Viveros, Dominic - Psychometrist
From What can you do with a degree in psychology?
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| - | + | Job Title | |
| - | + | Psychometrist | |
| - | + | General overview | |
| - | A Psychometrist is someone who administers pychoeducational assessments and other mental health assessments | + | A Psychometrist is someone who administers pychoeducational assessments and other mental health assessments (Career Planner, 1997). They are responsible for timing, scoring, and interpreting the scores of these tests. This is done in order to provide valuable information from the scores to teachers, counselors, students, and parents (Career Planner, 1997). These tests are administered with the use of particular equipment, such as, dexterity boards. The tests have society’s norms and standards incorporated into them (Career Planner, 1997). Cognitive/aptitude psychometric tests are highly regarded because the information they reveal is about a person’s learning ability and this can help those who document the person’s learning disability. (Psychometric Testing Guide, 1995). As well, the Personality/behavioral style of psychometric tests are highly regarded because they show individual behaviour tendencies and preference in different contexts such occupational context (Psychometric Testing Guide, 1995). |
| + | Job duties and responsibilities | ||
| + | The Psychometrist has many different duties and responsibilities that vary according to client. The type of test that they will devise and administer depends on the subject matter and the objective of testing (How to Become a Psychometrician: Education and Career Roadmap, 2003). Therefore, a psychometrist must be able to create and administer a wide range of tests that look into a person’s cognitive/aptitude and personality/behaviour (How to Become a Psychometrician: Education and Career Roadmap, 2003). These tests must adhere to the timing of testing, number of questions, scoring processes, the structure, and the level and range of difficulty. A psychometrist is responsible for analyzing the test. (How to Become a Psychometrician: Education and Career Roadmap, 2003). As well, they must be informed and knowledgable on the most up to date tests. Psychometrists must have skills in typing, programing, and use of Excel in order to properly conduct assessments. Psychometrists must have good people and interview skills because they will be working one-on-one with people in multiply settings, such as interview settings, private offices or meeting rooms (How to Become a Psychometrician: Education and Career Roadmap, 2003). In order for psychometrists to conduct a statistical analysis they must have excellent communication skills and pay great attention to detail. In order to get effective statistical results, psychometrists need to properly communicate with clients for specific and clear answers (How to Become a Psychometrician: Education and Career Roadmap, 2003). | ||
| + | Typical workday | ||
| + | Some psychometrists develop tests and other psychometrists administer the tests. Since psychometrists are often working on developing assessments, they often work together with a team of people (McGrew, n.d.). Psychometrists are employed by schools, hospitals, mental health clinics, testing companies, military, private psychology practice, and research companies (Psychometrist, 2008). Their clients would include a variety of people because different groups of people require different types of testing or assessments. Psychometrists use assessments that test various different things in individuals. These include how people differ in their motivation, interests, opinions and values. Personality tests are used as well as aptitude tests to measure an individual’s ability to perform various tasks (Psychometric Testing, 1996). The typical day for a psychometrist will be required to type for 3 to 4 hours a day, and may have to work 2 or more without breaks to conduct the assessments. They may also have to move cases of documents to different offices requiring some physical fitness. Psychometrists require more of a mental effort day, they are required to process documents on a daily basis, gather assessment scores, recruit participants, and run Excel and SPSS programs for statistical analysis. The Psychometrist, while conducting assessments, may have to deal with rude or upset participants who in some cases may want to physically harm her/him. Psychometrists’ work environment is free from environmental hazards inside an office building. The work would be steady but may be busy depending on the caseload the company or university takes on. | ||
| + | Educational requirements | ||
