Page 33 - Dainfern Precinct Living Issue 8_2022

Today's Child

PSYCHOMETRIC Photo by Danica Tanjutco

ASSESSMENTS

AN AID TO MAKING THE

CORRECT CAREER CHOICES

BY DR ILSE RUANE

For Grade 9 pupils, choosing subjects that will determine their future can be

daunting. The same applies for matriculants trying to decide on a suitable study

field for university. To ease the stress, psychologists are able to use psychometric

assessments to help these students decide what subjects to take.

sychometric assessments The first area that explores the ASSESSMENT OF
are used to gauge a person’s student’s intellectual or cognitive LEARNING DIFFICULTIES
cognitive ability, personality strengths and weaknesses includes an Psychometric assessments are also
Pand interests. They help aptitude test. Aptitude represents the able to help parents or schools
parents and students to make an learning potential a child possesses determine a course of action when
informed decision and guide them – in other words, their ability to they suspect learning or emotional
in determining sometimes tricky learn. Within the school and tertiary problems. Testing your child’s
subject choices. Clients, parents and education environments, the ability intellectual or cognitive strengths and
schools enlist the skills of psychologists and potential to learn may even weaknesses helps to find possible
and psychometric assessments on an eclipse the innate IQ of a child or learning disabilities, attention
annual basis to help determine subject teenager. problems or other obstacles to their
choices for Grades 10, 11 and 12; However, intellectual ability and academic and social success.
degree choices for university; as well as learning potential can only get a When it comes to barriers to learning,
changes in a person’s career path. child so far within the scholastic and a personality assessment can be a very
tertiary environment; in many cases, useful way to look at a situation from
Psychometric assessments can be
divided into two main areas of inquiry: factors such as their personality a different perspective. It can give you
type and interests far outweigh new insight into your child, into your
• Learning or cognitive strengths and intellectual or aptitude potential. own behaviour and into the broader
weaknesses Therefore, the second area – a context of the family. Hopefully, you
personality assessment – is part of can then use the results to break
• Personality functioning. any psychological evaluation. problematic cycles.
30 DPL issue 8 2022 DPL issue 8 2022 31
DPL issue 5 2022 33