QUESTION

Dmitri is a first-year undergraduate student. He was born in Russia, and Russian is his first language. He recently came to Canada 2 months ago to begin his university education, and it has been approximately one month since his classes began.

Dmitri feels like he is having a hard time adjusting to living in Canada. He misses his friends and family from back home, and often spends his free time alone in his residence room. Other students have invited him out to social gatherings, but Dmitri has almost always declined, even though he used to very much enjoy social gatherings back home. Even though he is spending a lot of time in his residence room, he is finding it hard to find the motivation to keep his room tidy, to keep up with his personal hygiene, and to complete his course work.

Dmitri sleeps for about 11 hours every night, and has been having a hard time getting up in the morning to make it to classes. He misses about half of his lectures because he cannot find the motivation to go or he feels too tired to attend. When he does attend classes, Dmitri finds it difficult to follow along with lectures and to take in the information. He is also having difficulty with reading his textbooks such that he finds he has to reread the same passage several times to comprehend the information that he read. Dmitri has always found it challenging to read for an extended period of time but is finding it especially difficult right now. He has also always had difficulty with spelling words accurately. When he was younger, Dmitri received extra help when learning to read and has always struggled with reading comprehension, but he was never formally diagnosed with a learning disorder.

Dmitri reached out to the Student Counselling Centre because he feels very distressed about how he is currently functioning.

After interviewing Dmitri, the clinical psychologist decided it would be useful to do some testing. The psychologist wants to specifically get information from Dimitri about: (a) his current level of possible depression, (b) his personality style, and also to explore (c) the possibility that Dimitri may have a specific learning disorder. Exploring those 3 issues has now become the “referral question,” so now the psychologist needs to come up with a list of psychological tests to given to Dimitri. Remember: Testing takes a lot of time and work, so it is important not to give extra tests that are redundant or not relevant (doing that would be an error and could even be unethical). It is also important for test results to help answer the referral question, to be appropriate, and to be fair in their evaluation of the client.

To answer this question: Give a list of the specific tests you think the psychologist should give to Dimitri and give a sentence to explain the reason why you are including each test. After you have your list of tests and the reasoning for each (i.e., a, b, c), there may be some other things to consider. (d) Point out any additional issues you think the psychologist should be careful of or consider when interpreting the results. (e) What other issues you think the psychologist should ask about as part of the assessment?

Your response to the various parts of this question can be sentences or point form, whatever you think is the clearest way of showing your reasoning. But it should be in a single document and be organized in sections, with the following headings (Tip: organizing your answer this way and considering the number of points should also help):

• (a) Testing for depression (max 2 point)
• (b) Personality testing (max 3 point)
• (c) Testing for specific learning disorder (4 points)
• (d) issues related to interpreting test results (3 point)
• (e) other issues to ask about (3 point)

ANSWER

“Assessment and Support for a First-Year International Student: Understanding Depression, Personality, and Learning Difficulties”

Testing for depression

Beck Depression Inventory (BDI): The BDI is a widely used self-report questionnaire that assesses the severity of depressive symptoms. It is appropriate for Dmitri as it can provide insight into his current level of possible depression, given his feelings of distress and difficulty in adjusting to his new environment.

 Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9): This is another self-report questionnaire that specifically focuses on the nine key symptoms of depression. It can further help the psychologist to assess the presence and severity of depressive symptoms in Dmitri.

 Personality testing

Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory-2 (MMPI-2): The MMPI-2 is a comprehensive personality assessment tool that can provide valuable information about Dmitri’s personality traits, emotional functioning, and potential psychological difficulties. Given Dmitri’s significant life changes and challenges in adapting to a new environment, this test can offer insights into his emotional and psychological state.

 NEO Personality Inventory-Revised (NEO PI-R): This test measures the Five Factor Model of personality, including openness, conscientiousness, extraversion, agreeableness, and neuroticism. Assessing Dmitri’s personality traits can provide a deeper understanding of how his personality might be influencing his current struggles and overall well-being.

 Millon Clinical Multiaxial Inventory-IV (MCMI-IV): The MCMI-IV is designed to assess personality patterns and clinical syndromes. It can provide information about potential personality disorders or maladaptive coping mechanisms that may be impacting Dmitri’s ability to adjust to his new life in Canada.

Testing for specific learning disorder

Woodcock-Johnson Tests of Achievement (WJ-III): This comprehensive test assesses academic abilities, including reading comprehension, math, and writing. Given Dmitri’s difficulties in reading and spelling accuracy, this test can help identify any potential specific learning disorder related to reading and writing.

Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale (WAIS-IV): The WAIS-IV can assess Dmitri’s overall cognitive abilities, including verbal comprehension, working memory, and processing speed. It can aid in identifying any underlying cognitive factors that may contribute to his reading and learning challenges.

 Test of Memory and Learning-2 (TOMAL-2): This test evaluates various aspects of memory, including verbal and visual memory. Since Dmitri is struggling with comprehending and retaining information from lectures and textbooks, this assessment can help determine if memory deficits are contributing to his learning difficulties.

 Comprehensive Test of Phonological Processing-2 (CTOPP-2): This test assesses phonological awareness, phonological memory, and rapid naming, which are crucial skills for reading and spelling. Given Dmitri’s difficulties with reading and spelling accuracy, this test can provide insights into specific areas of difficulty related to phonological processing.

Issues related to interpreting test results

Cultural considerations: The psychologist should be aware of cultural differences between Dmitri’s Russian background and the Canadian norms used in the tests. Cultural bias could impact the interpretation of results, so adjustments or additional cultural measures may be necessary.

Test limitations: It’s essential to acknowledge that psychological tests have limitations and cannot provide a definitive diagnosis. The results should be interpreted in conjunction with other clinical information and observations.

Emotional state: Dmitri’s current emotional distress and adjustment difficulties may affect his performance on the tests. The psychologist should consider his emotional state while interpreting the results to avoid overgeneralization or misinterpretation.

Other issues to ask about

 Social support: Inquire about Dmitri’s social support network in Canada and back home. Understanding his current social connections can shed light on his feelings of loneliness and isolation.

Coping strategies: Explore how Dmitri copes with stress and challenges. Identifying his coping mechanisms can provide insights into his ability to handle the transitions and demands of university life.

Past academic history: Gather information about Dmitri’s academic performance in Russia. This can help in understanding any pre-existing learning difficulties or differences in educational systems.

In conclusion, administering the appropriate tests will allow the psychologist to gain valuable insights into Dmitri’s current level of depression, personality style, and potential specific learning disorder. Additionally, being mindful of cultural considerations and other contextual factors will ensure a fair and accurate evaluation. Asking about social support, coping strategies, and past academic history will further enhance the assessment process and inform appropriate interventions to support Dmitri’s well-being and academic success in Canada.