| + | A bachelor’s degree in psychology, mathematics, or statistics is preferred, as psychometrists have to be statistically fluent to be able to interpret findings and results of the assessments (How to Become a Psychometrician, 2003). It would be useful to have experience working in a research setting where they can gain experience conducting assessments on participants. Doing a thesis or research in a university setting would be an ideal experience because it is straight hands-on experience in assessing people, as well as, the experience of working under professionals in that field (How to Become a Psychometrician, 2003). A master’s degree in psychology or psychometrics degree is highly valuable and would provide the necessary background needed to pursue a career in psychometrics. Obtaining a doctoral degree would be extremely beneficial in the search for a job in psychometrics. Employers usually prefer individuals who have a doctoral degree (How to Become a Psychometrician, 2003). | ||
| + | Psychometrists, depending on whom they work for, have to have specific qualification and training for certain tests that they will be administrating (How to Become a Psychometrician: Education and Career Roadmap, 2003). It is a psychometrist’ responsibility to get these certifications unless the employer specifies otherwise (Psychometric Training, 2014)). In order for them to reach their full potential in regards to pay and jobs, they have to get qualified in all levels of testing (Psychometric Training, 2014). It is their responsibility to know all the important details of the tests they administer (Psychometric Training, 2014). However in Ontario, psychometrists is not legally protected title and people who hold this title do not legally require any specific training Frequently Asked Questions, 2015). But most of them in Ontario do have a bachelors’ degree in psychology or above, listed related disciplines and have worked under the supervision of either psychologists or psychologists (Frequently Asked Questions, 2015). But in United States it is a legally protected title and people who hold this title legally require specific training and licensing which is obtained in 2 pathways (Frequently Asked Questions about Certification, 2015). | ||
| + | One pathway is having a bachelor’s degree from a university with a minimum of 3000 hours of testing, scoring, and administrative experience under supervision of psychologist or neuropsychologist (Frequently Asked Questions about Certification, 2015). Pathway two is to have a master or doctorate degree from a university with documented course work in related fields of psychometry and a minimum of 2000 hours of testing, scoring and administrative experience under the supervision of a psychologist or neuropsychologist (Frequently Asked Questions about Certification, 2015). Once a person has engaged in one of these two pathways they must take the Certified Specialist in Psychometry Exam in order to get the licence and certification to be a practicing psychometrist (Frequently Asked Questions about Certification, 2015). | ||
| + | In Canada you can go to any major university to first get a degree in psychology but some schools offer specific programs such as University of Waterloo University where you can get a degree in Statistics and Actuarial Science and complete a minor in psychology at the same time. More information on this program can be found on https://math.uwaterloo.ca/statistics-and-actuarial science/future-undergraduate-students. Also in Ontario, York University offers courses that train people on the use of psychometric assessments for different levels. But they need a degree with specific training on tests and measurements in order to get into these classes. The two main courses they offer are PE510: Fundamentals of Psychometric Assessments. The online version of the course introduces the basic statistical concepts of psychometric assessments and the factors that affect reliability and validity of the tests. The second course is CPE521: Psychometric Assessments “B” Level, which trains peoples’ ability to examine, discuss, and practice psychometry using B level assessment instruments. More information on this program can be found at http://www.yorkvilleu.ca/programs/faculty-of-behavioural-science/continuing-professional-education/psychometric-assessments/. Outside Ontario, Nova Scotia’s Acadia University offers a masters program in psychology that is directed towards a career in psychometry, with specific training. More information on this program can be found http://psychology.acadiau.ca/masters.html. | ||
| + | Related skills, interests, and abilities | ||
| + | There are a number of key skills psychometrists need to have in order to become effective in their profession. It is important for a psychometrist to be detail-oriented. Active listening and speaking skills are also very good skills that one must possess in the profession of psychometrics, in order to convey and gather the most accurate information for the tests. Critical thinking using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems, is a most for psychometrists. The ability to conduct statistical analyses is a vital skill that one must possess in order to understand the results from the assessments (How to Become a Psychometrician, 2003). Leadership skills and teamwork skills are important for psychometrists because they need to be able to collaborate when working on developing new assessments (Psychometrist Job Description, 2015). They must have excellent observation skills in order to pick up on cues that are nonverbal and behavioral that may not be assessed through the tests (Psychometrist Job Description, 2015). | ||
