2024 Expert Insights on Personality Assessment: Enhancing Skills Based on Recent Developments
This virtual conference will be held October 31 - November 2, 2024.
Schedule | Abstracts | Ticket Pricing | CE Statement
Expert Insights on Psychological Assessment: Enhancing Skills Based on Recent Developments is a two-day virtual experience focused on solutions to common challenges in psychological assessment. From October 31, 2024 - November 2, 2024, this virtual conference hopes to expand the range of tools and frameworks accessible to clinicians in their daily practice. Our presenters are leading experts in the development, training, and practice of clinical personality assessment, and attendees will have the opportunity to engage with a range of esteemed researchers, clinicians, and educators at the forefront of the field throughout this two day virtual event.
Proudly partnering with other content leaders, topics will include:
- Clinical Applications of New Developments
- How Innovations Enhance the Utility of Assessment
- Applications of Emerging Clinical Models (AMPD & HiTOP)
- Considerations of Ethics, Culture, and Social Context
- Integrating Measures from Multi-method Personality Assessment Cases
- Forensic Assessment
- Collaborative/Therapeutic Assessment
- Insights into More Advanced Case Conceptualization
Don't miss this opportunity to elevate your knowledge, network with industry leaders, and contribute to the future of personality assessment.
Stay tuned for updates on our website and social media. We can't wait to welcome you to the Expert Insights Virtual Conference in November!
Schedule
We're still finalizing some of the details, however, you can find the tentative schedule below. You can now download a printable version of the schedule here. For abstracts and more information on each session, please scroll down to the next section or click here.
Thursday, October 31st
11:00 AM - 11:15 AM | Welcome (N. Victoria)
11:15 AM - 12:00 PM | Presidential Address (J. Kamphuis)
Friday, November 1st | 6 CEs
11:00 AM - 12:30 PM | Deliberate Context-Driven Conceptualization in Psychological Assessment (J. Wright)
12:30 PM - 12:45 PM | Break
12:45 PM - 2:15 PM | Using the Alternative DSM-5 Model for Personality Disorders in Clinical Assessment: A Practitioner's Guide (A. Mulay & S. Nelson)
2:15 PM - 2:30 PM | Break
2:30 PM - 4:00 PM | Clinical Implementation of HiTOP: Theory and Practice (K. Jonas)
4:00 PM - 4:15 PM | Break
4:15 PM - 5:45 PM | Ethical Challenges Evolving in Psychological Assessment (L. Suzuki)
Saturday, November 2nd | 7 CEs
11:00 AM - 2:30 PM | A Deep Dive into the Therapeutic Assessment of Madeline G: Developing a Case Conceptualization and Giving Feedback to Complex Clients (S. Finn & G. Meyer)
2:30 PM - 3:00 PM | Break
3:00 PM - 6:30 PM | Navigating Assessment Complexities in Forensic Evaluation: Integrating Multimethod Data into Clinical Formulation (K. Dyette)
Session Abstracts & Learning Objectives
Recordings of the sessions will be made available to registered individuals through the end of November 2024.(Sessions listed by Day)
Thursday, October 31st
Presenter
Presenter
Friday, November 1st
Models of psychopathology specifically and psychological functioning more broadly have historically focused on intrapsychic forces and dynamics contributing to struggling and suffering of individuals. Indeed, nearly all of the most widely used measures are nearly exclusively focused on what is occurring within an individual (or behaviors emanating from an individual). Despite decades of calls for better integration of culture and context into case conceptualization, the field of psychology (and in particular psychological assessment) has been slow to develop concrete guidance for accomplishing this goal. This presentation will present theoretical models and concrete steps toward better integrating context into the clinical pictures (case formulations) that emerge from psychological assessments.
Presenter:
A. Jordan Wright | New York University
Learning Outcomes:
By the end of this presentation, participants will be able to:
- Describe research that supports the significant impact of context and culture on psychological functioning.
- Explain why it is important to consider contextual models in case conceptualization.
