Difference between Psychological assessment and Psychological intervention

Nasim Rana Masud

 

Answer: Educational psychology is the branch of psychology concerned with the scientific study of human learning. This allows the educational psychologist to execute  diagnostic and psycho-educational assessment, psychological counseling in educational communities (students, teachers, parents and academic authorities), community-type psycho-educational intervention, and so on (Cameron, R. J., 2006). These all are the procedure to change the student’s behavior to a standard for having them properly educated. Anyhow, there are some differences between the assessment and intervention which are the following-------------

No.	Psychological Assessment	Psychological Intervention
1.	Psychological assessment is a process of testing that uses a combination of techniques to help arrive at some hypotheses about a person and their behavior, personality and capabilities (J. Framingham, 2011).	Psychological interventions are methods used to facilitate change in an individual. Specifically they are used to modify an individual or group’s behavior, emotional state, or feelings (M. B. Ballou, 1995)
2.	Actually assessment is anything in which a psychologist observes and collects data about a person’s behavior.	Intervention is the procedure in which a psychologist intervenes or treats the person on the base of collected data.
3.	All assessment procedures are more or less formal way of finding out what is wrong with a person, what may have caused a problem or problems and what steps may be taken to improve the individual condition.”( Davison and Meale, 1988)	Interventions can be diverse and can be tailored specifically to the individual or group receiving treatment with those behavioral problems depending on their needs. (Montoro, M. et al., 2011).
4.	Psychological assessment can also be designed to assess some aspect of a person’s knowledge, skill or personality.	Interventions can also be used to promote good mental health in order to prevent mental disorders (Feldman D. B. et al., 2012)
5.	Psychological assessment should never be performed in a vacuum. (J. Framingham, 2011).	Interventions can improve quality of life even when mental illness is not present (Feldman D. B. et al., 2012).

 Though there is certain difference between the two, it may be said that assessment and intervention is the continuous procedure in which a psychologist collects about or assesses the person’s behavior, then he intends to intervene the person on the base of the collected data.