| + | Psychometrists must be able to build rapport with their clients in order to gain the clients’ cooperation on doing their best performance on their assessments (Doherty, 2014). As a psychometrist it is also important to be able to be objective, as clients may differ in their skill sets. The individual must be sensitive to the client’s abilities and struggles (Doherty, 2014). They must be able to empathize and understand their situation. Lastly, they must be knowledgeable in many psychological theories such as classical test theory to give detailed summaries of test results (How to Become a Psychometrician: Education and Career Roadmap, 2003). | ||
| + | Relevance of Psychology | ||
| + | A course that would be relevant in the psychology program and to psychometerists would be cognition. Cognition courses include information on recognition, attention, memory, problem solving, and judgment. Understanding how people use their memory and learning how the brain processes information would be essential to being a psychometrist who administers these exams to properly assess an individual’s score and the possibility of a learning disorder. The cognitive theory of multiple intelligence by Howard Gardener identifies 7 distinct intelligences; visual-spatial, body-kinesthetic, musical, interpersonal, intrapersonal, linguistic, and logical-mathematical intelligences (Lane, 2015). This cognitive theory is related to psychometery because psychometrists form and conduct different tests of intelligence that are of these types (Lane, 2015). Courses on children and youth in the digital age would also be relevant because you can use that information to understand how the internet can be utilized to understand learning disorders and how to analyze the information you obtain from the tests. Learning courses discuss the various ways that individuals learn and the overall learning process we use. This course could be relevant to a psychometrist because it would help better assess an individual’s learning process and where differences in their learning may come about. It may also help in the understanding of learning disorders that the psychometrist may test for. The child learning theory of environmentalist theory by John Watson and colleagues believes that children environments shape their learning and behavior (Theories of Child Development and Learning, 2015). This learning theory is related to psychometry because they will make the environment for the child when they administer the test so they can understand what is needed in order to achieve accurate results (Theories of Child Development and Learning, 2015). Psychology of the exceptional child and abnormal psychology could also be important contributions as psychometrists may also be testing for mental health issues in individuals. Understanding mental disorders in both children and adults will be useful in the pursuit of becoming a psychometrist. The psychological theory of Bowlby’s Attachment Theory believes that mental health and behavior problems are attributed to early childhood attachment (McLeod, 2007). This it psychological theory is related to psychometry because it helps them to understand and accurately analyze children’s mental health and behavior problems (McLeod, 2007). | ||
| + | Salary potential | ||
| + | A psychometrist usually earns an average of $60, 622 a year in Canada. This salary can range from $39,574 - C$87,606 (Psychometrist Salary, 2015). There is such a wide range within a psychometrist salary because it is largely determined on their experience and training in the field (Psychometrist Salary, 2015). Individuals with less than one-year experience make around $46, 282 a year (see Table 1) (Psychometrist Salary, 2015). There is also a major salary gap in regards to person’s education from having just a bachelor’s degree to a master’s degree. For example, an individual with a bachelor’s degree is in the lowest salary bracket ($39,000) but with more experience and time in the field this will increase (Psychometrist Salary, 2015). A person with a master’s degree will start at 60,000 and go up from there (Psychometrist Salary, 2015). | ||
| + | Job outlook | ||
| + | There are not enough psychometrists in Canada right now. There is a projected job growth of 35% from 2010-2020 (Psychometrician Careers: Salary Information & Job Description, 2003). Work is available in many fields for psychometrists such as market research and software development (Psychometrician Careers: Salary Information & Job Description, 2003). One of the most needed industries for psychometrists is education, specifically on learning disability testing (Harrison & Wolforth, n.d.). In Canada currently there is a large increase of disabled children who need testing to get proper accommodations (Harrison & Wolforth, n.d.). Psychometrists also have an-above average increase in salary. (Psychometrician Careers: Salary Information & Job Description, 2003). Pursuing to become a psychometrist in Canada is a smart thing to do for 2015 since there are many jobs available and good wages that keep on going. | ||
