological framework and identifying and contrasting its contributions in relation to the available disciplinary knowledge.
  21. Apply knowledge, skills and acquired values critically, reflexively and creatively.
  22. Recognise the deontological code and act ethically.
  23. Explain the explicit or implicit deontological code in your area of knowledge.
  24. Critically analyse the principles, values and procedures that govern the exercise of the profession.
  25. Propose projects and actions that are in accordance with the principles of ethical responsibility and respect for fundamental rights and obligations, diversity and democratic values.
  26. Identify situations in which a change or improvement is needed.
  27. Analyse a situation and identify its points for improvement.
  28. Summarise the essential information to facilitate the process of formulating a clinical case and a differential diagnosis incorporating the gender perspective.

Contents

Block A: Conceptual Aspects.


Topic 1. Basic concepts in clinical assessment and psychodiagnosis: historical evolution of the concept of clinical psychological assessment, terminology delimitation, psychodiagnostic models in clinical psychological assessment.


Block B: Strategies and Procedures for Assessment in Clinical Psychology.


Topic 2. The process of obtaining a psychodiagnostic: clinical assessment process, establishment of diagnostic hypotheses, evaluation of problems and psychological dimensions, diagnostic keys, differential diagnosis, functional behavior analysis, diagnostic criteria, anamnesis and clinical history, prognosis and clinical psychological report.


Topic 3. The clinical interview: the interview in the clinical context, classification of the interviews, advantages and limitations, reliability and validity of the interview, longitudinal description of the course of the interview.


Topic 4. Assessment of the normal personality in the clinical context: personality assessment from empirical criteria, personality assessment from factorial criteria, personality assessment from the paradigm of the 'five major factors', personality assessment from a psychobiological paradigm


Topic 5. Multidimensional psychometric instruments and general interviews in psychodiagnostics: general interviews (SCID-I), SCL-90-R inventory, Minnesota personality multiphasic inventory (MMPI-II), Minnesota multiphasic personality inventory reviewed (MMPI-RF), the clinical analysis questionnaire (CAQ-II), the Millon multiaxial clinical inventory (MCMI-IV) and the Personality Assessment Inventory (PAI).


Block C:Clinical assessment of several mental disorders

Topic 6. Assessment of affective disorders.
Topic 7. Assessment of anxiety disorders.
Topic 8. Assessment of psychotic spectrum disorders: schizophrenia.

Learning activities and methodology

Title Hours ECTS Learning outcomes
Conferences 24 0.96
Seminars of clinical cases 12 0.48
Search for documentation in scientific journals, books and the Internet 25 1
Reading of texts 25 1
Study 47.5 1.9
Supervised work 13.5 0.54

The teaching methodology of the subject is aimed at fostering decision-making capacity, planning capacity, autonomy and critical attitude. It is intended that the student should be able to decide, according to the diagnostic hypotheses formulated the most appropriate procedure, of psychological assessment in adult clinic and, finally, to complete the evaluation process with the oral and written transmission (report) of the results It is necessary for the student to be pro-active in the search for information for the current status of the different instruments for clinical assessment of adults and the different assessment procedures for the different psychopathological disorders.

The teaching methodology of this subject can be divided into three blocks:

1. Directed teaching. It is structured in three compulsory assistance activities:

A. The first consists of a lecture cycle, in classroom supported by multimedia technologies and made in large groups. It is intended that the student is able to learn the main theoretical concepts of assessment in clinical psychology of adults. The duration of this activity will be two hours for all students in a module.

