Mock Psychological Evaluation Report: A Great Template for Students

Note: This evaluation is based solely on a fictional participant, with fictional biography information and test scores.
Psychological Evaluation Report
NAME OF THE EXAMINEE: Kyle Smith
DATE OF REPORT: November 28, 2005
EXAMINER: Kellie Fish

REFERRAL QUESTION/REASON FOR TESTING:
Kyle Smith came to me without being referred, because he is concerned about continuing his education. We met on several occasions to discuss his concerns and allow me a chance to interview Kyle about information I felt was pertinent to the issue at hand. Kyle has some doubts about whether he is qualified to attend the University of his choice, Duke University. He is also concerned with whether he will be successful at all in his future education and career. The purpose of testing Kyle is to provide him with guidance about his future college major and continuing education. Testing Kyle will help determine his strengths, weaknesses and interests to help him find the career and college major that best match his personality.

ASSESSMENT METHODS:
Examinee Biography
Otis-Lennon School Ability Tests (OLSAT)
California Psychological Inventory (CPI)
State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI)
Strong Interest Inventory (Strong)|
Big 5 Personality Inventory

EXAMINEE BACKGROUND INFORMATION:
Kyle Smith is a 17 year old senior at Erwin High School in the small town of Erwin. He is 5'8" and weighs about 143 lbs. Kyle lives with both of his parents and also has two older brothers who left the house when Kyle was around eight years old. Kyle's paternal grandfather was an alcoholic and abandoned his family when Kyle's dad was young. Kyle's dad only received a fifth grade education before he had to quit school to work in the mills. Now he works very hard and supports his family during the week, but is a weekend alcoholic. Kyle describes his dad as having two personalities: a caring family man, and an angry mean drinker. Kyle is very uncertain of his father's feelings toward him, because his father does not show very much emotion toward him. Kyle's mother is very ashamed of his father's drinking habits, and their family keeps his problem a secret from others. Kyle's mom also quit school at a young age, to care for her younger brothers and sisters after their mother passed away. It seems that she has spent the majority of her life caring for others, and is very nurturing and kindhearted, as well as honest. She constantly cares for Kyle's dad, despite his alcoholism, and in some ways, she compensates for his careless and reckless behaviors. Her efforts are probably what have held their family together despite her husband's drinking problem. However, she is also very ashamed of her husband and angry with him, although she rarely expresses her feelings. Kyle also tends to bottle his feelings up, and states that he takes his aggression out physically when playing ball. Kyle loves sports and is fairly athletic, despite his small stature. He feels that because of his small size, he must prove that he is just as capable in sports as his peers who are larger.

Kyle has been a hard worker since the age of 12. He has held many jobs, including a newspaper delivery route, and various positions on farms, in a grocery store, a department store, and at the mill. He is able to keep most of the money that he makes, and spends the majority of it on clothes and dates. He dates frequently, but just for companionship and entertainment. Kyle believes this is not the time in his life for a serious relationship, because he is too focused on achieving his goals. Kyle is an above-average student, who currently is a contestant for his class's valedictorian position, and has received many awards and honors for scholastic achievement. Kyle has a group of close friends who are also academically competitive. Kyle seems to be eager to please others. He does not fight with his parents often, and has much respect for them, despite their faults. Kyle is generally a "good kid", who never does drugs or drinks, because he does not want to disappoint his mother.

Despite Kyle's many accomplishments and good qualities, he states that he is not very self-confident. For example, although he dates several girls regularly, there is another girl he would consider being in a serious relationship, but she is dating someone else. Kyle feels that her boyfriend is more qualified and deserving of her affection, so he has not made an attempt to date her or let her know of his interest in her. Kyle is very focused on his goals, but states that he believes he only accomplishes extraordinary things because he "Works harder than others" he also has expressed that he feels he has to work harder than others just to keep up. He does not attribute any of his success to raw talent. He worries a lot about what his family and teachers think of him, and he is very concerned because his math teacher told him that he was not capable of competing academically at Duke University, his dream school. Kyle is also not very reflective. As he states, he "just deals" with problems and situations as they arise, without taking into account what role they might have in his life. Kyle states several possible reasons for his lack of self-confidence, including his small size and his unstable family life. Kyle's lack of self-confidence is one of the reasons why he would like to participate in this psychological evaluation. Kyle feels that he needs to be pointed in the right direction, because he is not sure of the best education and career choices for someone with his interests and capabilities.

SUMMARY OF TEST RESULTS:
Otis-Lennon School Ability Tests (OLSAT):
The OLSAT is designed to give the respondent and the test-givers an idea of the respondent's academic capabilities. The OLSAT can be used to predict future academic performance, or to compare the level of current academic performance with the level of capability. The OLSAT is divided into two parts: verbal and nonverbal. The scores on these parts are expressed as raw scores, percentile ranks (in comparison to norms by age), and Stanine scores. For Stanine scores, mean=5 and SD=2.

