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Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 1 to 10 of 10. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by JenStar on August 9, 2004, at 14:21:10
hi all,
I'm really curious about the Rorschach test. I've always secretly kind of wanted to have one so I can see those famous inkblots and find out what mysteries of my psyche can be revealed!Has anyone ever had one? If so, what did you think of it? Did you think it was a useful test?
Has anyone ever GIVEN one? Did it help you glean important information about the client? Do you think the test is a true screen for various conditions?
Yours in Curiosity,
Jen (Rorschach) Star
Posted by gardenergirl on August 10, 2004, at 7:28:19
In reply to Has anyone ever had (or given) a Rorschach test?, posted by JenStar on August 9, 2004, at 14:21:10
Hi Jen,
I have given the Rorschach before. I kind of wish I'd had a chance to take it before I learned it, because of course it is spoiled for me now. The reason I wish this is because I do like this test. I find it gives me rich information about the individual. Since my general orientation to therapy is psychodynamic (with other things thrown in there), this test is a good fit for my assessment and therapy style as the concept of "projection" is central to the test. I admit I don't use it that often, though as it is very complicated to score using the method I was taught (plus I just don't have the opportunity to do much assessment right now). This method has the most research backing it up as a way to intrepret. Many clinicians use other methods, however, or have their own way of viewing it.Is it a good screening tool for various conditions? Well, for some, I suppose. I prefer to screen clients with more structured tools designed for this. I am more likely to want to use the Rorschach for a full assessment. There are certain conditions which do become apparent quickly, however.
Do you have specific questions about your psyche? Or just wondering what it would say. I have that wonder about various tests.
Hopefully this was helpful.
gg
Posted by Dinah on August 10, 2004, at 9:47:47
In reply to Has anyone ever had (or given) a Rorschach test?, posted by JenStar on August 9, 2004, at 14:21:10
I had it done. I suspect the results she obtained from the Rorshach were richly mixed with the results from her clinical face to face assessment in her report.
I think I know which portions came directly from the Rorshach test, because *after* I took the test, I studied a bit about the Exner(?) method of scoring, and recognized some of the code words and I know which of my responses led to which remarks.
One of my responses, and her resulting remark, wasn't at all on the mark. But having studied the test, I was able to go over that with her in my closing session. The biggest focus of her remarks weren't too far off, I suppose, nor too on the mark either. But the conclusions she drew from them were quite a reach, IMHO, and I'm not sure they were accurate at all. But not horribly wrong either.
The MMPI was much more accurate for me.
Posted by Ilene on August 10, 2004, at 13:58:11
In reply to Has anyone ever had (or given) a Rorschach test?, posted by JenStar on August 9, 2004, at 14:21:10
I read some newspaper or magazine articles about the Rorschach test some time ago. It's quite controversial. The people who give it say it's accurate and useful, but the "opposition" says it's unscientific (non-empical) and useless.
I did a little google search and came up with a couple of sites:
http://www.fact-index.com/r/ro/rorschach_inkblot_test.html
http://www.emory.edu/EMORY_MAGAZINE/summer2001/rorshach.html
Posted by gardenergirl on August 10, 2004, at 20:15:14
In reply to Re: Has anyone ever had (or given) a Rorschach test? » JenStar, posted by Dinah on August 10, 2004, at 9:47:47
Dinah's post reminded me of something I don't think I mentioned. I don't think I have ever given a Rorschach by itself, and I doubt I ever would. I personally like to use the Rorschach with something like the MMPI as it is two different test types and it helps to integrate the material from both. It leads (usually) to a more valid report.
Thanks,
gg
Posted by JenStar on August 11, 2004, at 0:45:40
In reply to Re: Has anyone ever had (or given) a Rorschach test? » JenStar, posted by gardenergirl on August 10, 2004, at 7:28:19
gg, it WAS helpful. I really like hearing things from a therapist's standpoint. I don't know any IRL (as friends) so it's hard to ask questions like that.
I guess I would just be curious to see what the test would 'say' about me. I supposed I have a secret morbid fear that the test would label me as some kind of psychopath (even though I'm not!). I also wonder if I could 'fool' the test into thinking I'm a completely normal functional adult (also probably not true!)
But I've always enjoyed taking personality tests at work (things like the DISC that supposedly tell you about your working interaction style) or even the little quizzes in Glamour, which are silly but addictive.
I also just am dying to see the inkblots because they are kept such a secret. I tried to search for them on the web but was frustrated -- I guess they're copyrighted so they won't be published.