B. The second activity consists of directed classroom practices or clinical seminars that will be conducted in small groups under the principle of problem-based learning (PBL). In these practices, at the proposal of the teaching team, two clinical cases will be analyzed, where the entire process of clinical evaluation and preparation of the clinical report will be worked on. The aim is to create a space for critical analysis and clarification of the assessment process in clinical psychology to be carried out in each clinical case, similar to that established in hospital clinical sessions, in relation to the theoreticalconcepts that have been discussed in the lectures. The duration of this activity, which students will receive bi-weekly, will be two hours taught to third of the students on the module (group 1/3). This activity focuses on the following training activities:

  1. Work on the skills of the clinical evaluator to obtain relevant information.
  2. Preparation of a history and clinical history.
  3. Identification of the main and secondary clinical signs and symptoms.
  4. Formulation of diagnostic hypotheses.
  5. Plan and design the clinical evaluation process.
  6. Analysis and discussion of the assessment instruments used.
  7. Interpretation of the results of the evaluation instruments used.
  8. Work on the skills of the clinical evaluator for the oral feedback of the results of the evaluation instruments used.
  9. Preparation of the psychological clinical assistance report.

C. The third activity consists of an oral presentation by students (groups of three people maximum), on one of the 5 topics proposed by the teaching team, for a period not exceeding 25 minutes and with power-point type visual support . The duration of this activity, which the students will receive biweekly, will be 4 hours divided into two sessions of two hours and taught with a third of the students of a whole module (group 1/3). This last activity is aimed at expanding the content and theoretical knowledge presented in the lectures with the whole group and developing the synthesis and oral defense capabilities of an evaluation topic in clinical psychology of adults. The topics to choose are:

1. Evaluation of disruptive disorders, impulse control and behavior disorders.

2. Evaluation of suicidal and autolytic behaviors.

3. Evaluation of sexual disorders.

4. Evaluation of addictive disorders and substance use.

5.Evaluation of gender violence.

2. Supervised Activity. It is structured in an activity, led by thestudent, which aims to consolidate the theoretical and practical contents of the subject. It consists of a psychological clinical assistance report. Specifically, it is the preparation of a clinical report of a psychopathological clinical case based on the clinical history and the results of the different tests / instruments used for the psychological evaluation of the case that students should interpret. The preparation of the report will be carried out in groups of two students maximum and, exceptionally, a single student. The teachers will help and supervise the work in office hours and during the weeks set aside for assessment of this activity. There will be a specific day of supervised teaching in the classroom (see teaching schedule).

3. Autonomous activity. The autonomous work activities of the student include, in addition to study and bibliographic research, the reading of specialized or complementary content materials of special interest for the acquisition of competences.

Annotation: within the schedule set by the centre or degree programme, 15 minutes of one class will be reserved for students to evaluate their lecturers and their courses or modules through questionnaires.

Assessment

Continuous assessment activities

Title Weight Hours ECTS Learning outcomes
Evidence EVA4 (Portfolio seminar of clinical cases) 10% 0 0 1, 6, 7, 8, 9, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 21, 26, 27, 28
Evidence EVA2 (Second written test of multiple choice test) 30% (Thematic block B and C) 1.5 0.06 2, 3, 4, 5, 8, 10, 11, 12, 18, 19, 20, 22, 23, 24, 25
Evidence EVA3 (Report of a clinical case worked entirely by the student) 15% 0 0 1, 6, 7, 8, 9, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 21, 26, 27, 28
Evidence EVA5 (Oral presentation evaluation theme) 15% 0 0 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 10, 11, 14, 18, 19, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 27, 28
Evidence EVA1 (First written test of multiple choice test) 30% (Thematic block A and B) 1.5 0.06 2, 3, 4, 5, 8, 10, 11, 18, 19, 20, 22, 23, 24, 25





















































Bibliography

Academic manuals-Basic bibliography:

 

DEUS J., DEVÍ J. Evaluación en Psicología Clínica de Adultos. Barcelona: Editorial UOC, 2019.

CARRASCO M.A., RAMIREZ I., Del BARRIO V. Evaluación Clínica. Diagnóstico, formulación y constrastación de los trastornos psicológicos. Madrid: Editorial Sanz y Torres, 2013.

