Merrell K. W, (2007) Behavioral, Social, and Emotional Assessment of Children and Adolescents, 3rd Edition
This book by Merrell provides an extensive book review of previously published materials concerning developmental psychology. These books and journals under review are these published from the years 1994 to 1999. The article is separated into two main parts. The first part deals with the methods and foundations of assessments which are well discussed in eight chapters. Part two comprises of six chapters which provides and assessment of specific populations and problems. The author majors on the importance of having a clear clarification of referrals assessment.
Considering the assessment methods is a way of arriving at a solution to a certain developmental psychological problem. Merrell says that, ‘almost every child will exhibit certain emotional, social, and behavioral problems which are serious and can lead to other problems requiring referrals (p9). Merrell champions the use of alternative approaches like behavioral dimensions as a form of classification system. The importance of procedures is to review the experiences of children and at youthful stages (Lachar and Gruber 1995).
I have chosen this article because Merrell provides a collective summary of various researches carried out in the past on psychological assessment of behavior. The author also raises very important points on the validity of the Bender and various person to person tests. He however agrees that these methods are still being used by various clinicians around the country (p 205).
He gives a suggestion of the best approach as that which focuses on the bets use and appropriateness of these tests (p 205). He also warns of the past experiences which clinicians have witnessed the lack of reliability and validity of data done by school psychologists, and researchers. So it is best to avoid the reliance of such measures in the procedures of assessment.
The intriguing aspect of the book is its relevance to modern day psychology assessment. It discusses the socio-metric technique in a full chapter. This is a technique which is still applicable in modern day. However Merrell still sees it as one of the best instruments of assessment despite of it being invented in the late 1960s by Bower (Bower, 1969, pp 54-56).
The advantage of this socio-metric technique is many school personnel find it easy to use due to the fact that it lacks labeling of the students with negative labels. The second part of the book provide a review of specific pollutions and problems and it includes an extensive discussion of both the internalizing and externalizing problem of diagnosis, assessment of schizoid disorders, pervasive development and eating problems (Gredler 1970). The author also considers cases of assessment bias by the professionals in their practice. He encourages them to consider cultural diversity in the process of assessment.
This journal is a premier volume on social, behavioral, and emotional assessment in adolescents and school aged children as they prepare to join adulthood. Merrell provides a wide rage of measures of personality and also does not forget legal and ethical considerations. He offers a conceptual analysis that is well reasoned in the process of assessing a child by the school psychologist or a clinical psychologist.
Reference
Bower E (1969) early identification of emotionally handicapped children in school. Springfield
Gredler G (1970) review of the book, psychology evaluation of children’s drawing journal of projective technique and personality assessment, pp 345-437
Lachar D and Gruber P (1995) personality inventory for the youth. Western psychology services.
Merrier K (2007) Behavioral, social and emotional assessment of children and adolescents.Mahwah, NJ Erbaum pp 456
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