Revision as of 23:07, 29 March 2015
Job Title Psychometrist General overview A Psychometrist is someone who administers pychoeducational assessments and other mental health assessments (Career Planner, 1997). They are responsible for timing, scoring, and interpreting the scores of these tests. This is done in order to provide valuable information from the scores to teachers, counselors, students, and parents (Career Planner, 1997). These tests are administered with the use of particular equipment, such as, dexterity boards. The tests have society’s norms and standards incorporated into them (Career Planner, 1997). Cognitive/aptitude psychometric tests are highly regarded because the information they reveal is about a person’s learning ability and this can help those who document the person’s learning disability. (Psychometric Testing Guide, 1995). As well, the Personality/behavioral style of psychometric tests are highly regarded because they show individual behaviour tendencies and preference in different contexts such occupational context (Psychometric Testing Guide, 1995). Job duties and responsibilities The Psychometrist has many different duties and responsibilities that vary according to client. The type of test that they will devise and administer depends on the subject matter and the objective of testing (How to Become a Psychometrician: Education and Career Roadmap, 2003). Therefore, a psychometrist must be able to create and administer a wide range of tests that look into a person’s cognitive/aptitude and personality/behaviour (How to Become a Psychometrician: Education and Career Roadmap, 2003). These tests must adhere to the timing of testing, number of questions, scoring processes, the structure, and the level and range of difficulty. A psychometrist is responsible for analyzing the test. (How to Become a Psychometrician: Education and Career Roadmap, 2003). As well, they must be informed and knowledgable on the most up to date tests. Psychometrists must have skills in typing, programing, and use of Excel in order to properly conduct assessments. Psychometrists must have good people and interview skills because they will be working one-on-one with people in multiply settings, such as interview settings, private offices or meeting rooms (How to Become a Psychometrician: Education and Career Roadmap, 2003). In order for psychometrists to conduct a statistical analysis they must have excellent communication skills and pay great attention to detail. In order to get effective statistical results, psychometrists need to properly communicate with clients for specific and clear answers (How to Become a Psychometrician: Education and Career Roadmap, 2003). Typical workday Some psychometrists develop tests and other psychometrists administer the tests. Since psychometrists are often working on developing assessments, they often work together with a team of people (McGrew, n.d.). Psychometrists are employed by schools, hospitals, mental health clinics, testing companies, military, private psychology practice, and research companies (Psychometrist, 2008). Their clients would include a variety of people because different groups of people require different types of testing or assessments. Psychometrists use assessments that test various different things in individuals. These include how people differ in their motivation, interests, opinions and values. Personality tests are used as well as aptitude tests to measure an individual’s ability to perform various tasks (Psychometric Testing, 1996). The typical day for a psychometrist will be required to type for 3 to 4 hours a day, and may have to work 2 or more without breaks to conduct the assessments. They may also have to move cases of documents to different offices requiring some physical fitness. Psychometrists require more of a mental effort day, they are required to process documents on a daily basis, gather assessment scores, recruit participants, and run Excel and SPSS programs for statistical analysis. The Psychometrist, while conducting assessments, may have to deal with rude or upset participants who in some cases may want to physically harm her/him. Psychometrists’ work environment is free from environmental hazards inside an office building. The work would be steady but may be busy depending on the caseload the company or university takes on. Educational requirements A bachelor’s degree in psychology, mathematics, or statistics is preferred, as psychometrists have to be statistically fluent to be able to interpret findings and results of the assessments (How to Become a Psychometrician, 2003). It would be useful to have experience working in a research setting where they can gain experience conducting assessments on participants. Doing a thesis or research in a university setting would be an ideal experience because it is straight hands-on experience in assessing people, as