 

Relevant bibliography:

CABALLO V.E. Manual para la evaluación clínica de los trastornos psicológicos. Trastornos de la edad adulta e informes psicológicos. Madrid: Pirámide, 2008.

MARÍN-MARTÍN, C. Guía práctica de evaluación psicológica clínica: Desarrollo de competencias. Madrid: Editorial Pirámide, 2021.

 

Complementary bibliography:

AIKEN R.L. Tests psicológicos y evaluación. México: Pearson Educación, 200311.

BUELA-CASAL G., CABALLO V.E., SIERRA J.C. Manual de evaluación en psicología clínica y de la salud. Madrid: Siglo XXI, 1996. 

BUELA-CASAL G., SIERRA J.C. Manual de evaluación y tratamientos psicológicos. Madrid: Biblioteca Nueva, 2001.

BULBENA A., BERRIOS, G.E., FERNÁNDEZ, P. Medición clínica en psiquiatría y psicología. Barcelona: Masson, 2000.

CABALLO V.E. Manual para la evaluación clínica de los trastornos psicológicos. Estrategias de evaluación, problemas infantiles y trastornos de ansiedad. Madrid: Pirámide, 2005.

COHEN R.J., SWERDLIK M.E. Pruebas y evaluación psicológicas.Introducción a las pruebas y a la medición. México: McGraw-Hill, 2001.

COLOM-MARAÑÓN R. Tests, inteligencia y personalidad. Madrid: Pirámide, 1995.

COMECHE M.I., DÍAZ M.I.,  VALLEJO M.A. Cuestionarios, inventarios y escalas, ansiedad, depresión y habilidades sociales. Madrid: Fundación Universidad-Empresa, 1995. 

CORMIER W.H., CORMIER L.S. Estrategias de entrevista para terapeutas. Bilbao: DDB, 19942.

FERNÁNDEZ-BALLESTEROS R. Evaluación psicológica: conceptos, métodos y estudio de casos. Madrid: Pirámide, 2011.

FERNÁNDZ-BALLESTEROS R., OLIVA M., VIZCAÍNO C., ZAMARRÓN M.D. Buenas prácticas y competencias en evaluación psicológica. Madrid: Editorial Pirámide, 2010.

GUTIÉRREZ T., RAICH R.M., SÁNCHEZ  D., Y DEUS J. Instrumentos de evaluación en psicología de la salud. Madrid: Alianza editorial, 2003.

KIRCHNER T., TORRES M., FORNS M. Evaluación psicológica: modelos y técnicas. Barcelona: Paidós, 1998.

MATESANZ A. Evaluación estructurada de la personalidad. Madrid: Pirámide, 1997.

MORENO-ROSSET C. Evaluación psicológica: teoría y práctica. Madrid: Editorial Sanz y Torres, 2005.

MUÑOZ M. Manual práctico de evaluación psicológica clínica. Madrid: Síntesis, 2003.

MUÑOZ-LÓPEZ M., ROA ÁLVARO A., PÉREZ-SANTOS E., SANTOS-OLMOS A., Y DE VICENTE COLOMINA A. Instrumentos de evaluación en salud mental. Madrid: Pirámide 2002.

URBINA S. Claves para la evaluación con tests psicológicos. Barcelona: TEA Ediciones, 2007.

VÁZQUEZ C., Y MUÑOZ M. Entrevista diagnóstica en salud mental. Madrid: Síntesis, 2002.

Software

There is no.

Course groups and languages

The information provided is provisional until November 30. After this date, you will be able to consult the language of each group through this link. To access the information, you will need to enter the course CODE

Type of teaching Group Language Semester Shift
(TE) Theory 1 Catalan/Spanish second semester morning-mixed
(SEM) Seminars 111 Catalan/Spanish second semester morning-mixed
(SEM) Seminars 112 Catalan/Spanish second semester morning-mixed
(SEM) Seminars 113 Catalan/Spanish second semester morning-mixed