Psychometric assessments have made their way from previously being used as an academic tool to now being used by firms and companies all around the world as a part of their recruitment process. However, the benefits of these assessments aren’t just limited to the workforce. This article will explore some of the major advantages of psychometric testing, especially in the field of clinical psychology and mental health. Keep reading ahead to know more!
What Is Psychometric Testing?
Psychometric testing involves examining an individual’s aptitude, intelligence, personality traits, skills, attitude, emotional intelligence, and such psychological traits. Assessing such traits clinically can give an idea about the individual’s ability to adapt to their surroundings and can sometimes make it easier for psychologists to carefully assess their patients, diagnose them, and provide them with suitable treatment.
Psychometric exams are accepted worldwide as a legitimate method to plan out treatment programs, and overall aim at quantizing psychological attributes linked to social and cognitive functioning. This may also help in determining the severity of the underlying issue.
Key Benefits of Psychometric Testing in Psychology
From the workforce to academia to therapy sessions, there are several ways psychometric testing can be used to either test a person or to treat them. Below are some reasons that have made these tests as popular and accepted as they are today.
These Tests Are Highly Accurate
During interview rounds conducted by HR, one cannot be completely sure of an unbiased selection. Psychometric testing helps ensure that an unfair selection is made as compared to mere reference checks.
Apart from that, psychologists and therapists all around the world conduct these tests majorly due to their accurate and errorless nature. The precision of these tests allows counsellors to make better and more specific decisions, helping in faster and better treatment.
Improves Efficiency of the Results
Via psychometric tests, psychologists can quickly collect vast data about an individual’s psychological profile, helping them carefully examine and study behavioural patterns. Such in-depth evaluations and analyses are bound to result in better diagnosis and in turn better treatment.
These tests also help to measure the severity of the underlying issue, which is quite difficult for therapists and psychologists to do otherwise. Psychometric tests can help with all these issues by providing a more efficient, accurate, and reliable test result. They also help therapists track their patient’s progress by providing efficient evaluations at consistent periods.
You Can Get a Timely Diagnosis
For individuals who are seeking immediate help, psychometric and psychological analysis might be just the perfect option. Patients who want a diagnosis by a deadline can consult psychologists and psychiatrists and get clinically tested. While testing can take multiple sessions and appointments with the doctor, it is overall a quicker diagnostic tool than the usual therapy sessions.
These tests are also perfectly suited for patients who are suffering from a severe mental disorder that needs to be diagnosed and treated as quickly as possible. In fact, certain best psychologists and therapists allow for a psychometric assessment only if a patient meets a certain criterion.
You Gain Evidence for Advocating Results
One drawback of the usual therapy talk sessions is that you do not gain any accountable results on paper that might be useful for legal proceedings. Psychometric tests can benefit patients by serving as evidence that proves that the individual might require special needs due to certain limitations caused by mental issues, something that therapy sessions fail to provide.
This is especially helpful in the workforce, where employees suffering from certain mental illnesses can demand favours or special treatment because of their psychological needs.
Help In Changing Treatment Plans
If your current treatment with the psychologist isn’t working for you, psychometric tests can help find the root cause of the underlying issue and identify where the diagnosis is going wrong. This can help the psychologist draw better treatment plans for you, in case you feel there is not enough, or any satisfactory progress gained through therapy.
Additionally, this might also reveal if you are not working with the right therapist and whether you should consult a different doctor for your treatment.
You Receive Customized Treatment Plans
Mental illnesses are a spectrum, and every person suffering from them is different. At certain times, patients might need a completely personalized treatment plan that is perfectly tailored to treat them in the best way possible. Psychometric tests can help provide customized recommendations to meet the specific needs of an individual, which can further accelerate the entire treatment process leading to speedy recovery or betterment of the patient.
About Author
Dr Dipti Yadav serves as a clinical psychologist at the Wellbeing Help located in Gurugram, Haryana. With over 20 years of experience in the field of mental health, she has helped countless individuals and families struggling with a spectrum of mental illnesses and disorders, providing them with speedy recovery from trauma.