Psychometrics: Life of a Filipino Psychometrician

Join me as we learn about Psychometrics and the current state of Filipino professionals in the field. We'll dig deep into the world of Psychometrics and after, learn about the realities being faced by a Pinoy Psychometrician.

AN ARTICLE BY UNIQO MAKATA

Psychometrics, according to Denny Borsbroom of the Psychometrics Society deals with the construction, facilitation, and as well as analysis of tests and their results that aim to measure data both observable and theoretical that are psychological in nature.

A Psychometrician, therefore, facilitates various tests such as Aptitude, Proficiency, and Personality tests. He or she is also responsible for the proper handling of the test materials as well as generating test results. One must be detailed and cautious as a few mishaps in checking might result in major implications for patients or applicants who are being assessed.

Opportunities for aspirants are mostly in the academic and clinical fields. There are also jobs for psychometricians in the industrial setting, though it is lesser especially nowadays that companies are now leaning towards AI. Tests used to measure communication such as Versant and personality tests available online are becoming more and more prevalent.

However, there is only so much you can do with AI as most of the assessments needed to gauge aptitude, proficiency, and personality still need human intervention. Projective tests such as Rorschach Inkblot Test and House-Tree-Person would only be assessed with optimal judgment by an actual professional.

Delving Deep: Psychometric Tests are used to assess the Human Mind

As a Psychometrician before in the school of Don Bosco Technical Institute, I handled test takers applying for various positions from clerical to teaching. All of them have something in common and that is they carefully draw images of people, houses, and objects. They take time to ensure that their drawings will incite positive test results and in turn, will help them land the position they are applying for.

This is, however, very far from that of the patients of the National Center for Mental Health wherein I spent my clinical internship days. The subjects' drawings lean towards the bizarre and sometimes, disturbing. From depictions of humans as aliens and mangled visualizations of a person. Their drawings of a person tell a lot about their mental state and condition.

Among the patients is Nato (Not his real name) who has schizophrenia and it is still vivid in my memory his illustration of an alien-like human. The head as depicted in his drawing is irregularly shaped and the body is not that of a human. The arms can be described as chicken-like and protruding sharply downward.

When Nato was asked, "Where are we right now?", one of the standard questions used to gauge if a person is in sync with reality or not. Staring eyes and uneasy silence filled the air. Incoherent and out of sync from reality statements had become the theme of his responses.

  Fig.1.1. Figure above shows the drawing of a paranoid schizophrenic patient

Fig.1.2. Illustrated is an image drawn by an Anxiety disorder patient

 Fig.1.3. Above is an illustration created by a schizophrenic patient in a non-testing setting

If there is something that 'Draw a Person' tests such as HTP want to tell us, that figures or illustrations drawn by a person can tell a lot about his current emotional state and even, indicate possible psychological disorders (given that it will be supported by other diagnostic procedures).

Delving deep: Test Results correspond to a qualitative characteristic

There are a lot of stories to be told simply just by analyzing a patient's drawing, an image of a person whose eyes are looking towards the left suggests regression or the overwhelming propensity to revert to one's past. The lack of ears may indicate a refusal to accept criticism whereas drawing it in full, well-emphasized ear details may suggest paranoia or distrust of the outside world.

A nude figure might be equivalent to voyeuristic and sexually exhibitionistic tendencies. Short arms signify a lack of ambition while arms extending outward suggest a good relationship with one's environment.

Delving deep: Psychometric tests as a measure of impairment

Personality, Aptitude, and Proficiency are not the only measures being gauged by the tests as one of the main functions of psychometric tests is to serve as a supporting measure to determine the presence or absence of a psychological impairment or disorder. Tests such as Bender Gestalt aid in determining one's neuropsychological capacity, and screening for possible developmental delays or dysfunction.

Image Source: Pinterest

Fig.2.1. Illustrated are the figures to be replicated by the test-taker through drawing

Fig.2.2. Shown is an example of a Bender-Gestalt form

Bender Gestalt is administered with the use of flashcards, each of which contains a figure that the test-taker needs to replicate. The test is then scored with the aid of a scoring form wherein the psychometrician is tasked to determine if certain descriptions fit into the drawings made by the patient or subject. A manual is also provided together with the test kit which serves as a guide for both scoring and interpreting test results.

        Fig.2.3. Illustrated is the patient's replication of the first Gestalten figure

   Fig.2.4. Indicated below the figure is the score and the key points contributing to the scoring

Back to Reality: Importance of Patience and Accuracy in Psychometrics

Each industry offers a unique experience as being a psychometrician for schools requires you to have skills that are meant for educators. One must have patience, especially in giving test instructions to students and addressing their questions and concerns. Louden your voice and be open to questions no matter how repetitive it is, patience is the name of the game.

Both Clinical and Educational settings require a Psychological Report wherein a candidate or a patient's results are indicated. Accurate scores and interpretations must be found in the document as a minor mistake might alter the overall result, thus affecting whether a candidate gets the job or not, or in a clinical setting, if a patient needs to be endorsed for a particular psychiatric intervention.

A miscalculated score in a certain metric for a student's entrance exam might affect his or her overall chance to enter an academic program. Error in scoring a candidate's proficiency test might result in him not getting the job position. Worse, a patient might be misdiagnosed just because of an error in scoring a standardized diagnostic test. This, in turn, can cause delays if an immediate intervention is needed to be done for the patient.

Back to reality: Challenges in the field of Psychometrics

From adapting to the ever-changing demands in the field of psychology to developing skills outside of psychometrics such as effective communication. There are a lot of challenges being faced by psychometricians in the Philippines today but the biggest issue lies beyond the practice itself. It is the unfortunate reality that is being faced by any third-world country and that is the lack of opportunities for psychology professionals, especially psychometricians.

Here, the average annual base salary of a psychometrician is PHP186,128 (According to Pasycale.com) which equates to a monthly figure of PHP 15,518.17 (Data is based in Suburban Metro Manila). Career advancement in the field is present in the local psychometric scene however, not as abundant as the Western counterparts such as Europe and North America. Higher pay is possible, especially for tenured psychometricians working in top companies or institutions (This is the basis for the higher average salary rates that you'll find online) but such opportunities are relatively limited.

Thus, most of the licensed RPm professionals find themselves shifting to the corporate HR field where opportunities are more copious. This is sadly, however, far from what we psychology professionals are dreaming of doing for a lifetime. Some psychology majors thrive in the HR field but it is safe to say that clinical psychology (including psychometrics) is where our heart belongs.

Back to reality: Dilemma of a Filipino RPm

Most of our time as Psychology professionals is spent studying psychological cases and learning about theories that brought the field to where it is today and not in studying how to get referrals from applicants we gathered online. Yes, psychology is indeed the backbone of an effective Recruitment and Human Resources system. However, for most of us, what brought us and drove us to become psychology professionals is the practice itself, [Clinical] Psychology and as well as Psychometrics.

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