Psychometric testing: clinical, behavioural and psychodynamic uses of two psychometric tests ‐BHS and RISC

Poses the question: does psychometric testing have a role within counselling? States that many advocate the true face of counselling as humanistic, which poses a problem for the use of psychometric tests. States that in a counsellor’s first meeting with a client, some form of assessment or evaluation takes place in order to inform the counsellor of the severity of the client’s problem. Briefly details various early tests, and continues by focusing on the Beck Hopelessness Scale (BHS) and Rust Inventory of Schizotypal Cognitions (RISC). Describes both scales: applies their uses in clinical settings; outlines behavioural and psychodynamic uses of these tests; illustrates effectiveness through a number of case studies and vignettes. Concludes that it is up to the individual counsellors how they choose to conduct a counselling sessions, or whether they use such psychometric tests.