- List six context-driven theories to consider when formulating a clinical picture from a psychological assessment.
Abby Mulay & Sharon Nelson | Using the Alternative DSM-5 Model for Personality Disorders in Clinical Assessment: A Practitioner's Guide
The field of personality science is increasingly moving toward the dimensional assessment of personality and psychopathology, in lieu of the traditional categorical approaches outlined in various editions of the DSM. The Alternative DSM-5 Model of Personality Disorders (AMPD) is one of these approaches that is gaining traction in clinical settings. Fortunately, guidance is emerging regarding how to use these dimensional approaches in clinical practice, but difficulties in implementation (e.g., systematic boundaries) remain. This presentation will first outline dimensional approaches to personality and psychopathology from a theoretical perspective, including a discussion of up-to-date research regarding their validity and reliability, empirical superiority to traditional categorical approaches, and clinical utility. Presenters will then utilize case examples to 1. highlight how these approaches, such as the AMPD, contribute to clinical assessment, 2. ease communication of assessment results to stakeholders and patients, and 3. aid in more nuanced treatment planning. The presentation will conclude with real-world concerns regarding how to use the AMPD in healthcare settings, as well as paths forward for future research.
Presenters:
Abby Mulay | Medical University of South Carolina
Sharon Nelson | Penn State University
Learning Objectives:
- Define dimensional models of personality and psychopathology, to include the AMPD
- Identify strengths in utilizing the AMPD in real-world, clinical settings
- Learn ways to integrate the AMPD into clinical assessments
Katherine Jonas | Clinical Implementation of HiTOP: Theory and Practice
This presentation will cover theory and practice supporting the use of HiTOP in clinical psychological assessment. The presentation will introduce evidence for the reliability, validity, and utility of HiTOP in assessment. Finally, practical considerations such as clinician training, test administration, scoring and interpretation, and billing will be discussed.
Presenter:
Katherine Jones | Stony Brook Medicine
Learning objectives:
- Participants will gain an understanding of the theory behind the HiTOP approach to psychological assessment.
- Participants will also be informed of existing literature supporting such an approach, as well as gaps in the literature that remain to be studied.
- Finally, participants will develop a basic understanding of how a clinic might adopt HiTOP assessment strategies.
Assessment is a cornerstone of psychological practice and is touted by public figures as a major contribution of our profession given its impact on educational placement, employment decisions, child-custody, medical procedures, forensics, eligibility to own lethal weapons, identification of neuropsychological strengths and limitations, and treatment planning for mental health concerns. Ethical standards and nearly all clinical practice guidelines include attention to psychological assessment practices. Standards include attention to the uses, procedures, informed consent, release of data, test construction, test security, interpretation and explanation of test results, use of scoring and interpretive services, etc. While these topical areas may seem straightforward, controversies often arise. Current literature highlights the impact of: telepsychology competence in the usage of interpretive programs and artificial intelligence; online (remote) assessments; legal implications in the access and release of clinical data; and interdisciplinary collaborations in the assessment process. In addition, the availability of novel assessment procedures (e.g., technologically assisted methods – data collected via smartphones, virtual reality) create new sources of viable assessment data for the clinician and researcher.
The purpose of this workshop is to identify contemporary challenges impacting psychological assessment and assist professionals in making ethical decisions throughout the assessment process. Clinical vignettes and exercises will be used throughout to illustrate and highlight aspects of ethically competent practices.
Presenter
Lisa Suzuki | New York University
Learning Objectives:
After participating in this session, attendees should be able to:
- Identify the ethical standards and guidelines that impact current psychological assessment practices
- Summarize complexities and ethical challenges facing our assessment work to date
- Evaluate ethical considerations in clinical vignettes
- Strategize around ethical decision-making as it relates to evolving assessment practices
Saturday, November 2nd
Integrating multimethod data into comprehensive clinical formulations is essential for accurate and practical evaluations in forensic psychology. This advanced workshop is designed for professionals seeking to enhance their forensic assessment skills. Participants will explore nuanced techniques for synthesizing data from diverse sources, including psychological tests, clinical interviews, behavioral observations, and collateral information. Through didactic presentations, case studies, and interactive discussions, attendees will gain practical knowledge and skills that can be immediately applied to their professional practice. By the end of the workshop, participants will be equipped to handle the complexities of forensic psychological assessments with greater confidence and humility.