Kyle's scores on the OLSAT are as follows, with raw scores in bold type, percentile rank in italics, and Stanine scores underlined:
Total Scores- 64,98^{th percentile}, 9
Verbal Scores- 33, 95th percentile, 9
Nonverbal Scores- 31, 95th percentile, 8

California Psychological Inventory (CPI):
The CPI is designed to evaluate interpersonal behavior and social interaction within normal individuals ages 13 and older. Items on the inventory produce scores for 20 Folk Concept Scales. These scales are divided into four classes: Measures of Poise, Self-Assurance, and Interpersonal Proclivities; Measures of Normative Orientation and Values; Measurements of Cognitive and Intellectual Functioning; and Measures of Role and Personal Style. Raw scores for these scales are converted to standardized t-scores (mean= 50, SD=10) for the gender of the examinee. The CPI also produces scores for three vector scales (v.1, v.2, v.3). The v.1 scale, the interpersonal vector, shows orientation toward people. The v.2 scale, the intrapersonal vector, relates orientation toward societal values and norms. The v.3 scale, the self-realization vector, centers on attitudes about self. The v.1 and v.2 scales are used to categorize the examinee into one of four personality types: Alpha, Beta, Delta and Gamma. The v.3 scale is divided into seven categories that express the extent of self-satisfaction and realization, and is expressed in one of seven levels.

Kyle's scores on the CPI are as follows, with raw scores in italics, and the standardized scores (standardized for males) for the Folk Concept Scales in bold type, and divided into the afore mentioned categories:
Measures of Poise, Self-Assurance, and Interpersonal Proclivities:
Do (Dominance)- 15, 38
Cs (Capacity for Status)- 15, 47
Sy (Sociability)- 17, 44
Sp (Social Presence)- 18, 31
Sa (Self-acceptance)- 13, 34
In (Independence)- 12, 39
Em (Empathy)- 19, 46

Measures of Normative Orientation and Values:
Re (Responsibility)- 31, 62
So (Socialization)- 36, 60
Sc (Self-Control)- 29, 63
Gi (Good Impression)- 22, 57
Cm (Communality)- 35, 52
Wb (Well-Being)- 32, 51
To (Tolerance)- 29, 67

Measurements of Cognitive and Intellectual Functioning:
Ac (Achievement via Conformance)- 33, 62
Ai (Achievement via Independence)- 32, 67
Ie (Intellectual Efficiency)- 37, 63

Measures of Role and Personal Style:
Py (Psychological Mindedness)- 14, 46
FX (Flexibility)- 13, 47
F/M (Femininity/Masculinity)- 13, 48

Vector Scales:
v.1 (Interpersonal)- 25
v.2 (Intrapersonal)- 29
Personality Type- Beta
v.3 (Self-Realization)- 48
Level- 6

State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI):
The STAI is the standard test used to measure anxiety in the field of Psychology. The test has two parts: 20 items to assess state anxiety, and 20 items to assess trait anxiety. State anxiety is the measure of anxiety at the present time, while trait anxiety is the measure of general anxiety.

Kyle's Scores on the STAI are listed below, with the raw score in bold type, and percentile rank in italics
State Anxiety- 44, 68th percentile
Trait Anxiety- 42, 60th percentile

Strong Interest Inventory:
The Strong measures the interests of the examinee in a range of occupations, work activities, leisure activities and school subjects. The Strong compares how these interests are similar to the interests of people who are successfully employed in those occupations. It is used to help people understand their work interests and to illustrate the kinds of work in which they might be satisfied. The Strong gives five main types of information: General Occupational Themes, Basic Interest Scales, Occupational Scales, Personal Style Scales, and Administrative Indexes. The General Occupational Themes show the level of interest in 6 general areas, types of occupations, or occupational environments. The Basic Interest Scales show the level of interest in 25 specific activities or areas. The Occupational Scales show how similar the respondent's educational or career choices are to those of men and women in 109 occupations. The Personal Style Scales show the level of comfort regarding four personal characteristics that may affect the respondent's educational or career choices. The Summary of Item Responses (which includes the Administrative Indexes) gives information about the number of items answered and likes vs. dislikes. The mean for the Occupational Scales is 35, with a standard deviation of 5. Means and standard deviations for other sections vary.

