A psychiatrist orders a series of tests including an IQ test, personality inventory (MMPI), neuropsychological test (Bender Visual-Motor Gestalt Test), and a brain scan (CT scan) for a 10-year-old boy who has recently been acting aggressively. Explain what each test measures and how the psychiatrist would use the results of each test to help diagnose or rule out potential causes of the boy's behavior.

Question

What will be an ideal response?

Answer 1

Sample Answer: An IQ test measures abilities such as memory, reasoning, and verbal comprehension. An IQ score significantly higher than average means the person has a significantly greater than average chance of doing well in our educational system. By contrast, a score significantly lower than average suggests the person will probably not do well in school. This test would give some indication regarding the boy's ability to meet with success in school. If there are academic problems, aggressive behavior could be a result.The Bender Visual-Motor Gestalt Test consists of child being given a series of cards on which are drawn various lines and shapes. The task is for the child to copy what is drawn on the card. The errors on the test are compared with test results of other children of the same age; if the number of errors exceeds a certain figure, then brain dysfunction is suspected. Research on the validity of neuropsychological tests suggests they may be useful for detecting organic damage. Certainly, organic damage, such as a tumor or lesion, could account for aggressive behavior.CT scans are particularly useful in locating brain tumors, injuries, and other structural and anatomical abnormalities. Again, if a brain structure is damaged, this may contribute to aggressive behavior.Individual responses on the MMPI are not examined; instead, the pattern of responses is reviewed to see whether it resembles patterns from groups of people who have specific disorders. The MMPI includes additional scales that determine the validity of each administration. The youngster's profile would be examined to see if he has personality characteristics that would contribute to his aggressive behavior.