Renowned experts in psychological assessment review a wide array of measures, strategies, and special considerations for conducting multimethod evaluations of disordered thinking and perception in multiple contexts.

This essential single-source guide to multimethod psychological assessment of disordered thinking and perception offers practical insights for applying key evaluation measures and strategies, along with important contextual considerations. It provides mental health professionals with valuable empirical and interpretive support as they answer assessment questions for diagnostic and decision-making purposes. Chapters are written by renowned assessment psychologists recognized for their expertise and contributions in developing and researching specific assessment instruments or topics. They provide up-to-date information about widely used self-report measures and interview techniques, performance-based tests, and cognitive and neuropsychological measures, including their conceptual basis, psychometric properties, empirical support, and key interpretive elements. Additional chapters review special developmental and cross-cultural considerations, as well as guidelines for forensic assessments. Two in-depth case examples provide comprehensive illustrations of the multimethod evaluation process with an adolescent and an adult.

The United States Social Security Administration (SSA) administers two disability programs: Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI), for disabled individuals, and their dependent family members, who have worked and contributed to the Social Security trust funds, and Supplemental Security Income (SSSI), which is a means-tested program based on income and financial assets for adults aged 65 years or older and disabled adults and children. Both programs require that claimants have a disability and meet specific medical criteria in order to qualify for benefits. SSA establishes the presence of a medically-determined impairment in individuals with mental disorders other than intellectual disability through the use of standard diagnostic criteria, which include symptoms and signs. These impairments are established largely on reports of signs and symptoms of impairment and functional limitation. Psychological Testing in the Service of Disability Determination considers the use of psychological tests in evaluating disability claims submitted to the SSA. This report critically reviews selected psychological tests, including symptom validity tests, that could contribute to SSA disability determinations. The report discusses the possible uses of such tests and their contribution to disability determinations. Psychological Testing in the Service of Disability Determination discusses testing norms, qualifications for administration of tests, administration of tests, and reporting results. The recommendations of this report will help SSA improve the consistency and accuracy of disability determination in certain cases.

From codevelopers of the Rorschach Performance Assessment System (R-PAS), this essential casebook illustrates the utility of R-PAS for addressing a wide range of common referral questions with adults, children, and adolescents. Compelling case examples from respected experts cover clinical issues (such as assessing psychosis, personality disorders, and suicidality); forensic issues (such as insanity and violence risk assessments, child custody proceedings, and domestic violence); and use in neuropsychological, educational, and other settings. Each tightly edited chapter details R-PAS administration, coding, and interpretation. Designed to replace the widely used Comprehensive System developed by John Exner, R-PAS has a stronger empirical foundation, is accurately normed for international use, is easier to learn and use, and reduces ambiguities in administration and coding, among other improvements. Visit www.r-pas.org for more information or to purchase the R-PAS manual.

In Disordered Thinking and the Rorschach, James Kleiger provides a thoroughly up-to-date text that covers the entire range of clinical and diagnostic issues associated with the phenomenon of disordered thinking as revealed on the Rorschach. Kleiger guides the reader through the history of psychiatric and psychoanalytic conceptualizations of the nature and significance of different kinds of disordered thinking and their relevance to understanding personality structure and differential diagnosis. He then moves on to thorough reviews of the respective contributions of David Rapaport, Robert Holt, Philip Holzman, and John Exner in conceptualizing and scoring disordered thinking on the Rorschach. These synopses are followed by an equally fascinating examination of less well known research conceptualizations, which, taken together, help clarify the basic interpretive conundrums besetting the major systems. Finally, having brought the reader to a full understanding of systematic exploration to date, Kleiger enters into a detailed analysis of the phenomenological and psychodynamic aspects of disordered thinking per se. Even experienced clinicians will find themselves challenged to reconceptualize such familiar categories as confabulatory or combinative thinking in a manner that leads not only to new diagnostic precision, but also to a richer understanding of the varieties of thought disturbances with their equally variable therapeutic and prognostic implications. With Disordered Thinking and the Rorschach, Kleiger has succeeded in summarizing a wealth of experience pertaining to the rigorous empirical detection and classification of disordered thinking. Equally impressive, he has taken full advantage of the Rorschach as an assessment instrument able to capture the richness of personality and thus capable of providing a unique clinical window into those crucially important differences in the quality of thought that patients may evince.

Assessing Psychosis: A Clinician’s Guide offers both a practical guide and rich clinical resource for a broad audience of mental-health practitioners seeking to sharpen their understanding of diagnostic issues, clinical concepts, and assessment methods that aid in detecting the presence of psychotic phenomena. Practicing psychiatrists, psychologists, social workers, and psychiatric nurses will find this a valuable resource for clinical practice, training, and teaching purposes.