Understanding storytelling tests through self theory – part 2

  

 MIRRORING INDICATIONS IN PROJECTIVE TESTS

Part 2 of several posts based on Marshall Silverstein's excellent book:

Self psychology and diagnostic assessment: identifying selfobject functions through psychological testing. 

Is here.

Prof. Silverstein has two newer books:

"Disorders of the Self "

     In this book, he applies self psychological analysis to the ten DSM Axis II personality disorders, plus other conditions that lend themselves to self psychological understanding (e.g. depressive personality, somatization, and the vertical split).  The case studies for all of these areas are of adult or adolescent cases.  

And

"Personality Assessment in Depth"

This is a book of case studies using complete psychological test protocols, analyzing all responses.  This book is not based predominantly on self psychology.  The main thrust of the book is the complete analysis of integrating test results across different projective tests, using structural data and analysis of content.

A few words about using projective tests:

I'm aware of the criticism of projective tests.  But I perceive psychology as an integration of science and philosophy about human nature.  I think psychologists must know and use the newest evidence based approaches to assessment.   They also must look at the child, his personality and life circumstances in light of a philosophical 

viewpoint about human nature.

Each theory or body of knowledge that helps the 

psychologist reach insights about the child, that touch his heart and help him recruit the school staff and the family to the child's benefit - is good.  Good practical results for the child can be achieved through science in combination with a philosophical stance.  I suggest we recruit both ways for the child's benefit.

Therefore I suggest we assess the emotional world of the child using interviews with the child, his parents and teachers, observations, questionnaires (like ASEBA), projective tests and integrate all that with the information from the "cognitive" part of the assessment.