Clinical Intervention Assessment Tool Analysis

aSSESSMENT TOOL ANALYSIS

Using this template, you will identify an assessment tool you intend to incorporate into your clinical intervention with at least one client during the quarter. Once you have completed the initial review of your approved site’s scope of practice and provided services, you will identify an assessment tool and a client with whom you have determined the assessment tool to be beneficial. You will submit an analysis of the assessment tool.

STEP 1: PREPARATION ____________________________________

Read

· Hays, D. G. (2013). Use of Assessment in Counseling. In Assessment in Counseling: A Guide to the Use of Psychological Assessment Procedures (5th ed., pp. 3–24). American Counseling Association. https://ebookcentral.proquest.com/lib/waldenu/reader.action?docID=1832730

· Hays, D. G. (2013). Ethical, Legal, and Professional Considerations in Assessment. In Assessment in Counseling: A Guide to the Use of Psychological Assessment Procedures (5th ed., pp. 25–40). American Counseling Association. https://ebookcentral.proquest.com/lib/waldenu/reader.action?docID=1832730

STEP 2: SITE ASSESSMENT NEEDS REVIEW __________________

Review your site’s data in the following areas. Based on the data, consider where the site would benefit from incorporating a specific assessment tool that is currently not being utilized.

· The mission statement of the site

· Demographics/population(s) served

· Preferred client outcome for the identified population

Site Data Summary:

1. Identify who in the building can help you. Who is your data expert; who can help you interpret the data?

????? My supervisor will also be helpful in the confirmation and guidance on the core data points and the site’s scope and oversight of counseling practices for inquiries in case of challenges in the course of building. A specialist in health informatics will be sought to assist in defining the data need and the analysis and interpretation of findings.

1. What is the mission/vision statement of the site? How does this mission/vision statement align with the ACA (American Counseling Association) Mission Statement and Code of Ethics?

????? The site’s mission is “To offer professional counseling to help minority male same-sex couples alleviate internalized stigma and improve relationship functioning.” The mission aligns with the ACA’s mission since it aims to render professional development and advocate for ethical, culturally-inclusive practices that protect vulnerable minority male same-sex couples in the rendered counseling services. The values that will be adhered to on the site are concurrent with those stipulated by ACA: integrity, proactiveness, professional community, diversity, scientific-based practice, and professional organization to accomplish mental health, education, and wellness.

1. Who does the site/agency support? Share general demographic information about the population being served.

????? The site aims to help young minority male same-sex couples who are stressed, which creates challenges in the couple’s functioning. In gay and bisexual relationships, individual and partner stress can negatively affect the functioning of the relationship among young male couples. The actor and partner effects of minority stress are often internalized stigma, victimization, outness, and microaggressions. These challenges result in negative relationship interactions and relationship quality.

1. Identify the preferred outcome for a specific population served by your site/agency.

?????The study’s objectives are to prepare the individuals in a couple to handle the relationship and individual challenges more effectively. The development of listening and empathy by understanding the partner’s worldview and perspective on specific issues. Individual and partner understanding development by equipping the patterners with communication, commitment, and closeness. These measures will ultimately result in the accomplishment of mental health, awareness, and wellness.

1. Review available information about client engagement and outcome trends. 

For example:

Is there a subgroup that historically doesn’t respond to counseling interventions?

Is there a subgroup that historically has the most absences from counseling sessions?

Are there clients with specific diagnoses/areas of concern with a resource gap?

????? Minority groups, ethnic, sex-identity (LGBT), and males, in general, are reluctant to seek or follow through with counseling interventions. Historically, the counseling practice was dominated by white males since access to higher education was limited for males of color and women. The American Psychological Association in 2015reported 86% of psychologists in the U.S. were white, 4% were African American, and 5% were Hispanic. However, this distribution does not represent the country’s population since 60.4% of the population is white, 18.3% is Latino, 13.4% is African American, and 5.9% Asian based on the 2018 census data. Notably, males from marginalized communities are reluctant to counseling interventions.

1. Are there specific assessments your site/agency uses to aid with diagnosis and treatment progress/outcomes? If so, please list:

1.????? Minority stress model

2.????? IHP-R

3.????? Depression Scale—Short Form

4.????? Generalized Anxiety Disorder Seven-Item Scale (GAD-7)

5.????? Brief Michigan Alcohol Screening Test

1. Identify a mental health concern that you would like to assess in this aspect of your Field Experience.

????? Minority Stress, Internalized Stigma, and relationship functioning. Minority stress refers to the stress that emerges among people in marginalized groups or stigmatized social categories due to inferior social status. The persistence of minority stress has been associated with drugs, such as cigarettes, to regulate moods and deal with stress and excessive use of alcohol, especially among young gay males. Internalization of social stigma results in self-devaluation and self-regard among sexual minorities. It is linked to psychological challenges, such as low self-esteem and alcohol abuse.

STEP 3: ASSESSMENT TOOL SELECTION __________________

Follow the link to Psychosocial Instruments in Walden’s library and review assessments that might meet the needs of the population served by your field placement: https://academicguides.waldenu.edu/library/testsmeasures

· Please use APA PsycTESTS & Health and Psychosocial Instruments.

· Enter specific topics you wish to search to identify relevant potential assessment tools.

****Identify an assessment tool that is different each quarter you are in an internship.

What assessment tool did you select? Include the name of the assessment and the link of its specific location:

STEP 4: ASSESSMENT TOOL ANALYSIS __________________

Once you have identified this tool, please provide in-depth, thoughtful responses to the following:

1. Describe the assessment tool you have selected to implement with your client (s). Include information relevant to accessing the tool, strengths, limitations, and feasibility.

????? The selected assessment tool is the Actor-Partner Interdependence Model (APIM) To Estimate Different Dyadic Patterns due to the interdependent nature of intimate relationships. APIM assesses the assess bidirectional effects within longitudinal designs. The strengths of this assessment tool facilitate the evaluation of the variance between dyads (partners) and within dyads when they are known variables, which in this case would be elements of the test for each partner. There have to be assumptions made for data of dyadic patterns to be considered interdependent rather than independent. Researchers often consider and analyze the dyadic data as an interdependent variable, notwithstanding this approach might compromise data validity. The data analysis will be conducted on the MPLUS statistical program that allows for the testing of basic APIM. MPLUS is recommended since it allows for structural equation modeling (SEM) and allows for bootstrapping for missing data and test models that have dichotomous outcomes as required for the site.