Oh well. Maybe some time in the future!
JenSTar
Posted by JenStar on August 11, 2004, at 0:47:26
In reply to Re: Has anyone ever had (or given) a Rorschach test? » JenStar, posted by Dinah on August 10, 2004, at 9:47:47
Dinah, thanks for sharing your personal experience.JenStar
> I had it done. I suspect the results she obtained from the Rorshach were richly mixed with the results from her clinical face to face assessment in her report.
>
> I think I know which portions came directly from the Rorshach test, because *after* I took the test, I studied a bit about the Exner(?) method of scoring, and recognized some of the code words and I know which of my responses led to which remarks.
>
> One of my responses, and her resulting remark, wasn't at all on the mark. But having studied the test, I was able to go over that with her in my closing session. The biggest focus of her remarks weren't too far off, I suppose, nor too on the mark either. But the conclusions she drew from them were quite a reach, IMHO, and I'm not sure they were accurate at all. But not horribly wrong either.
>
> The MMPI was much more accurate for me.
Posted by JenStar on August 11, 2004, at 0:47:50
In reply to Re: Has anyone ever had (or given) a Rorschach test?, posted by Ilene on August 10, 2004, at 13:58:11
thanks for the sites!
JenStar
Posted by gardenergirl on August 11, 2004, at 7:44:46
In reply to Re: Has anyone ever had (or given) a Rorschach test? » gardenergirl, posted by JenStar on August 11, 2004, at 0:45:40
Jen,
I'm glad it helped. And it was nice to talk about work related stuff, because I kind of miss it right now (no classes or practicum in the summer for me). I admit I really like taking tests like that, too. In fact, I am so tempted to take the MMPI again to see how it is different from my first year version now that I've had 4 years of grad school stress but also one year of therapy.I understand the desire to see the ink blots. Especially because they are held secure. Although some have shown up in movies and in commercials, so they are not all that secure. There was also a website posted a while back, several months if I recall, that showed versions of the inkblots and gave lots of advice on how to answer in order not to appear psychotic or something. I would caution you, though, if you ever do want to take the test and maybe have an opportunity to, to avoid looking at sites like that ahead of time. IMO, it will only bias your results, and not necessarily give you a clean picture of your projections into the blots. But I know how tempting it can be.
Lots of people have that same anxiety about the test, because it is different, and many people get self-conscious about their answers because you don't get feedback like you would from say, an IQ test.
It's an interesting experience. Sometimes I think, oh, I can turn off my training and just respond purely. I wanna take it! But I doubt it. I can't turn my training off in therapy much as I would like to now.
Take care,
gg
Posted by Camille Dumont on August 15, 2004, at 11:15:35
In reply to Has anyone ever had (or given) a Rorschach test?, posted by JenStar on August 9, 2004, at 14:21:10
I had a MMPI II and a Rorarch (sp) done at the same time for a psy evaluation and boy was it usefull. My psychiatrist asked for that because she wanted to know if what I was experiencing were due to a pd or if my symptoms were trully psychotic episodes. In then end it confirmed that my hallucinations were not psychotic but rather the product of having a schizoid personality and that antipsychotics were definately not needed.
Although I would say that the MMPI seemed more "insightfull" in my motivations, thought patterns and needs and wants ... still I couldn't get over the fact of how the inkblot test described me accurately ... its freaky to think that me seeing a cat instead of say a horse in some blot could be so meaningfull.
In the end that whole process cost me an arm and a leg (C$700) and I'm not sure if my insurance will pay it but you know what, it has been more helpfull than all of the freaking therapy I had gone through beforehand.
I think its because (was done by a different psychologist from my usual therapy) the results told me what perhaps my pdoc didn't want to tell me for fear of hurting my feelings and given the type of personality I have ... and test results were easier to accept for me than say the opinion of my pdoc.
Now that I finally knew what the heck were those strange needs and wants that I didn't really understand and have an idea of where they came from, it gave me a freedom of sorts ... like a third person insight on how I thought and acted and it helped me gain some perspective. If you understand why you feel depressed, its 500 times more easy to reason with yourself when the suicidal thoughts creep up and to find more acceptable alternatives because you know what unfullfilled needs cause the bad thoughts. Its like finally knowing the right question ... when you do, its like having half of the problem solved.
It has been a defining momment as I have not gone back to therapy since then (and not felt the need to either) and I've gone off one of my ADs and am planning on stopping the second one once I'm over the w/d of the first one.
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