Personality Test Personality Assessment Methods 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: Which of the following is an example of a structured diagnostic interview for personality disorders?
- Rorschach Inkblot Test
- Structured Clinical Interview for DSM-5 Personality Disorders (SCID-5-PD) (Correct answer)
- NEO Personality Inventory
- Thematic Apperception Test
Correct answer: Structured Clinical Interview for DSM-5 Personality Disorders (SCID-5-PD)
The SCID-5-PD is a semi-structured diagnostic interview designed to assess DSM-5 personality disorder criteria systematically.
Question 2: Construct validity in personality assessment refers to:
- The physical appearance of the test materials
- Whether the test actually measures the psychological construct it claims to measure (Correct answer)
- The length of time the test takes to administer
- How frequently the test is used in research
Correct answer: Whether the test actually measures the psychological construct it claims to measure
Construct validity is the degree to which a test measures the theoretical construct it is designed to assess, established through convergent and discriminant validity evidence.
Question 3: Self-report personality inventories are susceptible to which response bias?
- Halo effect from the examiner
- Social desirability bias — responding in ways that appear favorable rather than accurate (Correct answer)
- Observer expectancy effects
- Confirmation bias from test developers
Correct answer: Social desirability bias — responding in ways that appear favorable rather than accurate
Social desirability bias occurs when respondents choose answers that present themselves in the best light rather than accurately describing their behavior.
Question 4: The Personality Assessment Inventory (PAI) differs from the MMPI-2 in that the PAI uses:
- True/False response format
- A 4-point Likert-scale response format (Correct answer)
- Picture-based stimuli
- Open-ended narrative responses
Correct answer: A 4-point Likert-scale response format
The PAI uses a 4-point Likert scale (False, Slightly True, Mainly True, Very True) rather than the true/false format of the MMPI.
Question 5: Incremental validity in personality assessment refers to a test's ability to:
- Measure more items in less time
- Predict outcomes above and beyond what other available measures already predict (Correct answer)
- Increase in reliability over repeated administrations
- Adapt to cultural differences automatically
Correct answer: Predict outcomes above and beyond what other available measures already predict
Incremental validity demonstrates that a test adds unique predictive power beyond what could be obtained from existing measures.
Question 6: Which approach to personality assessment relies on measuring observable behaviors in standardized situations?
- Projective testing
- Behavioral assessment (Correct answer)
- Self-report inventories
- Neuroimaging
Correct answer: Behavioral assessment
Behavioral assessment focuses on observing and measuring actual behavior in structured or naturalistic conditions rather than self-report or indirect inference.
Which of the following is an example of a structured diagnostic interview for personality disorders?