Kyle's scores for the Strong are listed below, categorized under the types of information that are listed above. For the General Occupational Scales and Basic Interest Scales, each listing is categorized into one of the following: very little interest, little interest, average interest, high interest, very high interest. For the Occupational Scales, the occupations are categorized into one of the following: very dissimilar, dissimilar, mid-range, similar, very similar. All scales are listed in rank order:

General Occupational Themes:
1. Investigative- average interest
2. Artistic- average interest
3. Social- average interest
4. Conventional- average interest
5. Realistic- little interest
6. Enterprising- little interest
Basic Interest Scales (top 5 out of 25):
1. Athletics- very high interest
2. Science- average interest
3. Writing- average interest
4. Medical Science- average interest
5. Religious Activities- average interest
Occupational Scales:
1. College Professor- similar
2. Speech Pathologist- similar
3. Parks and Recreation Coordinator- similar
4. Psychologist- similar
5. Special Education Teacher- mid-range
6. Elementary Education Teacher- mid-range
7. Paralegal- mid-range
8. Social Worker- mid-range
9. Technical Writer- mid-range
10. Audiologist- mid-range
Personal Style Scales:
The scores on these scales are in italics, and the mean for males on each sub-section are in bold type. All of the scales have SD= 5.
Work Scale- 43, 48
Learning Environment- 56, 50
Leadership Style- 38, 50
Risk Taking/Adventure- 43, 52

Big-5 Personality Inventory:
The Big-5 is an internet personality inventory survey, which measures five basic dimensions of personality: Extraversion, Emotional Stability, Agreeableness, Conscientiousness, and Openness to Experience. Standard deviations and means were not reported, but the respondent's scores are compared to a mean, and the percentile rank for the scores is reported.

Kyle's scores on the Big-5 are listed below, with his score in bold type, and his percentile rank score in italics:
Extraversion-2.4, 2nd percentile
Agreeableness- 4.8, 92nd percentile
Conscientiousness- 5.5, 98th percentile
Emotional Stability- 3.4, 27th percentile
Openness- 5.2, 95th percentile

PSYCHOLOGICAL IMPRESSIONS:
Intrapersonal Functioning:
Kyle appears to have a somewhat negative and very modest opinion of himself. In the biography he wrote for me, and in conversations with him, it was obvious that he lacks confidence in his abilities. His low score on the Self-Acceptance scale of the CPI indicates that he is self-doubting, and blames himself when things do not turn out how he thinks that they should. He doubts his abilities in athletics and school, despite evidence that proves him to be more than capable. For example, during a session, Kyle described a situation in which he had won an academic award at school, but did not feel like he deserved to accept it. He stated that he was an "average" student, despite his above average grades and other scholastic achievements. Although the statistics would suggest that he is an exceptional ball player, Kyle appears to have little confidence in his athletic abilities. His low score on the Capacity for Status Scale of the CPI suggests that he is unsure of himself, and uncomfortable with this uncertainty. It appears that he has formed a negative opinion of himself as a result of his fear of the uncertain. In other words, Kyle would rather put himself down than risk giving himself credit where he is not sure he deserves it. Every outstanding achievement that Kyle mentioned to me was followed by a degrading comment such as "my class only has 51 students" (after sharing that he was a candidate for valedictorian of his class).

However, not all of Kyle's comments about himself were negative. He described himself as loyal, honest and hard-working. He told me that just about all situations pose a challenge for him, but he is very determined and focused, and will not let anything stand in the way of his goals. Kyle's high score on the responsibility scale of the CPI suggests that he is serious about his duties and obligations. His high scores on the conscientiousness dimension of the Big-5 Personality Inventory suggest that he has clear career goals that he pursues with determination, and that others regard him as reliable and hardworking. Because he was at the high end of the v.3 vector on the CPI, Kyle also appears to have high self-realization, competence and ego integration.

During interviews held with Kyle, and in his biography, he accredited most of these positive characteristics to his mothers' influence. His low scores on the CPI Independence Scale would suggest that Kyle seeks support and approval from others. His high scores on the Achievement via Conformance suggest that Kyle has a strong drive to do well. Taking into account these observances, Kyle's mother may be considered a strong external force in his life, who fulfills his need for support and approval. His coach appears to be another strong outside force. In a different way, Kyle's dad is also an external force that drives him to succeed. Kyle does not wish to end up like his dad, but his dad has set an example for him by his steady employment, and encourages Kyle to continue his education. Although these external motivators are strong in his life, Kyle has high levels of internal motivation as well. He succeeds even when he does not receive these outside reinforcements to give him confidence.

Kyle has a strong sense of self-control, as indicated by his high score on this scale of the SPI. He makes great efforts to control his emotions and anger, or to channel them into socially acceptable outlets (such as playing ball). Kyle's demanding desire to control his emotions often leads him to "keep things inside". When confronted with a stressful situation, Kyle might be tempted to hold back all of his emotions. This is not necessarily a negative habit, because it appears help Kyle get things done. He expressed that when confronting any type of task, he does not take the time to think about how much effort it will take, he "just does it". Bottling up anger and other strong emotions can be dangerous, so Kyle wisely takes some of his aggression out physically while playing ball. This allows him to dispose of these strong negative emotions, in a manner that is accepted by those around him. Kyle's v.1 and v.2 vector scales on the CPI place him in the "Beta" category, which also indicates that he values and protects his internal, private feelings, and likes to avoid public display or disclosure.

