
Psychometric Assessments – Children & Adolescents
Subject Choice and Career Guidance Assessment
Please note that the test battery below is a general guideline and orientation to the test process only. The actual test battery and areas to be assessed will be finalised according to each client’s specific referring needs with the psychologist during the intake interview.
Testing Process (what to expect)?
- Intake interview with the test-taker to establish exact assessment requirements
- Assessment: 2 to 5 hours (testing guideline only)
- Compilation of report
- Feedback session with test-taker
What areas are evaluated and explored in a subject choice and/or career guidance assessment?
Intelligence profile will include information regarding the respondent’s global intellectual functioning, as well as their verbal and nonverbal problems solving skills. Working memory as well as processing speed ability will also be evaluated.
Aptitude can be defined as the potential a person has which enables her/him to achieve a specific level of ability with a given amount of training and/or practice. Aptitude, together with other personality characteristics such as interest, attitude and motivation, as well as training, instruction, experience and so on will determine the level of competence/skill that can be achieved. Aptitude tests provide information on a respondent’s relatively strong and less well developed aptitudes and also indicate how her/his aptitudes compare with those of a comparable group. On the basis of this information, certain deductions can be made.
Personality assessment profile will include information on key characteristics, how the respondent relates to others as well as an indication of possible counter-productive tendencies typical of their personality profile. Ultimately, the report can be seen as a useful tool to for self insight and understanding, for identifying and establishing personal natural attributes and getting the most from life.
Interest can be defined as a tendency to favour certain types of activities in a relatively constant manner. As a motivating force, it can play a conscious or unconscious role in the decision making process. It is the orientation of the individual in his or her totality and if it is not taken into consideration when a career is chosen, it can have a far-reaching negative effect on the well-being of the individual. The practical motivation principle of this definition is that the best reason for someone to do anything, is to want to do it. The interest of a person is relatively constant over a short period although temporary fluctuations may occur.
Over a longer period the following three factors should be taken into account:
Development – The personality development of an individual will influence her interests
Age – The interest patterns of older children (Grade 12) are often more differentiated than those of younger children (Grade 7 or Grade 8).
Environment – It is quite possible that new environmental stimuli could influence an individual’s interest.
It is realised that vocational choice does not merely depend upon interest – many other factors such as aptitude, personality traits, values, skills and availability of work often play a decisive role with regard to the career direction and position which people ultimately find themselves in. However, by searching for directions which correspond with their interests, individuals enhance the prospect of attaining job satisfaction and probably a more productive life.
Values are enduring personal beliefs that certain life ideals/life goals are better or more important to the respondent than others. Individuals generally look for a career or working circumstances in which they will be able to satisfy their strongest/most important values.