well as, the experience of working under professionals in that field (How to Become a Psychometrician, 2003). A master’s degree in psychology or psychometrics degree is highly valuable and would provide the necessary background needed to pursue a career in psychometrics. Obtaining a doctoral degree would be extremely beneficial in the search for a job in psychometrics. Employers usually prefer individuals who have a doctoral degree (How to Become a Psychometrician, 2003). Psychometrists, depending on whom they work for, have to have specific qualification and training for certain tests that they will be administrating (How to Become a Psychometrician: Education and Career Roadmap, 2003). It is a psychometrist’ responsibility to get these certifications unless the employer specifies otherwise (Psychometric Training, 2014)). In order for them to reach their full potential in regards to pay and jobs, they have to get qualified in all levels of testing (Psychometric Training, 2014). It is their responsibility to know all the important details of the tests they administer (Psychometric Training, 2014). However in Ontario, psychometrists is not legally protected title and people who hold this title do not legally require any specific training Frequently Asked Questions, 2015). But most of them in Ontario do have a bachelors’ degree in psychology or above, listed related disciplines and have worked under the supervision of either psychologists or psychologists (Frequently Asked Questions, 2015). But in United States it is a legally protected title and people who hold this title legally require specific training and licensing which is obtained in 2 pathways (Frequently Asked Questions about Certification, 2015). One pathway is having a bachelor’s degree from a university with a minimum of 3000 hours of testing, scoring, and administrative experience under supervision of psychologist or neuropsychologist (Frequently Asked Questions about Certification, 2015). Pathway two is to have a master or doctorate degree from a university with documented course work in related fields of psychometry and a minimum of 2000 hours of testing, scoring and administrative experience under the supervision of a psychologist or neuropsychologist (Frequently Asked Questions about Certification, 2015). Once a person has engaged in one of these two pathways they must take the Certified Specialist in Psychometry Exam in order to get the licence and certification to be a practicing psychometrist (Frequently Asked Questions about Certification, 2015). In Canada you can go to any major university to first get a degree in psychology but some schools offer specific programs such as University of Waterloo University where you can get a degree in Statistics and Actuarial Science and complete a minor in psychology at the same time. More information on this program can be found on https://math.uwaterloo.ca/statistics-and-actuarial science/future-undergraduate-students. Also in Ontario, York University offers courses that train people on the use of psychometric assessments for different levels. But they need a degree with specific training on tests and measurements in order to get into these classes. The two main courses they offer are PE510: Fundamentals of Psychometric Assessments. The online version of the course introduces the basic statistical concepts of psychometric assessments and the factors that affect reliability and validity of the tests. The second course is CPE521: Psychometric Assessments “B” Level, which trains peoples’ ability to examine, discuss, and practice psychometry using B level assessment instruments. More information on this program can be found at http://www.yorkvilleu.ca/programs/faculty-of-behavioural-science/continuing-professional-education/psychometric-assessments/. Outside Ontario, Nova Scotia’s Acadia University offers a masters program in psychology that is directed towards a career in psychometry, with specific training. More information on this program can be found http://psychology.acadiau.ca/masters.html. Related skills, interests, and abilities There are a number of key skills psychometrists need to have in order to become effective in their profession. It is important for a psychometrist to be detail-oriented. Active listening and speaking skills are also very good skills that one must possess in the profession of psychometrics, in order to convey and gather the most accurate information for the tests. Critical thinking using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems, is a most for psychometrists. The ability to conduct statistical analyses is a vital skill that one must possess in order to understand the results from the assessments (How to Become a Psychometrician, 2003). Leadership skills and teamwork skills are important for psychometrists because they need to be able to collaborate when working on developing new assessments (Psychometrist Job Description, 2015). They must have excellent observation skills in order to pick up on cues that are nonverbal and behavioral that may not be assessed through the tests (Psychometrist