Description of the Thematic Apperception Test - Assignment Example

Description of the Thematic Apperception Test Thematic Apperception Test (TAT) relates to a projective psychological technique designed to reveal an individuals' needs or social drives using the latters' interpretation of a series of pictures about emotionally ambiguous situations. TAT has an inbuilt potential of using individuals' responses during psychological testing in providing in-depth revelation of the underlying concerns, motives, and the manner in which study subjects views the world. TAT that forms an excellent projective personality-testing tool resulted from creativity of Christian D Morgan and Henry Murray. The two researchers designed TAT in 1930 at Harvard University with the main aim of exploring psychological testing. Using TAT in conjunction with Rorschach inkblot test has developed as the most prominent psychological testing techniques worldwide. Projective tests provided by TAT entails a process in which psychologists examines an individual's patterns of attitudes, thoughts, emotional responses, and observational capacity on the fundamental basis of responses to specific ambiguous test materials. TAT tool employs use of approximately 31 pictures with ability to depict different interpersonal and social situations (Aronow, Weiss, & Reznikoff, 2013). The 31 pictures used in TAT tool consists of approximately 10 (ten) gender-specific pictures with the remaining 21 that can find application among children and adults of either sex. During psychological testing using TAT tool, researchers ask study subjects to narrate a story about a specified picture. It is imperative that the responses provided by subjects during story telling directly reflects their life experiences and provides relevant information that remains applicable in counseling. Effective counseling requires that the subjects of TAT describe their lifetime stories in such a manner that reveals imperative information about the problems that they face. It is indispensable that provision of appropriate information would directly assist researchers in discerning counseling techniques appropriate for the subjects' case. Similarly, revelation provided by study subjects during TAT procedural pictures show enables the counselor to reflect and establish an overview of the subjects' lifetime experience that remains cognizant to enable adequate counseling. It is imperious to understand that there exist no conventional procedure or given cards that researchers can use to administer TAT tool. Normally, the research involves a one-on-one test that exists between the researcher and his or her subjects. In addition, the TAT tool finds no application among various groups. Consequently, TAT tool remains limited to a specific individual and not a group of subjects. Normally, there exist two automatic sessions employed by the TAT tool during counseling. Examiner conducting testing may decide to show the first ten pictures to the subject within the initial session of both of them. It is essential that TAT sessions do not depend on time and the examiners normally take great caution in avoiding consequent limitations. However, each TAT session do not take more than an hour in length. Purpose of TAT Researchers normally use TAT in finding more information about specific psychology topics including dreams and fantasies, factors that may influence individual's choice of occupations, and mate selection. TAT finds applications in psychiatric evaluations to perform assessment of disorderly thinking. In addition, TAT also finds applicability in forensic examinations when criminal officers intend to evaluate crime suspects. Therefore, TAT may act as a diagnostic test tool. TAT also have the ability to perform personality tests for various individuals. The tool is imperative in helping individuals to comprehend their personality and consequently establish independent ability to make life imperious decisions. Most importantly, TAT finds application as a screener in psychological evaluation of subjects mainly in high-stress occupations. Validity and readability of TAT Validity relates to the extent to which TAT can meet its functions by measuring and performing required purposes effectively. Normally, validity of the test remains ascertained by seeing the many in which TAT assists clinicians in making required decisions. Reliability on the contrary relates to internal consistency on how tests correlate to each other though it always remains very low amongst TAT scoring systems. There exists vast difficulties in association with using traditional evaluation of reliability and validity to TAT. Mostly, examiners who use TAT finds it difficult to validate it due to the absence of scoring system within the test. Consequently, researchers normally examine each particular application of the TAT independently. Lack of standardization and norms also contributes to inability to make the comparison of reliability and validity across studies. In addition, standardization that lacks even amongst clinicians that normally alter information, procedures, and instructions make it difficult to validate or infer reliability of TAT. Current Research using TAT Current research initiated in 2011 aims at discerning inherent formal characteristics of TAT narratives among adult patients suffering from autism spectrum disorder. The preliminary study aims at elucidating usefulness of TAT narrative scoring technique in detection of autistic information processing signs (Eurelings-Bontekoe, 2011). Norm Groups and Populations that cannot use TAT TAT have no comprehensive application amongst African American and the elderly population. Currently, researchers aim at establishing sets of TAT cards that can remain applicable among African American populations. In addition, research aims at designing the TAT cards that examiners can use among elderly test subjects. \ Cost of TAT Equipment The current costs of a TAT with the complete kit remained at 90 dollars and manufactured by H.A. Murray and staff within the Harvard psychological clinic. Such TAT has an inclusion of approximately 31 picture cards and a manual. The specific TAT have capability of assessing individual's perception about interpersonal relationships. The TAT instrument only applies to children and adults (Pearson Clinical, 2014). Precautions taken when using TAT Many examiners and researchers that have used TAT have criticized it for lack of an inherent standardized method for administration. In addition, TAT have received critics over its inability to avail standard norms that can find use in interpretation of results. Moreover, various researches on the interaction between test subjects and the examiner indicates that there exists potential influence of race, social class, and sex on the obtained results. In addition, race, sex, and social class influence both the way examiners interprets stories advanced by the subjects and how the subject respond to specific stories. Moreover, most researchers have voiced their concerns and critics over the pictures for their depressing or gloomy appearance. Consequently, the depressing or gloomy appearance of the 31 standard pictures limits range of personality characteristics that the test can evaluate. Preparation before using TAT Evidently, there exist no particular primary, preparatory measures undertaken by study subjects before undertaking a TAT test. However, majority of examiners prefers that they schedule TAT sessions especially in cases where there may be more than a single subject for examination especially. It is imperative for subjects not to undergo any preparatory procedures to help avoid any psychological influences that may interfere with results. Risks involved in using TAT In most cases, the main risks involved in using TAT to reveal information that may be vital in counseling individuals include bad fit and misuse of results. Bad fit relates to inherent misconceptions, disagreements, or personal differences that may exist between the subjects and the examiner. Such differences or perceptions between examiner and study subjects may compromise the validity of obtained results. Consequently, or for other reasons, the examiner may misuse obtained results in non-professional manner. Parental concerns over TAT Normally, TAT does not indicate number score of subjects who have undergone tests. In such scenarios, analysis of obtained results may prove difficult for examiners to interpret, a situation that may have negative repercussions especially in cases involving parents. Parents who take their children for personality tests may misinterpret TAT results and consequently infer implications on their children. It is essential for parents to comprehend that results attained from a single personality test may not accurately indicate a child's talents, problems, or skills. Parents should not implicate unreasonable emphasis on their children abilities or failures based on single test results. References Aronow, E., Weiss, K. A., & Reznikoff, M. (2013). A Practical Guide to the Thematic Apperception Test: The TAT in Clinical Practice. London: Routledge. Eurelings-Bontekoe, E. Z.-J. (2011). Formal Characteristics of Thematic Apperception Test Narratives of Adult Patients with Autism Spectrum Disorder. A Preliminary Study. Psychology, 687-693. Pearson Clinical (2014). PreK-16 Education and special needs: Thematic Apperception Test. Web. November 14, 2014. 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