Presenter:
Ksera Dyette | Cup of Tea Counselling, & Consulting, LLC and William James College
Learning objectives:
- Participants will practice two effective multi-method data integration strategies and construct cohesive clinical formulations.
- Participants will address complex forensic questions to ensure that evaluations are comprehensive and legally defensible.
- Participants will discuss best practices for report preparation, ensuring clarity, precision, and relevance to forensic contexts.
- Participants will practice two methods for delivering clinical feedback in an ethical and impactful manner.
Stephen E. Finn & Greg Meyer | A Deep Dive into the Therapeutic Assessment of Madeline G: Developing a Case Conceptualization and Giving Feedback to Complex Clients
Madeline G is a fascinating woman who has been the subject of two important books: Paradigms of Personality Assessment (Wiggins, 2003) and Paradigms of Personality Assessment and Methods: A Collaborative Reassessment of Madeline G (Hopwood & Waugh, 2020). This workshop will give attendees the opportunity to work with the test protocols collected by the presenters during the recent Therapeutic Assessment of Madeline G. A major focus will be on integrating multimethod test data as empathy magnifiers to develop a coherent and useful case conceptualization that illuminates Madeline’s “dilemma of change” at the time of the assessment. The presenters will then show videotapes of the Extended Inquiries, Assessment Intervention Session, and Summary/Discussion Sessions they had with Madeline. It will be helpful if participants have prior experience with the Rorschach (R-PAS), the NEO-PI-R, and the MMPI-2-RF.
Presenters:
Stephen E. Finn | Center for Therapeutic Assessment
Greg Meyer | University of Toledo
Learning objectives:
As part of the workshop, participants will:
Tickets
Early Bird Pricing (NOW - October 2nd)
Registration Type | (1) Webinar | (2) Webinars | (3) Webinars | ALL Webinars | (1) Workshop | ALL Workshops | FULL Experience |
Student Members | FREE | FREE | FREE | FREE | FREE | FREE | FREE |
Early Career Members | $79 | $139 | $189 | $229 | $159 | $259 | $359 |
Members | $99 | $179 | $249 | $299 | $199 | $329 | $429 |
Non-Member Student | $29 | $49 | $59 | $79 | $59 | $99 | $129 |
Non-Member Early Career | $139 | $199 | $249 | $289 | $219 | $319 | $419 |
Non-Member | $219 | $299 | $469 | $519 | $329 | $449 | $649 |
Regular Pricing (October 3rd - November 5th)
Registration Type | (1) Webinar | (2) Webinars | (3) Webinars | ALL Webinars | (1) Workshop | ALL Workshops | FULL Experience |
Student Members | FREE | FREE | FREE | FREE | FREE | FREE | FREE |
Early-Career Members | $129 | $189 | $239 | $279 | $209 | $309 | $409 |
Members | $174 | $244 | $324 | $374 | $274 | $404 | $504 |
Non-Member Student | $69 | $89 | $99 | $119 | $99 | $139 | $169 |
Non-Member Early-Career | $189 | $249 | $299 | $339 | $269 | $369 | $469 |
Non-Member | $284 | $374 | $544 | $594 | $404 | $524 | $724 |
Cancellation Policy: Cancellations will be accepted less a $35 administrative fee until October 20, 2024. After this date NO REFUNDS will be granted.
The Society for Personality Assessment (SPA) is approved by the American Psychological Association to sponsor continuing education for psychologists. SPA maintains responsibility for this program and its content.
Society for Personality Assessment is recognized by the New York State Education Department's State Board for Psychology as an approved provider of continuing education for licensed psychologists #PSY-0218.