Job Description, 2015). Psychometrists must be able to build rapport with their clients in order to gain the clients’ cooperation on doing their best performance on their assessments (Doherty, 2014). As a psychometrist it is also important to be able to be objective, as clients may differ in their skill sets. The individual must be sensitive to the client’s abilities and struggles (Doherty, 2014). They must be able to empathize and understand their situation. Lastly, they must be knowledgeable in many psychological theories such as classical test theory to give detailed summaries of test results (How to Become a Psychometrician: Education and Career Roadmap, 2003). Relevance of Psychology A course that would be relevant in the psychology program and to psychometerists would be cognition. Cognition courses include information on recognition, attention, memory, problem solving, and judgment. Understanding how people use their memory and learning how the brain processes information would be essential to being a psychometrist who administers these exams to properly assess an individual’s score and the possibility of a learning disorder. The cognitive theory of multiple intelligence by Howard Gardener identifies 7 distinct intelligences; visual-spatial, body-kinesthetic, musical, interpersonal, intrapersonal, linguistic, and logical-mathematical intelligences (Lane, 2015). This cognitive theory is related to psychometery because psychometrists form and conduct different tests of intelligence that are of these types (Lane, 2015). Courses on children and youth in the digital age would also be relevant because you can use that information to understand how the internet can be utilized to understand learning disorders and how to analyze the information you obtain from the tests. Learning courses discuss the various ways that individuals learn and the overall learning process we use. This course could be relevant to a psychometrist because it would help better assess an individual’s learning process and where differences in their learning may come about. It may also help in the understanding of learning disorders that the psychometrist may test for. The child learning theory of environmentalist theory by John Watson and colleagues believes that children environments shape their learning and behavior (Theories of Child Development and Learning, 2015). This learning theory is related to psychometry because they will make the environment for the child when they administer the test so they can understand what is needed in order to achieve accurate results (Theories of Child Development and Learning, 2015). Psychology of the exceptional child and abnormal psychology could also be important contributions as psychometrists may also be testing for mental health issues in individuals. Understanding mental disorders in both children and adults will be useful in the pursuit of becoming a psychometrist. The psychological theory of Bowlby’s Attachment Theory believes that mental health and behavior problems are attributed to early childhood attachment (McLeod, 2007). This it psychological theory is related to psychometry because it helps them to understand and accurately analyze children’s mental health and behavior problems (McLeod, 2007). Salary potential A psychometrist usually earns an average of $60, 622 a year in Canada. This salary can range from $39,574 - C$87,606 (Psychometrist Salary, 2015). There is such a wide range within a psychometrist salary because it is largely determined on their experience and training in the field (Psychometrist Salary, 2015). Individuals with less than one-year experience make around $46, 282 a year (see Table 1) (Psychometrist Salary, 2015). There is also a major salary gap in regards to person’s education from having just a bachelor’s degree to a master’s degree. For example, an individual with a bachelor’s degree is in the lowest salary bracket ($39,000) but with more experience and time in the field this will increase (Psychometrist Salary, 2015). A person with a master’s degree will start at 60,000 and go up from there (Psychometrist Salary, 2015). Job outlook There are not enough psychometrists in Canada right now. There is a projected job growth of 35% from 2010-2020 (Psychometrician Careers: Salary Information & Job Description, 2003). Work is available in many fields for psychometrists such as market research and software development (Psychometrician Careers: Salary Information & Job Description, 2003). One of the most needed industries for psychometrists is education, specifically on learning disability testing (Harrison & Wolforth, n.d.). In Canada currently there is a large increase of disabled children who need testing to get proper accommodations (Harrison & Wolforth, n.d.). Psychometrists also have an-above average increase in salary. (Psychometrician Careers: Salary Information & Job Description, 2003). Pursuing to become a psychometrist in Canada is a smart thing to do for 2015 since there are many jobs available and good wages that keep on going.
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