Kyle's biggest setback in intrapersonal functioning appears to be his ongoing struggles with his self-image. His scores on the Dominance, Social Presence, Self-Acceptance, and Independence Scales of the CPI all support this conclusion. His classification as a "Beta" type personality can be seen as further evidence. According to his Big-5 Personality Inventory, Kyle is introverted and reserved. His most notable strengths in intrapersonal functioning are probably his strong internal motivation, and his high levels of tolerance and openness, as seen in the Tolerance Scale of the CPI, and the Openness Dimension of the Big-5. Kyle seems to have a need for privacy and an internal orientation, but also conforms to social norms, as indicated by his "Beta" type classification on the CPI.

Interpersonal Functioning:
Kyle's previously mentioned scores have indicated that he is introverted, and keeps to himself. Kyle also has a strong need for social relationships, but is still considered a loner. Although he has a set of close friends, and many dates, Kyle does not feel comfortable in social situations. This is evidenced by his low scores on the Social Presence Scale and Sociability Scale of the SPI. Because Kyle is constantly seeking outside approval, he has a strong need for interpersonal contact. Kyle needs contact with his family, and his mother provides much-needed warmth and stability in his life. Kyle also dates regularly, for companionship and entertainment. Kyle's combination of the need for approval and the drive for success make him very competitive, and he tends to seek competition in all aspects of his life. Kyle has a good group of friends who are intellectually compatible with him, and he surrounds himself by these people to be stimulated and challenged constantly.

When confronted with difficult situations, Kyle might tend to withdraw and blame himself, as indicated by his "Beta" personality type, and the Self-Acceptance Scale of the CPI. This has historically been the case for Kyle, as he mentioned several occasions in which he felt defeated, blamed himself for the defeat, and then withdrew from the situation. One such occasion was when his first real girlfriend broke up with him. Kyle said that he became very depressed and kept to himself for awhile. However, on a positive note, Kyle seems to bounce back and recover from these situations. Although he was depressed when his girlfriend broke up with him, the depression did not last long and Kyle was soon dating a lot again.

Kyle appears to be very responsible and committed in all of his endeavors. His scores on the CPI and Big-5 all indicate that he takes responsibility for his actions. His history of excelling in athletics and school are also strong evidence of his ability to commit. While playing ball, Kyle must commit to practice and his team, and to achieve good grades, Kyle must commit to his schoolwork. Kyle is also a very capable student. He has high academic marks in high school, and he scored very high on the OLSAT. His extremely high scores on the OLSAT indicate that he would be very successful in college. His past academic achievements also indicate future success in furthering his education.

CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS:
Kyle Smith is a 17 year old high school student, living in a small town. Although he has high hopes and plans for continuing his education after high school, Kyle is not sure what career he is most interested in. The purpose of this psychological testing was to provide guidance for Kyle as to what type of career he might be most satisfied and successful in. Recommendations for Kyle's college major and future career are as follows:

a) Kyle should strive to continue his education.
Kyle's historic academic achievements and OLSAT scores have proven him to be very capable of college-level work. His high Conscientiousness score on the Big-5 indicates that he would pursue a higher education with determination. Scales from the CPI have also indicated that Kyle would be persistent in his studies; leading to a high probability of success in college. Kyle's Strong Inventory also suggests that he is interested in education.

b) Kyle should not pursue an occupation that requires strong leadership skills.
Kyle's scores on scales of the CPI indicate that Kyle is unsure of himself, and lacks the self-confidence necessary to maintain a leadership role.

c) Kyle should consider a profession that involves helping others.
Kyle's Strong Interest Inventory shoes that he has interests similar to those of college professors, speech pathologists, psychologists, teachers and social workers. These are all careers which require the high levels of openness and tolerance that Kyle displayed in his Big-5 Inventory, and on the Tolerance Scale of the CPI. A career that requires frequent contact with others would also satisfy Kyle's need for interpersonal contact.

d) Kyle should consider a profession that is highly competitive.
Kyle's love of sports, as indicated in his biography, interviews, and Strong Inventory, show that he is very competitive. His desire for social approval, as indicated in the Independence Scale of the SPI, drives him to be competitive in other aspects of his life. Kyle's academic record and statements about his academics indicate that his is highly competitive academically as well. These indications make a highly competitive career an ideal suggestion for Kyle. Careers suggested by the Strong Inventory that are highly competitive include college professor and psychologist.